Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets aren’t performed simply but.
The Nuggets picked up a commanding 125-113 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of their opening-round playoff collection on Monday night time to preserve their postseason hopes alive. Jokić had his twenty third profession triple-double, which is the third-most all time behind solely Magic Johnson and LeBron James.
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While they’ll’t lose the remainder of the way in which and path 3-2 headed into Game 6 later this week on the street, Monday night time’s win was simply the largest of the collection thus far — and it got here on the heels of a contentious end on Saturday night time that capped a three-game shedding skid.
Nikola Jokić had a triple-double on Monday night time to preserve the Nuggets’ postseason hopes alive. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
(Matthew Stockman by way of Getty Images)
Nuggets surge in second half
The Nuggets took a nine-point lead into the locker room at halftime. They pressured 14 turnovers and led the complete approach in the second quarter whereas staying a step forward of the Timberwolves regardless of them drilling 9 3-pointers in the opening 24 minutes. Jokic hit an enormous 3-pointer of his personal from deep over Rudy Gobert and not using a second thought proper earlier than the buzzer, too.
That momentum greater than carried over into the second half. The Nuggets opened the third quarter on an 18-8 tear to break open a 19-point lead virtually immediately. Nothing was falling for Minnesota anymore, both. It missed seven of its first 10 area objectives because the Nuggets began operating away with the competition. The factors got here from everybody, too, together with a fastbreak dunk from Spencer Jones that lit up Ball Arena and compelled a timeout.
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The Nuggets ended up closing the quarter on a 12-6 run, interrupted solely by a Gobert and-1 slam. Christian Braun and Cameron Johnson every had large dunks throughout that stretch, which pushed Denver to a 22-point lead by the top of the interval. Minnesota had 20 turnovers by that time.
By then, the fourth quarter was merely a formality. The Nuggets cruised the remainder of the way in which and survived one final Minnesota push that briefly noticed the sport get again to simply 10 factors earlier than grabbing the win.
Julisu Randle led the Timberwolves with 27 factors and 9 rebounds. Ayo Dosunmo added 18 factors, and Jaden McDaniels had 13 factors. The Timberwolves are with out star Anthony Edwards, who is taken into account week-to-week with a hyperextended knee and bone bruise, and beginning guard Donte DiVincenzo, who went down with a torn Achilles in Game 4.
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Jokić completed with 27 factors, 16 assists and 12 rebounds in the win. Jamal Murray added 24 factors, and Jones completed with 20. The Nuggets shot 57% from the sphere. The Nuggets did all of that with out star Aaron Gordon, too. He was ruled out after pregame warmups due to calf tightness.
Now Monday night time’s outcome apart, the Nuggets nonetheless aren’t in the very best place. Losing three video games in a row in the center of the collection put them in a gap the place they now have to be completely excellent the remainder of the way in which, beginning with Thursday night time on the Target Center. A loss would hand the Nuggets their first opening-round playoff exit since 2022.
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But clearly, Jokić and the Nuggets aren’t prepared to simply roll over. Monday’s outing was an ideal reminder of what they’re able to. Whether it’s sufficient to carry them to two extra wins, nevertheless, stays to be seen.