Without Towns, the Timberwolves are not easy to play against the Nuggets. Finch arranged Reed to top Jokic, Gobert basket to sweep the basket, this strategy does not say to prevent Jokic but at least will make Jokic uncomfortable, Gobert's basket frame area is too large, on the one hand, Jokic is not afraid to go deeper, can only finish through the near basket, and on the other hand, the way to find Gordon is also directly gone. Of course, finishing near the basket is also Jokic's strength, and whether he can score or not depends more on the quality of Reed's defense, and more on Jokic's own feel, but this will at least make Jokic tired.
The problem with the Timberwolves is in the transition section, and the connection section is Li Kaier's top, Li Kaier's size is too small after all, Jokic plays obviously easier, and Li Kaier's offensive organizational advantage can't be played. If Towns starts the top, and Reed is on the top, and this strategy is continued throughout the game, Jokic may still score high points, but it won't be so easy, and the cooperation with his teammates may be cut off, because there is a Gobert under the basket, and it is completely impossible for Jokic's other teammates to challenge Gobert under the basket.
In fact, even if it was Reed and Lee Kaier today, the Timberwolves still bit the score. The latter two had too many fouls, and then Finch simply let Gobert defend Jokic alone, and the Nuggets were revitalized. In the second half of the final quarter, that is, when the Nuggets opened the score, Braun made a few empty cuts under the basket, and it was all because Gobert single-handedly defended Jokic and went out. Jokic went online to respond to the ball, before Murray and Jokic were ready to make a hand-to-hand, Braun first covered with Murray, Jaden and Conley's focus was on Murray and Jokic, and there was a slight delay between changing and not changing, Braun reflexively went to the basket, and Jokic's side of the ball was also in place, and at this time Gobert was still next to Jokic, and Braun dunked under the basket. The Nuggets hit several of them in the second half of the final quarter. Playing the Nuggets, Gobert has to defend a non-space point to stay under the basket, and the Nuggets have a non-space point. Gordon in the start, Braun on the bench are all points that can be put down.
Don't think about whether you can prevent death when you play the Nuggets, if you can make Jokic play uncomfortable, and secondly, if you can make Jokic not contact his teammates too much, it is already a success. In addition, if the offensive end can be targeted at him more and consume him as much as possible, then there is hope for the Nuggets.
Downs' return will be much better, first of all, there will be a bigger man, and there will be more ample rotation, and secondly, Towns will be bigger, but the consumption of Jokic will be greater if he is on the inside. In addition, Towns' contribution on the offensive end can also improve the offensive environment of the Timberwolves, although Reed's three-point shooting is also good, but Reed cannot play the full 48 minutes alone, and the Lee Kyle who came up is also a non-space point, and the space of the Timberwolves connection section may be worse than the starter. Towns and Reed could cover the entire 48 minutes, while also allowing Lee to return to familiar positions.