Tuesday night the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves battled it out in game five of the Western Conference Semi-Finals. This game would determine who would take the lead on the tied series. The first quarter made it seem like this would be just like the other four games. A back and forth competition that would have the All-Stars lighting up the court.
However, there seemed to be a shift tonight in the series. The Denver Nuggets, after four games of struggling to contain the electric Anthony Edwards, may have finally cracked the code.
Nikola Jokic Another Stellar Performance
The reigning 3x MVP Nikola Jokic was the unstoppable force this Denver Nuggets team needed. He provided them with a double-double with his 40 points and 13 assists. He was also a fiend on the boards grabbing seven. Jokic is known for his amazing scoring ability despite being a slower athlete. Tonight, he showed off why this Denver team lifted the NBA trophy last year.
When you watch Jokic with the ball you already know he’s going to score. It doesn’t matter if it’s the ugliest off balance three pointer it’s splashing. He has been one of the most consistent players on a basketball court period. This series against the Timberwolves has shut down all of the people declaring he didn’t deserve MVP as the Serbian phenom terrorizes the Minnesota defense.
Denver Nuggets Defense Steps Up
Anthony Edwards has become one of the scariest young players on the court. This postseason he is averaging 30.6 points per game putting him in the top five for the stat. This series the Nuggets have had an impossible time stopping him as he nailed 44 points in his last game against the team. However, the so-called next Michael Jordan was swallowed up by the Nuggets Tuesday night.
Edwards only had 18 points shooting 20% from three and 33.3% from the field. This is his lowest shooting percentages of the series. Denver was surrounding him anytime they had the chance. They disrupted him at the three point line and shut down his paint movements leaving Minnesota ro rely on their other struggling stars.
Full Game Analysis
It wasn’t just Nikola Jokic who stepped up on the offensive side of the ball. Aaron Gordon had a double-double for his team as well with 18 points and ten boards. Gordon has remained a key player against this Timberwolves team. With Jamal Murray struggling in the first half, Gordon’s scoring presence was a neccessity. This team is capable of stepping up for struggling teammates showing the chemisty they’ve created on the court.
On the other hand, the Minnesota Timberwolves looked like a YMCA basketball team. Karl-Anthony Towns had the best performance with 23 points. Jaden McDaniels only had nine points, something that should never happen as a starter in the playoffs. Laslty, Rudy Gobert and Anthony Edwards were locked up and couldn’t provide scoring help when needed most.
Game six should still be a solid battle. However, if the Denver Nuggets shut down Edwards again and Nikola Jokic pulls out another incredible performance, this Timberwolves team is done. If your hope is to make it to the NBA Finals the key is to show up when your team needs you most. Anthony Edwards has a chance to do this next game, but it’ll be a difficult task for the young player.
About the Author
Elizabeth is an avid watcher of all things sports. However, the Boston sports teams will always be her number one. Her favorite sport to watch is basketball, but she also enjoys professional wrestling, soccer, and baseball. You can find her on X @edellapiana1 to check out more content.
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