Jokic triple-double – Nikola Jokic’s triple-double and Spencer Jones’ spark powered the Nuggets’ 125-113 Game 5 win over Minnesota, cutting the series to 3-2.
DENVER — The Denver Nuggets looked like a team trying to rescue something bigger than a single game. and they did it with a blend of star gravity and timely finishing.. Nikola Jokic delivered a triple-double. Spencer Jones provided a late spark after stepping in for the injured Aaron Gordon. and Denver beat the injury-hit Minnesota Timberwolves 125-113 in Game 5 to avoid elimination.
For the Nuggets, Game 5 wasn’t only about avoiding a 3-1 series hole—it was about reclaiming their rhythm.. Jokic cooled off a prolonged scoring slide with 27 points. 16 assists and 12 rebounds. while Jamal Murray added 24 points as Denver’s offense regained its confidence after being held under 100 twice in Minneapolis.
Jokic powers Denver after a rough stretch
Murray’s scoring helped too, but the offensive identity mattered more.. Denver. long the NBA’s pace-and-efficiency benchmark. played closer to the style that carried it through the regular season—ball movement. pressure releases. and scoring that didn’t rely on one player to win every possession.. In a playoff series where emotions run hot. that kind of offensive consistency can be the difference between survival and collapse.
Spencer Jones flips the momentum late
Jokic also leaned into momentum that carried into the end.. Late in the game. a brief stretch in the fourth quarter turned the contest decisively. with Jokic’s involvement feeding opportunities across the floor.. Jones connected on multiple threes during that surge. and he also added a breakaway dunk after learning just before tipoff that he would start.
Wolves missing backcourt. Denver seizes the chance
Even so, Minnesota never looked like a team simply playing out the clock.. Julius Randle led the Wolves with 27 points, and Ayo Dosunmu added 18.. Yet defensive answers kept slipping at the wrong times.. Rudy Gobert. who struggled to influence the game until late. had just one field goal until the final minutes of the third quarter—when the Wolves were already down 25.
Behind the scenes, Minnesota’s outlook has a split personality.. The MRI confirmed Edwards has no structural damage, leaving a path back if the series extends far enough.. DiVincenzo had surgery, and questions around timelines naturally linger.. The immediate reality, though, was stark: turnovers and missed chances piled up early.. Minnesota committed nine turnovers in the first quarter and finished with 25.
The bigger picture: a 3-2 series that changes everything
For Minnesota, the loss hurts more than the scoreboard suggests.. The Timberwolves fell behind by 27. then watched Denver build separation through a mix of three-point shooting. efficient offense. and defense that forced Minnesota into hurried possessions.. The crowd energy in Denver’s building also played its part. with Jaden McDaniels drawing early foul trouble and getting 13 points. while the game’s intensity stayed high.
Looking ahead: Game 6 returns to Minneapolis
Minnesota, meanwhile, will lean on urgency and pride on home court. They also need to solve the turnover problem quickly, because the Nuggets punished mistakes throughout the night. If Edwards can return in some capacity later in the series, it changes matchups and rotation decisions immediately.
The next chapter is simple, even if the stakes aren’t: Denver needs to keep building the margin, and Minnesota needs to start Game 6 sharper—because once a series flips from “survival” to “belief,” every possession becomes louder.