The Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves are set to tip off tonight for the first of four meetings this season.
The teams share a lot of similarities, and are just about at the same pace in terms of their climb towards becoming big players in the Western Conference. And right now, the Nuggets and Wolves are in the process of laying the foundation for what could be the next big rivalry in the NBA.
Both teams are young, up-and-coming franchises with plenty of upside. Not to mention, they play in the same division. So, let’s take a look at why the Nuggets and Timberwolves just might be the next big must-watch event in the NBA.
Well, first things first, both of these teams have wrecking balls at the center position. The Wolves have the reigning Rookie of the Year in Karl Anthony Towns (20), while the Nuggets have two European studs manning the trenches down low in Jusuf Nurkic (22) and Nikola Jokic (21). This matchup alone is one reason to be excited, as all three have aspirations being perennial All Stars.
The forward positions also provide story lines, with former first-overall selection Andrew Wiggins (21) running the show for the Wolves. While he will mostly be matched up against either Danilo Gallinari or Wilson Chandler, it will still be intriguing as Jokic, who has taken on the task of playing the power forward position more, will see some action against Wiggins moving forward, making for another big matchup to keep an eye on. Also, Junacho Hernangomez (21), the Nuggets 14th-overall pick, will contest Wiggins when he becomes acclimated to the style of play the NBA warrants.
Just as exciting is the way the two teams line up at the guard positions. The Wolves have some shooting stars in fifth-overall pick Kris Dunn (22) and Zach LaVine (21), while the Nuggets have a couple of promising youngsters as well in Emmanuel Mudiay (20) and seventh-overall pick Jamal Murray (19). This matchup will be an exciting one to watch for years to come if the players’ skill sets pan out. Murray and LaVine share similar qualities in the fact that they can light up the scoreboard, while Dunn and Mudiay share similar styles of play, too. Bottom line is, both teams’ guards will feed off each others’ play and energy, making this one of the most intriguing matchups in the league.
Last, but certainly not least, are the coaches. The Wolves made headlines when they opted to bring in Tom Thibodeau to run the show. Thibodeau is a defensive-minded, emotional coach, a lot like the guy running the show for the Nuggets.
Overall, both teams have extremely bright futures in store and are in the process of building what could be the next two golden franchises in basketball.
The amount of similarities between the two is striking, and when the two hit the hardwood, a great game is sure to ensue. Don’t be surprised if in two or three years you see these two squads going up against each other in the postseason.
