Nikola Jokić rebounds from an off night to lead the Nuggets to a win in Game 5.
Denver Nuggets three-time MVP Nikola Jokić re-entered triple-double land and the Nuggets received just enough scoring from players other than Jokić and All-Star Jamal Murray to avoid elimination with a 125-113 victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves Monday.
The Nuggets also took advantage of the shorthanded Timberwolves who were without injured starters Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo.
The sixth-seeded Timberwolves are up 3-2 in this intense first-round Western Conference playoff series and are looking to upset a No. 3 seed for the second consecutive season.
As the sixth seed last season, Minnesota beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round and reached the conference finals.
A team has come back from a 3-1 deficit to win a series five times since 2015, and the Nuggets did it twice in the 2020 bubble.
Game 6 is Thursday in Minneapolis (TBD).
Here are four takeaways from Game 5:
1. Jokić back in form with triple-double
Jokić has not been at his best in every game of the series, and the Timberwolves – particularly center Rudy Gobert – had something to do with that, including Jokić’s 34% shooting from the field and 15% on 3-pointers in Games 2-4.
Jokić rediscovered his All-NBA game with another playoff triple-double: 27 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds.
From the start, Denver was intent on making sure Jokić was involved, and he was quicker in his offensive actions. Gobert and Naz Reid had trouble slowing him.
It was Jokić’s 23rd career playoff triple-double – third on the all-time list behind Magic Johnson (30) and LeBron James (28).
“Jokić is Jokić,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said. “These sample-size games and the freakouts when he doesn’t play well, you know he’s going to play well.”
2. Huge 3rd quarter for Nuggets
The Nuggets, who were without forward Aaron Gordon (strained left calf) turned on the offense in the third quarter, outscoring Minnesota 37-24 for a 97-75 lead headed into the fourth.
Spencer Jones scored 11 of his 20 points in the third and made four 3-pointers.
“Just having the confidence to shoot the ball when you’re open in a big game,” Adelman said of Jones who was 7-for-9 from the field. “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.”
Cam Johnson, who produced 18 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals, had five points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals in the third.
Denver pushed its advantage to 102-75 two minutes into the fourth quarter on Murray’s 3-pointer. The Nuggets needed all of those points, too, as the Timberwolves cut the margin to 111-101 with 4:38 left in the fourth.
3. Murray responds for Nuggets
Murray, an All-Star for the first time this season, scored 30 points in Denver’s Game 1 victory, but perhaps had his most complete performance of the series in Game 5 with 24 points on 9-for-23 shooting and seven assists, four rebounds and four steals.
Adelman gave more minutes to point guard Tyus Jones, and that decision provided the Nuggets with an additional ball-handler and allowed Murray more offensive freedom.
4. How did Timberwolves respond to injuries?
Edwards has a hyperextended and bruised left knee and is “considered week-to-week,” according to the Timberwolves, and DiVincenzo ruptured his right Achilles tendon in Game 4 and had surgery on Monday.
That leaves the Timberwolves without Edwards’ explosive offense (28.8 points per game on efficient shooting during the regular season), and DiVincenzo’s 12.2 points and 3.0 made 3-pointers per game.
Where did the scoring come from for Minnesota in Game 5?
Julius Randle had 27 points, Ayo Dosunmu had 18 points, Jaden McDaniels scored 13, and off the bench, Bones Hyland and Terrence Shannon Jr. each added 15 points and Naz Reid 12.
The damaging stat for the Timberwolves: 25 turnovers that led to 35 Denver points. “Turnovers more than anything else hurt us,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said.
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Jeff Zillgitt has covered the NBA since 2008. You can email him at jzillgitt@nba.com, find his archive here and follow him on X.
