Nikola Jokić, Nuggets hang on in dominant win over Timberwolves in Game 5 to fend off elimination
The Nuggets' three-game losing skid is over just in time.
Nikola Jokić had a triple-double on Monday night to keep the Nuggets' postseason hopes alive. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) Matthew Stockman via Getty Images Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets aren’t done just yet. The Nuggets picked up a commanding 125-113 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of their opening-round playoff series on Monday night to keep their postseason hopes alive.
Jokić has his 23rd career triple-double, which is the third-most all-time behind only Magic Johnson adn LeBron James. While they can’t lose the rest of the way and trail 3-2 headed into Game 6 later this week on the road, Monday night’s win was easily the biggest of the series so far — and it came on the heels of a contentious finish on Saturday night that capped a three-game losing skid. Nuggets surge in second half The Nuggets took a nine-point lead into the locker room at halftime.
They forced 14 turnovers and led the entire way in the second quarter while staying a step ahead of the Timberwolves despite them drilling nine 3-pointers in the opening 24 minutes. Jokic hit a huge 3-pointer of his own from deep over Rudy Gobert without a second thought right before the buzzer, too. JOKIĆ FROM DEEP AT THE END OF Q2 🎯 13 PTS 6 REB 10 AST Nuggets lead by 9 at the break in Game 5!
pic. twitter. com/qdbEOMqk7V — NBA (@NBA) April 28, 2026 That momentum more than carried over into the second half.