Timberwolves Triumph in Double Overtime Thriller Against Nuggets

Timberwolves Triumph in Double Overtime Thriller Against Nuggets

DENVER — In a game that will be remembered for its intensity and drama, the Minnesota Timberwolves managed to outlast the Denver Nuggets 140-139 in a double-overtime showdown on Tuesday night. The Timberwolves’ victory came despite a historic performance from Denver’s star player, Nikola Jokic, who delivered a career- and NBA-best 61-point triple-double.

Jokic’s 61 points were not only the highest by any player in the NBA this season but also set a new record for the most points in a triple-double in NBA history. Playing for an exhausting 52 minutes and 38 seconds, Jokic also contributed 10 rebounds and 10 assists, never leaving the court after halftime. His performance was nothing short of superhuman, prompting Nuggets coach Michael Malone to describe him as “Superman.”

“Nikola came up to me after the third quarter and said, ‘Coach, I’m good. Leave me in there. I don’t want to come out. Let me just keep playing,'” Malone recounted. “He was in a good rhythm, obviously — 61 points, 10 assists, 10 rebounds, 2 steals. The guy is Superman.”

Jokic himself was feeling the momentum. “Coach asked me a couple times [if I wanted to come out] but I was feeling good,” he said.

The game reached its climax in the final moments of the second overtime. The Timberwolves secured their win with a pair of free throws from Nickeil Alexander-Walker with just 0.1 seconds left on the clock. This came after a chaotic sequence where Russell Westbrook stole the ball, missed a layup, and then fouled Alexander-Walker in the corner. Alexander-Walker made two of his free throws and intentionally missed the third.

Coach Malone expressed his thoughts on Westbrook’s performance, saying, “He’s a guy that hates to lose. So he may not want to hear any of that stuff because he’s a perfectionist and he’s a competitor. And knowing the way I do, he’s probably going to put a lot of this on him. But we lost tonight. The Denver Nuggets, we as a collective group lost a game tonight, not one player.”

Westbrook left the arena before the Denver locker room was open to media, leaving Malone to comment, “Obviously, I feel awful for Russ. That last play we get the turnover, we don’t convert, and then the foul. It was not from a lack of effort or care.”

The big question on everyone’s mind was whether the Nuggets should have pulled the ball back instead of attempting the layup. “It’s tough. You’ve got a two-on-one break,” Malone said. “As a coach, am I up on the sideline yelling, ‘Don’t go?’ We’ve got a layup. But it’s easy to say that (pull the ball out) in hindsight, because we missed a layup. … He (Westbrook) is a tough kid, and I think he knows that everybody in that locker room’s got his back.”

Jokic was asked if he would speak to Westbrook about the sequence. “Why? It happened. It’s basketball. I’m pretty sure he didn’t want to foul. It happens,” he said.

On the Timberwolves’ side, Anthony Edwards led the charge with 34 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists. Edwards, who had 10 points entering the fourth quarter, has now scored 25 or more in seven consecutive games against Denver. Jokic praised Edwards, saying, “He just took off and that’s what superstars do and that’s why he’s a special person and a special player in this league.”

Jokic’s clutch performance included hitting two free throws with 13.9 seconds left to tie the game at 112 in regulation and dropping in a floater with 7.3 seconds left to knot it at 125 in the first overtime. Edwards humorously acknowledged Jokic’s prowess, stating, “Nikola Jokic, he might be the best basketball player that I have ever seen close up, besides myself. He is incredible. The MVP race is tough. I don’t know. He had 60. That is crazy.”

The game was a nail-biter, featuring 21 lead changes and a playoff-like atmosphere. The Timberwolves have now won six straight over the Nuggets, including the playoffs. Jokic became the second player in NBA history to lose with a 50-point triple-double, following Wilt Chamberlain in 1963.

Both teams were missing key players. The Timberwolves were without Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo, who were suspended for their roles in an on-court altercation against the Detroit Pistons. Denver was missing Jamal Murray (hamstring) and Michael Porter Jr. (personal reasons).

Jokic’s shooting was impressive, finishing 18-of-29 from the field, including six 3-pointers. His 61 points were the second most in a game in Nuggets history, only behind David Thompson’s 73 in 1978, and the most given up to an opponent in Timberwolves history.

A wild play near the end of the second overtime saw Jokic fouled by Jaden McDaniels during a jump ball. Jokic made one free throw to give the Nuggets a 139-138 lead.

The Nuggets’ home record took a hit, dropping to 18-3 when tied or leading after the first quarter. They had led by 16 in the opening quarter, making the loss even more disappointing.

• Jokic’s 61 points: Most in NBA this season
• Timberwolves’ sixth straight win over Nuggets
• 21 lead changes in the game

ESPN Research and The Associated Press contributed to this report.