The Denver Nuggets are implementing a extra bodily defensive strategy forward of the 2025-26 season, emulating the fashion mastered by defending champion Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder. Nikola Jokic stated Friday the group is emphasizing aggressive play that checks the boundaries of what referees will name fouls.
The Nuggets ranked twenty first in defensive effectivity final season and struggled in consecutive postseasons towards opponents who employed bodily, disruptive schemes. The Minnesota Timberwolves’ aggressive protection bothered Jamal Murray in 2024, whereas OKC overwhelmed Denver with paint safety and perimeter restoration within the 2025 playoffs.
Jokic defined the group’s defensive philosophy throughout apply classes at Ball Area on Friday. The three-time MVP indicated the strategy focuses on pushing the bounds of physicality with out fouling.
“We are attempting to be aggressive,” Jokic stated. “We’re attempting to be, like, near a foul — testing the refs to name the fouls. That is one thing that we’re gonna attempt to do. That was the emphasis of the apply.”
New head coach David Adelman has described the technique as “junking it up” on protection. The time period refers to creating chaos via ball strain, zone ideas and matchup-dependent schemes.
Adelman has emphasised zone protection and situational changes all through the offseason. The coach deployed zone commonly throughout final season’s playoffs as interim coach and plans to proceed creating a number of defensive seems.
The brand new scheme might be much less inflexible than earlier seasons and extra closely based mostly on Jokic’s basketball IQ. Some matchups would possibly require Jokic to strain ball-handlers, whereas others may name for drop protection.
“Simply alternative ways to shrink on higher gamers. Zone. Working all that sort of stuff, after which after we do zone, who’s on the court docket, what their duties are at every spot,” Adelman stated. “And we’ll proceed to work on it.”
The Nuggets hope to slim the defensive hole with Oklahoma Metropolis, a heavy favourite to repeat as champions. Alex Caruso pestered Jokic all through the Thunder’s Sport 7 victory final season, showcasing the effectiveness of aggressive ball strain.
Jokic acknowledged the educational curve concerned with the brand new system however expressed optimism about its potential affect.
“It is one thing new, so we’re sort of attempting to regulate,” Jokic stated. “However I feel we see that it is going to be actually good, and it may assist us rather a lot.”
