The series between the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves has officially come alive.
After a stunning Game 2 collapse on Monday night—where Denver squandered a 19-point first-half lead—the defending champs now head into hostile territory with the series tied 1-1. Momentum has shifted, confidence has been shaken, and perhaps most importantly, adjustments are no longer optional—they’re urgent.
And one potential move could quietly reshape everything.
A Bold Call: Is Julian Strawther the Answer?
All eyes are now on whether head coach David Adelman will roll the dice on second-year guard Julian Strawther—a player who has yet to log a single minute in this series.
At first glance, it seems unlikely. Strawther hasn’t been a consistent fixture in Denver’s rotation this season, appearing in just 57 of 82 games and often seeing limited minutes. But context matters—and timing might be everything.
Strawther closed the regular season on a tear.
Across his final four games, he averaged:
- 17.0 points
- 3.0 rebounds
- 1.8 assists
- 1.0 steal
More impressively, he shot an efficient 53.2% from the field and a blistering 55.0% from beyond the arc. In his final two starts, he combined for 47 points and 10 rebounds, knocking down 8 of 15 three-point attempts.
That kind of scoring punch is hard to ignore—especially for a Nuggets team that looked completely drained in the second half of Game 2.
A Familiar Playoff Spark
This wouldn’t be uncharted territory for Strawther, either.
Nuggets fans still remember his breakout moment in last year’s postseason, when he erupted for 15 second-half points in a crucial Game 6 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. That performance showcased his ability to rise under pressure—a trait Denver could desperately use right now.
While comparing him to a proven scorer like Tim Hardaway Jr.—a Sixth Man of the Year finalist averaging 25 minutes in this postseason—might be ambitious, Strawther offers a similar archetype: instant offense off the bench.
And after Game 2, offense isn’t something Denver can take for granted.
The Real Problem: Defense, Not Scoring?
But here’s the catch—and it’s a big one.
The Nuggets’ struggles in Game 2 weren’t purely offensive. Defensive breakdowns allowed Minnesota to claw back into the game, exposing vulnerabilities across the board.
Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels didn’t mince words after the win, bluntly stating that “the whole team… they’re all bad defenders.”
That raises a critical question: does inserting Strawther actually solve anything—or make things worse?
If he steps onto the floor in Game 3, Minnesota will almost certainly target him. Isolation plays, physical drives, and matchup hunting could quickly turn him into a liability on the defensive end.
Against a Timberwolves squad that thrives on physicality and exploiting weaknesses, there’s little margin for error.
High Risk, High Reward
Still, standing pat may not be an option.
Denver had control of Game 2—and lost it. They ran out of energy, lacked adjustments, and failed to respond to Minnesota’s surge. That kind of collapse demands experimentation.
Giving Strawther minutes isn’t just about offense—it’s about injecting life into a rotation that suddenly looks stale.
And if it doesn’t work?
At least the Nuggets will have tried something.
Game 3: A Turning Point
With the series shifting to Minnesota for Game 3, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The Timberwolves now have momentum, the home crowd, and a clear blueprint for attacking Denver.
For the Nuggets, this is more than just another game—it’s a test of adaptability.
Whether or not Strawther sees the floor, one thing is certain:
No role is guaranteed. No lineup is locked. And no one is safe.