Minnesota Timberwolves Player Reveals Strategy Against Nikola Jokic
![May 12, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) works around Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) and guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (9) in the third quarter of game four of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports May 12, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) works around Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) and guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (9) in the third quarter of game four of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_2548,h_1433,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/inside_the_nuggets/01j2wa4bpw7z3ezhbjmw.jpg)
There are certain NBA stars who simply cannot be effectively schemed against. This group of players is small, but Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic is certainly in it. Able to bend the defense no matter how they defend him, Jokic is truly a one of one talent at the center position.
During a recent episode of the Hip Hop Hoops podcast, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker spoke on Jokic, and said his team’s strategy was to take away the three-time MVP’s weapons, and force him to do all the scoring.
"He probably had 30 every game," Alexander-Walker said of Jokic. "... How do we make it your 30 points vs. our team... Now we gotta take Jamal [Murray] out of the series. We gotta take Michael Porter out of the series. Let's try to limit Aaron Gordon and what he does for them. Now it's like Jokic, you are going to have to score 100 points against us."
Can Jokic be stopped? 🤔
— Tidal League (@TidalLeague) July 15, 2024
(Via: Hip Hop Hoops) pic.twitter.com/DcUV8AB1WP
As Alexander-Walker noted, even this strategy is not perfect, but it was what the Timberwolves found to be most effective against the Nuggets. Minnesota was able to eliminate Denver in the Western Conference Semi-Finals, and while that was not due to a poor showing from Jokic, the Timberwolves did do an effective job limiting the players around him.
This was very interesting to hear broken down by Alexander-Walker, as he acknowledged how impossible Jokic is to stop, which is why the Timberwolves took a unique approach in their series against him.
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