Detroit Lakes, MN (KDLM) – The Minnesota Timberwolves couldn’t close out the Denver Nuggets on the road Monday night, falling 125-113 in Game 5 at Ball Arena and sending the first-round Western Conference series back to Minneapolis.
The Wolves trailed by as many as 27 points and never led by more than three. Denver shot 56.6 percent from the field and outscored Minnesota 37-24 in the third quarter to put the game out of reach before a late Wolves push made the final score more respectable.
Julius Randle paced Minnesota with 27 points, nine rebounds, and six assists. Ayo Dosunmu added 18 points off 3-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc. Terrence Shannon Jr. chipped in 15 off the bench, and Jaden McDaniels finished with 13.
Nikola Jokić powered Denver with a triple-double, posting 27 points, 12 rebounds, and 16 assists. Jamal Murray added 24 points, and reserve Spencer Jones knocked down four three-pointers on his way to 20.
Turnovers were a problem for Minnesota all night. The Wolves coughed it up 25 times, leading to 35 Denver points off giveaways.
Despite the loss, Minnesota still leads the best-of-seven series 3-2 and will have two chances to close it out, starting with Game 6 on Thursday at Target Center. If a Game 7 is necessary, it would be played in Denver.
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