Nikola Jokic celebrated his third NBA MVP award by leading the Denver Nuggets to a 112-97 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jokic scored 40 points, had 13 assists, and seven rebounds, helping the Nuggets take a 3-2 lead in the semifinal series. Aaron Gordon added 18 points and Jamal Murray scored 16 for the Nuggets, with Anthony Edwards scoring 18 points for the Wolves. Karl Anthony-Towns led the Wolves with 23 points and Rudy Gobert scored 18. The win put the Nuggets one game away from the Western Conference finals, while the Wolves will need a victory in Game 6 to force a Game 7.
Jokic, who received his third MVP trophy before the game, led Denver to a 50-44 halftime lead with 19 first-half points. He added 16 points in the third quarter as the Nuggets extended their lead to 14 points. Despite a mini-run by the Wolves, Jokic’s performance, including a key 3-pointer over Gobert, helped secure the victory for the Nuggets. Edwards struggled early in the game, missing eight of his first nine shots, and only found his shooting touch later in the game. Timberwolves veteran point guard Mike Conley was scratched before the game with a sore right Achilles, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker started in his place, scoring 14 points.
After the game, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch expressed frustration over the NBA fining Rudy Gobert $75,000 for making a money gesture in Game 4. Finch also mentioned that the team would be looking to adjust their rotation regardless of Conley’s absence. Denver’s bench outplayed the Wolves’ reserves in Minneapolis, and Finch found some playing time for Monte Morris, who scored six points in the game. With their first three-game losing streak of the season, the Timberwolves will need to win Game 6 to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The win for the Nuggets was a crucial one in the series, with Jokic showcasing his MVP caliber performance with a 40-point game. The Wolves will need to regroup and find ways to contain Jokic and the Nuggets in Game 6 to force a decisive Game 7. The absence of Mike Conley due to injury added another challenge for the Timberwolves, who will need other players to step up and contribute in the upcoming games. Despite their efforts, the Wolves were unable to overcome Jokic’s dominant performance and will need to make adjustments to avoid elimination in the next game.
