Scouting Report: Nuggets Offense Vs. Wolves Defense

This ain't 2024

Photo by Dima Pechurin on Unsplash

A scouting report on the Nuggets’ offense vs. the Wolves’ defense.

1. Story of the Series

• The Nuggets have a much better offense than they did vs. the Wolves two years ago.

  • Offensive ratings vs. Minnesota

    • 2024: 109.1 (106.6 playoffs)

    • 2025: 111

    • 2026: 117.4

• Denver’s spacing is significantly improved and it makes all the difference

  • Denver made 52 3’s in four games (13 per game) vs. the Wolves this year compared to:

    • 41 in 2025 (10.25)

    • 39 in 2024 (9.75 per game)

      • 73 in the playoffs, an average of 10.4 per game

• Ayo Dosunmu is good, Nickeil Alexander-Walker was better

• Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun’s spacing will be key

2. Nikola Jokic

A. Post-Ups

• The Wolves’ primary coverage vs. Jokic this season was the “Rui Defense” with Julius Randle as the main defender and Rudy Gobert as the weakside help defender

  • Jokic annihilated Randle in these possessions

  • Rui was primarily defending Spencer Jones with Gordon out

    • Jones did good work spacing Gobert out to take this ability to sink away, hitting shots and cutting

    • This problem is exacerbated when Gordon is on the floor

      • When Gordon played, the Wolves primarily played it straight up with Gobert on Jokic and Randle on Gordon