It’s Joker’s World

After the first two games of the Western Conference semis, it seemed like the Nuggets were in a little trouble. Minnesota’s ball pressure stifled the Murray x Jokic two-man game in a way that no other team had been able to. Add in the fact that Denver had lost their first two games at home, and the 0-2 hole heading back to the Target Center was daunting. Now the momentum has completely shifted thanks to the hands down best player in the world. Welcome to the playoffs! ⛽️

Jokic heard some of the absurd reactionary takes after the beginning of the series and has put together a three-game stretch that is up there with any other offensive postseason peak — he is putting up 33 PPG, 9.3 RPG, and 9.7 APG to go along with 4.4 stocks (steals and blocks) 🫠

So what happened to Minnesota?

• Denver started aggresively trapping Anthony Edwards to force the ball out of his hands and make other Minnesota players beat a 4 on 3

• The Nuggets’ rotations were enough to hold up against Minnesota’s cadre of big men in the short roll - Gobert, KAT and Naz Reid could not punish those advantages

• Ant was limited in Game 5 after dropping 44 points and putting up 25 shots in Game 4. Denver’s scheme held him to just 15 shots

Still, even though Denver has unlocked something against this Minnesota squad — we all knew shot creation in the half-court for everyone not named Ant could be the Wolves’ undoing — it will be difficult to close out this team on the road 👀

The refs tend to allow more physicality as a series goes further along, and Minnesota will come out looking to establish toughness early. But even if the Wolves can slow down Murray and Denver’s other perimeter options, I still think Jokic knows he has to be aggressive as a scorer, and expect him to look for his shot early 🃏

• Honestly, Minnesota’s team defense is irrelevant though if no one can slow down the Joker

• Another thing to expect — Ant is going to unload the clip, so a parlay that includes his points over (29.5) could be worth exploring

Nuggets vs Timberwolves Betting Preview

• Spread: Timberwolves -2.5

• Moneyline: Timberwolves -134, Nuggets +116

• Over/Under: 203

• When: 8:30PM EST on ESPN

Trivia Question: Out of the three teams to repeat as champions since 2000 — Lakers, Heat and Warriors — which team avoided a game seven during the title defense?

For My Parlay Gurus

For a moment there I thought Ant and Minnesota were ready to topple the champs and announce themselves in a similar way as the 2006 Miami Heat. Jokic made sure I would regret betting against him. He is inevitable right now and I think the Nuggets rattle off four straight. Give me Denver to cover spread and Jokic’s over on points. The Nuggets win when the Joker looks to score 👇️

• Nuggets +2.5 @ Timberwolves: -112

• Nikola Jokic Over 29.5 Points: -104

$100 on this bet would win you $193 — if we hit, make sure you email [email protected] for a chance to win an Overtime hoodie*. Many will enter, only some will win 😉

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Trivia Answer: Only the Lakers, during their dominant 2001 playoff run where Kobe and Shaq led the team to a 15-1 record, managed to avoid playing a game seven out of the last three teams to repeat

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Many will enter, one (1) will win. Void where prohibited. Open to legal US & DC residents 18 years or older. Prize is one Overtime hoodie. Approximate retail value (“ARV”): $65. Entries are accepted until 11:59 pm EST on the day after the bet hits. See Campaign Terms for additional terms. ©2023 Overtime Sports, Inc. All rights reserved.