Behind 40 from Jokic, dominant Nuggets play like champions, take 3-2 series lead on Timberwolves

NBA: Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets

That is what championship team looks like.

That is what a basketball magician and MVP plays like.

Two games into this series, the Nuggets had their basketball mortality challenged by the Minnesota Timberwolves. The young guns of the West raced out to a 2-0 series lead. Denver responded like a champion, winning the next two games on the road to even the series.

Then the Nuggets came home and dominated the Timberwolves in the second half behind 40 points from Nikola Jokic, who got his third MVP trophy from Adam Silver before the game and then played like it once the ball went up.

The Nuggets won 112-97 to take a 3-2 series lead. Game 6 is back in Minnesota on Saturday.

As always with the Nuggets, Jokic’s strong play opened things up for others. Aaron Gordon scored 18, while Ketavious Caldwell-Pope had 16 on 6-of-8 shooting.

Anthony Edward did a good job defensively on Jamal Murray much of the night, but the Nuggets defense also did a good job on Edwards who finished with 18 points on 5-of-15 shooting.

The first half stayed relatively close. Then in the third quarter, Jokic just was not fair. Chris Finch tried the Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert on the MVP, and it didn’t matter. Jokic finished the quarter with 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting plus four assists, and there is nothing anyone could do to stop him.

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/behind-40-jokic-dominant-nuggets-051506649.html

Author : NBC Sports

Publish date : 2024-05-15 05:15:06

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