Nuggets Notes: Towns, Saric, Gordon, Westbrook

With Karl-Anthony Towns now a member of the Knicks, the Timberwolves no longer present major matchup problems for the Nuggets, according to Bennett Durando of the Denver Post. Denver was eliminated by Minnesota in last season’s playoffs in part because of the Timberwolves’ big man duo of Towns and Rudy Gobert. The Nuggets’ starting lineup had averaged 125.9 points per 100 possessions during the regular season, Durando notes, but that rating dropped to 102.6 in the second-round series. Oklahoma City now rates as the toughest matchup for Denver as it attempts to win two titles in three seasons.

We have more on the Nuggets:

• Dario Saric was added in free agency on a two-year, $10.6MM deal. The Nuggets were intrigued by his versatility, Durando writes. “I think backup five, backup four, can play with Nikola (Jokic) at times, no doubt,” coach Michael Malone said. “If we go big, play him with a guy like DeAndre Jordan. … What you love about Dario is he’s been a three-man, he’s been a four, and later in his NBA career he’s been a backup five, a small-ball five. Very skilled. Can handle it. Can pass. Can shoot. Bigger than people realize. Strong, physical. I’m excited to explore all the options that Dario will afford us.”
• Aaron Gordon believes the Nuggets improved in the offseason with Saric and Russell Westbrook in the fold. “We got better,” Gordon told Matt Brooks of Nuggets.com. “I hate losing [Kentavious Caldwell-Pope] and Jeff Green, but I like our additions.”
• ICYMI, the Nuggets picked up the contract options of three key players last week. Get the details here.