The Nuggets didn’t need a long film session to understand what went wrong against Minnesota. They got shoved off their spots, beaten to the rim, and handled too easily in last season’s first-round playoff loss. David Adelman called out the physicality issue at media day, and Denver’s offseason body work suggested the message landed.
Nikola Jokic showed up looking noticeably leaner than he did at the end of last season. Christian Braun looked more toned.
DaRon Holmes II looked like he had been spending his summer in the gym with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Across the roster, the visual was hard to miss: Denver looked like a team that took the criticism seriously.
That matters because the Timberwolves made life far too simple in the paint. A step by a slower or weaker defender was enough to open the door for easy layups, even for Minnesota’s backup guards and wings. Once the Wolves got inside, Denver had little resistance waiting for them.
Jokic’s slimmer build should help him move a little quicker and get in the way of ball-handlers more often. He is not going to turn into a rim protector, but getting in front of a drive and forcing a tougher shot can still change the possession.
Braun’s role should help on the edge of the defense, too. His ankle is fully healed, and with his explosiveness and strength back, he can help keep drives from getting started in the first place.
The new addition of Alpha Diallo gives the second unit another option there as well. Adelman identified one-on-one defense as a problem last season, and Diallo fits as a physical perimeter stopper who can handle those matchups.
So the foundation appears to be in place. Denver put in the work in the weight room, trained together, and clearly heard the warning. Now Adelman and his staff have to turn that added muscle into a defense that holds up when the games matter.
In Other News...
DeMar DeRozan Just Made Denvers Playoff Plan Feel Real
DeMar DeRozans arrival at Nuggets media day came with the kind of perspective Denver has been hoping to hear from a veteran scorer who understands where the gravity in this offense already lives. He spoke about embracing a complementary role and the chance to ease some of the burden on Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, which matters for a team that spent all season looking for another reliable way to bend defenses when the games slow down.
What makes DeRozan interesting here is not whether he can still create, but how comfortably he can slide into a setup built around two elite shot-makers and a deep supporting cast. The Nuggets have long had the high-end talent to make a real postseason run, and adding another seasoned offensive option gives them a different layer to lean on when the playoff game gets tighter and every possession starts to look familiar. [Read more 🡒]
David Adelman Is Targeting A Nuggets Weakness Fans Know Too Well
The Nuggets spent last season fighting a problem that showed up in a hurry every time a possession ended badly, and it became one of the clearest drag points on an otherwise elite team. At media day, David Adelman pointed straight at that issue as the new seasons early emphasis, saying the staff wants to use more work on the offensive glass to help keep opponents from running the other way.
It is a familiar area of concern for Denver, and it is one the team appears ready to attack with some structural help. The addition of assistant coach Dave Joerger, long known for his defensive background, gives Adelman another voice as the Nuggets build out a revised scheme and try to make sure the same leak does not keep showing up when games speed up. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Whitmore Gives Nuggets A Fascinating Rotation Bet
Cam Whitmore arrives in Denver as one of the more intriguing low-risk swings on the Nuggets roster, a former first-round pick whose athleticism and scoring pop have already made him a player worth watching. On a two-way contract, he gives the Nuggets a developmental project with real upside, and his arrival fits the kind of roster-building the team can afford around its core.
Whitmore said he is optimistic about sharpening the parts of his game that will determine whether he can stick - the three-point shot, his passing and his defense - while learning in a locker room built around veteran know-how. Denvers coaching staff and established players should have plenty of chances to help him along, and the appeal is obvious: if the growth comes quickly, the Nuggets may have found a rotation bet that looks bigger than the contract suggests. [Read more 🡒]