What Nuggets' Spencer Jones Said After Electric Game 5 Performance

There were a lot of things that went right for the Denver Nuggets in their much-needed Game 5 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, 125-113.

But of those electric performances around the Nuggets' roster, which were some of the most impactful, it was Spencer Jones' huge 37 minutes, which he landed as a result of Aaron Gordon's late scratch with a calf injury that really shined on the playoff stage.

In that time on the floor, Jones finished with one of three 20-point performances in the lineup with 20 points on 7-9 shooting from the field, three rebounds, and also made a statement on the defensive side with three steals and three blocks.

Spencer Jones Was Ready for the Opportunity

Going from someone who may or may not be in the Nuggets' rotation before the game tipped off to quickly elevating into a key starting role once Gordon's status was clear, it can make for a bit of a whirlwind situation for someone in Jones' shoes.

But as Jones mentioned post-game, it's nothing that he hasn't seen already in his role this season that's been filled with injury ups and downs as is, so being put in that same spot for the playoffs is an easy transition.

"I mean, it’s not new," Jones said of being named a late starter in the lineup. "It’s something that’s kind of happened throughout the season, guys going down and me getting an opportunity to start and everything like that. A lot of it is not treating it any differently."

Apr 27, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones (21) in the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves during game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

"I mean yeah, maybe I’ll get more minutes and everything like that, but the role is still the same, the duties are still the same. I just have to do it for more time out there on the floor. So, I think about it pretty simply."

Nuggets Wholeheartedly Trusting Spencer Jones

By being that plug-and-play piece to make an impact on both ends all season long, it's allowed Jones to build that confidence within his own play to come up in big moments like a must-win Game 5.

But at the same time, that career season thus far has also established a foundational trust for those around him in the Nuggets rotation, even for Denver's All-NBA-level talents of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.

That trust can show itself for Jones in these playoff moments; even while Jokic and Murray are some of the best talents in the world who have seen the peak of the mountaintop before, they're giving Jones ample opportunity to show out in a big way.

"Where [the trust] shows up is like, look, a lot of times the focus is always on Jok [Nikola Jokić] and Jamal [Murray], so for them to trust to swing it when they get double-teamed instead of possibly taking a contested shot that we both know they can make at a pretty high level, that’s trust right there," Jones continued postgame.

"A lot of my shots come from their passes, so the belief is there. The process has been the process throughout the year, just showing up on time and everything like that, giving the effort when it’s there and just taking advantage of the opportunities and the trust just builds."

There's no telling whether or not Gordon will be ready to go come time for Game 6––which the Nuggets will have a two-way buffer before taking on that allows for everyone onboard to get just a little bit healthier.

But in the event that Gordon isn't ready for one more game, Jones has made a clear statement in this game, and throughout his breakout season thus far, that he's ready to meet the moment whenever he’s called on.

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