Denver Nuggets Defeat Minnesota Timberwolves 112-97 in Game 5, Advance to Western Conference Finals

Nuggets Take 3-2 Series Lead

The Denver Nuggets took a 3-2 lead in their Western Conference semifinal series against the Minnesota Timberwolves with a 112-97 victory in Game 5 on Saturday night. Nikola Jokic led the way for the Nuggets with 30 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists, while Jamal Murray added 26 points and 7 rebounds. Karl-Anthony Towns had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Timberwolves.

Nuggets Dominate Inside

The Nuggets were able to control the paint in Game 5, outscoring the Timberwolves 50-30 in the paint. Jokic was a force inside, scoring 16 of his 30 points in the paint. The Nuggets also got a boost from their bench, with Monte Morris scoring 12 points and Aaron Gordon adding 11 points.

Timberwolves Struggle from the Field

The Timberwolves shot just 39.8% from the field in Game 5, including 25.0% from three-point range. Towns was just 8-of-22 from the field, while D'Angelo Russell was 3-of-12. The Timberwolves also turned the ball over 15 times, which led to 18 points for the Nuggets.

Conclusion

The Nuggets now have a chance to close out the series in Game 6 on Monday night in Denver. The Timberwolves will need to find a way to improve their shooting and take care of the ball if they want to force a Game 7. The Nuggets have been the better team throughout the series and are now one win away from advancing to the Western Conference Finals.