The Nuggets’ defense is less reliable than a 1975 Ford Pinto.

It’s not a question of if, but when, it will break down.

And the fatal flaw of this team stunk up the gym on Monday night, when the Nuggets’ not only blew an early 19-point advantage in a 119-114 loss to Minnesota, but also botched a chance to take control of this first-round NBA playoff series against their nemesis.

Maybe that whining by Timberwolves coach Chris Finch after his team’s loss in Game 1 paid off. Minnesota got to the foul line 30 times, and made just enough of that charity from the referees to even the series.

But the whistle was not what determined the outcome.

The Timberwolves laugh at the hot mess that is Denver’s unreliable defense.

The Nuggets allowed Minnesota’s one-two punch of Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle to pack a wallop. They combined for 54 points, matching the output of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. If that trend continues, there’s no way Denver gets out of this series with its championship dream alive.

What’s the best way to beat Denver? Take your pick, insisted Minnesota forward Jaden McDaniels.

“Go at Jokic, Jamal, all the bad defenders. Tim Hardaway, Cam Johnson, their whole team,” McDaniels said in the victorious visitors locker room.

Well, that’s a little harsh, don’t you think?

“They’re all bad defenders,” McDaniels repeated, removing any doubt how little respect the Timberwolves have for Denver’s ability to stop the basketball.

And know what? He’s not wrong.

The Nuggets were having a party, with blue arrows bursting the T-wolves’ bubble, as this fine spring evening began. Murray couldn’t miss. Minnesota countered with clunkers.

When a feathery 6-foot floater by Murray was true for 2 less than a minute into the second period, the Nuggets’ lead was 44-25.

The crowd in Ball Arena was itching to blow the roof off the joint in celebration of a blowout.

Then what happened? The wheels fell off that Ford Pinto.

The D fell off of Enver. The Nuggets guarded nobody. Edwards started doing Ant-Man things. Jonas Valanciunas got slapped with a dumb technical foul.

“I think there are times when you get too high,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said.

For a stretch of five minutes, 52 seconds in the second quarter, Denver not only forgot how to play basketball, but seemed to forget that Jokic was part of the offense. During this horrific stretch, the Nuggets got outscored 24-4, allowing the Timberwolves life.

“We were not solid,” Adelman said.

While there’s certainly legit criticism to be had of former Nuggets coach Michael Malone, it’s also fair to suggest Denver’s defense left the building with him.

Joker, who appeared uncommonly passive while scoring only six points prior to intermission, must have found his interest in shooting the basketball somewhere in the locker room at halftime.

He scored 16 points in the third quarter, but that wasn’t enough to shake the Timberwolves.

Down the stretch, Minnesota players had more spring in their legs. And the Nuggets, who live at 5,280 feet above sea level, were the guys who ran out of gas.

In the fourth quarter, Jokic and Murray missed 11 of 13 shots from the field.

“I thought we had the game in our hands and we didn’t make enough shots,” Murray said.

This one not only hurts, it could haunt. “It’s a stinger,” Murray said.

No team in the league messes with the Nuggets’ heads the way Minnesota can.

Even worse? No lead is safe for these Nuggets. who surrendered an average of 117 points per game in the regular season. You can’t expect to win rings without a commitment to something resembling stout defense.

Where have we seen this movie before? Oh, yeah. Game 7 on a playoff series. In 2024. Against these same Timberwolves. In this same building.

As the series moves to Minneapolis, Adelman believes: “We have to bring a different mindset.”

Packing something that vaguely resembles championship defense in their suitcases might also be a good idea for the Nuggets.