Series Heads Back to Minnesota After Denver Pounds Wolves in Game 5

Minnesota failed to close out the series, meaning they'll have to win Game 6 in Minneapolis to avoid returning to Denver for Game 7.

Apr 27, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Bones Hyland (8) controls the ball under pressure from Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun (0) and center Nikola Jokic (15) in the second quarter 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

There will be a Game 6 in Minneapolis on Thursday night.

Minnesota, with a chance to close out the Nuggets in Denver, fell flat Monday night in Game 5, getting blown out in the second half and losing 125-113.

Denver played like their season was on the line. At the same time, Minnesota looked like a team playing without the adrenaline that fueled their rout of the Nuggets after Donte DiVincenzo ruptured his Achilles and Anthony Edwards was sidelined with a hyperextended knee and a bone bruise.

Without them, the Wolves were out of sorts, finishing with 25 turnovers, and they never found a rhythm. They'll need to find rhythm in Game 6, because if they lose, the Nuggets will be a heavy favorite at home for Game 7 on Saturday.

What happened early?

Jaden McDaniels picked up two fouls just 2:16 into the first quarter, forcing him to take a seat on the bench for an extended stretch. Not only did McDaniels get tagged with two early fouls, but head coach Chris Finch unsuccessfully challenged the second whistle, leaving Minnesota without a challenge the rest of the game.

Minnesota fell behind by as many as 10 points in the first quarter, but hot shooting — 11 of 19 overall, including 7 of 12 from three-point range — helped them overcome nine turnovers in the quarter, and they only trailed 34-29 going into the second quarter.

The Nuggets led 60-51 at the half, but not because they took advantage of Minnesota's 14 first-half turnovers. They only turned those turnovers into 12 points, but Nikola Jokic's three-pointer with 0.4 seconds left boosted Denver's lead to nine points. Jokic was just 5 of 27 from three through the first four games of the series, and he was 0 for 2 before hitting the three before the buzzer.

Wolves fell apart in the third quarter

Denver led 53-49 with 1:57 left in the second quarter, and then went on a huge run. They outscored the Wolves 7-2 to end the second quarter, and then jumped them in the third quarter with a 9-3 run to extend the lead to 15 points at 69-54. Add it all up, and it was a stretch of 4:33 in which the Nuggets outscored the Wolves 16-5.

Who did the damage in the third? Spencer Jones, who scored 11 points in a flurry, including three three-pointers and then a transition dunk to boost Denver's lead to 78-59 with 5:49 left in the quarter.

It got worse when Tim Hardaway Jr. stepped on Naz Reid's foot, forcing Reid to roll his right ankle. The former Sixth Man of the Year collapsed to the court in pain before exiting the game. He returned in the fourth quarter, but his injury will be worth monitoring ahead of Game 6.

Denver crushed the Wolves 37-24 in the third quarter.

The Wolves cut Denver's lead from 27 to 10 points in the fourth quarter, but coming all the way back proved too tall a task.

Not quite an encore for Ayo Dosunmu

Dosunmu scored 43 points off the bench in Minnesota's Game 4 win, but he didn't come close to replicating that performance in Game 5. He hit two three-pointers in the first quarter and wound up finishing the game with 18 points on 7 of 14 shooting, though most of his points came when the game was out of reach in the fourth quarter.