Isaiah Thomas, NBA world concerned about Nuggets amid Timberwolves problem

If ever there was a game for the Denver Nuggets to strike back in what’s shaping up to be an epic clash against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs, it’s in Game 2. Rudy Gobert was not able to suit up after the birth of his first child, and his absence was going to be huge, as it could open up the paint for the Nuggets after Gobert played a starring role in slowing down their offense in Game 1. However, the Timberwolves kept it rolling in what was a dominant first-half effort in Game 2 even sans Gobert.

The Timberwolves played more suffocating defense than usual, and the Nuggets struggled as a result. Nikola Jokic turned the ball over many times, Jamal Murray was flustered with all the contact the Timberwolves were seemingly getting away with, and as a result, the Nuggets fell down by as many as 28 points before the break as Minnesota took a 61-35 lead into the halftime locker room.

Minnesota is playing their best, most-connected basketball at exactly the right moment. Barring an unforeseen collapse, they’ll be taking a convincing 2-0 series lead heading back home. This doesn’t bode well for the Nuggets at all. Isaiah Thomas, a member of the Phoenix Suns roster that Minnesota easily dispatched of in the first round of this year’s playoffs, thinks that the Timberwolves have all the answers to the Nuggets problem.

“Tim built Minnesota to beat Denver!! Damn they making it tough for Denver on both sides. Haven’t seen a team consistently do that to em in awhile. Still a long game so a lot can change,” Thomas wrote on his official Twitter (X) account.

Kendrick Perkins pointed out that the Timberwolves’ defense was causing the usually-composed Nuggets to lose their composure, while Eddie Johnson, the color analyst for the Suns’ local broadcast crew, feels some vindication after seeing the Timberwolves overwhelm the reigning champions similarly to how they feasted on the Suns in the first round.

“These young Wolves got the Champs, the most “poised” team in the league throwing tantrums and unraveling like a 10th seed that got in through the Play In. Jesus Christ!” Perkins wrote.

Johnson added, “Are you people now seeing what I was trying to tell you in the Suns series? These Wolves feast on you defensively.”

A few other former NBA players in Terrence Ross, Wilson Chandler, and Damien Wilkins, also chimed in on the Timberwolves’ Game 2 demolition of the Nuggets.

“I’ve never seen Denver this out of character…” Ross wrote. Chandler expressed, “Damn, Minnesota tough! Playing exactly like Wolves, crazy.” Wilkins said, “Sheesh…can’t say I saw this coming.”

It’s still early in the series, but the Timberwolves are in full control over the Nuggets, and as they head back home, no less.

Timberwolves’ vision comes to life