The Denver Nuggets avoided elimination with a 125-113 victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series.
The result reduces Minnesota’s lead to 3-2 in the best-of-seven series, with Game 6 scheduled for Thursday in Minneapolis.
Denver, playing without forward Aaron Gordon due to a strained left calf, relied on a strong all-round performance led by Nikola Jokic, who recorded a triple-double of 27 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds.
It was Jokić’s 23rd career playoff triple-double, placing him third on the NBA’s all-time list behind Magic Johnson (30) and LeBron James (28). “Jokić is Jokić,” said Denver coach David Adelman. “These sample-size games and the freakouts when he doesn’t play well, you know he’s going to play well.”
Denver Pull Away in Third Quarter
The game remained competitive through the first half before Denver created separation in the third quarter. The Nuggets outscored Minnesota 37-24 in the period, turning a narrow contest into a double-digit advantage.
Spencer Jones played a key role in the surge, scoring 11 of his 20 points in the quarter and finishing the game 7-for-9 from the field, including four three-pointers. “Just having the confidence to shoot the ball when you’re open in a big game,” Adelman said. “People say they want to do that. Not everybody does. So, I give Spence a lot of credit. He’s got self-confidence, and he’s got a coaching staff and a locker room that believes in him.”
Jamal Murray added 24 points, along with seven assists, four rebounds and four steals. Cam Johnson contributed 18 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals as Denver extended its lead to as many as 27 points early in the fourth quarter.
Minnesota responded with a late push, cutting the deficit to 111-101 with 4:38 remaining, but Denver maintained control to secure the win.
Timberwolves Affected by Injuries and Turnovers
The Timberwolves were without two starters, with Anthony Edwards sidelined due to a knee injury and Donte DiVincenzo out after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon in Game 4.
DiVincenzo underwent surgery on Monday. Despite the absences, Minnesota had multiple contributors in double figures. Julius Randle led the team with 27 points, while Ayo Dosunmu added 18.
Jaden McDaniels scored 13 points.Off the bench, Bones Hyland and Terrence Shannon Jr. each recorded 15 points, and Naz Reid added 12. Minnesota, however, committed 25 turnovers, which led to 35 points for Denver. “Turnovers more than anything else hurt us,” said Timberwolves coach Chris Finch.
The Timberwolves, seeded sixth, are seeking to advance to the next round for a second consecutive season after defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round last year and reaching the Western Conference finals.
A team has come back from a 3-1 deficit to win a playoff series five times since 2015. Denver achieved that feat twice during the 2020 postseason. Game 6 will take place in Minneapolis, where Minnesota will have another opportunity to close out the series, while Denver will attempt to extend it to a decisive Game 7.
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