Ben Taylor, from the “Thinking Basketball” channel, published a fascinating video which looks at the “roaming” strategy used by the Wolves to slow down Nikola Jokic during Game 1 of the conference semifinals.
What is roaming? ? This is a defensive strategy which consists of placing a player in a defensive “libero” role, capable of helping in the racket because he is at the start of the action against a weaker attacker. Thus, the Wolves did not directly place Rudy Gobert on Nikola Jokic during Game 1, the Frenchman being first on Aaron Gordon, the weakest shooter (29% by far this season) of the team's major five, or Peyton Watson (29.6%).
Thus, the tricolor pivot can “float” behind his first defensive curtain, in order to do what he does best, namely be a wall near the circle on the penetrations of Jamal Murray and company.
But for Minnesota, the primary goal of this strategy is above all to prevent Nikola Jokic from receiving the ball out of the pick-and-roll, at the head of the racket, where he manipulates the defense best, to score himself, to serve his shooters outside depending on opposing assists, or Aaron Gordon under the circle.
Nikola Jokic, the defensive priority on the pick-and-roll
Because what the Wolves absolutely want to avoid is letting Nikola Jokic unravel their defense out of the pick-and-roll. Because this is where the Nuggets’ offense is running at full speed.
Thus, in pick-and-roll situations, mainly between Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic, the Wolves player placed on the opposing leader (Anthony Edwards or Jaden McDaniels) had to follow the Canadian, to avoid leaving him space. to draw from afar, and push it into space at mid-distance, towards Rudy Gobert.
The interior who defended Nikola Jokic (Karl-Anthony Towns or Naz Reid) had to stay on the Serbian, trusting Rudy Gobert, who therefore floated behind.
The chess game between the Wolves, who want to deprive (as much as possible) Nikola Jokic of his readings of the game out of the pick-and-roll, and the Nuggets, who need to use him (as much as possible) in this role to free Aaron Gordon or even Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, under the circle or at 3-points, is only just beginning…
