In Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals of the 2023-24 NBA playoffs, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 112-97 to successfully take a 3-2 lead in the series and hold the match point.
Ahead of this game, the Timberwolves had some troubles.
First of all, defender Mike Conley is out with a sore right Achilles tendon, which has had a big impact on the team.
In addition, Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert was fined $75,000 by the league for making inappropriate gestures to the referee in Game 4.
At the same time, the Nuggets' core Nikola Jokic performed well during the season, winning the regular season MVP, and NBA commissioner Adam Shaw presented him with the MVP trophy before the game, which undoubtedly injected a strong mental boost into the Nuggets.
In the first quarter, at the beginning of the game, the Nuggets' Pope scored first, but the Timberwolves, led by Towns, quickly played a small 7-2 surge.
Jokic scored a brilliant heads-up Gobert to tie the game at 8-8.
Since then, the two teams have launched fierce attacks on the outside, and the score has been deadlocked.
At the end of the first quarter, the Nuggets had a slight lead at 28-26.
In the second quarter, Gobert scored consecutive dunks to help the Timberwolves take the lead in a 5-0 offensive run.
However, the two sides then felt cold and missed many shots.
The Nuggets scored five straight points through inside and outside shots to pull the score apart.
At halftime, the Nuggets went into the locker room with a six-point advantage.
At the start of the third quarter, Downs played exceptionally well.
His strong offense on the inside and accurate shooting on the outside gave the Timberwolves hope of a comeback.
Towns hit a beautiful three-point shot, followed by a strong shot on the inside, which drew cheers from the Timberwolves fans at the scene.
Towns scored seven points in a row with his individual ability, coupled with a breakthrough layup by Edwards and a dunk from Gobert, the Timberwolves launched an 11-3 attack wave to overtake the score in one fell swoop.
At this point, the situation on the court seems to be very favorable for the Timberwolves.
Many netizens have been discussing this wave of offensive on social media.
Downs is really super god today, who can stop this state? One fan tweeted.
Another netizen replied: Yes, this feels like an All-Star level performance, I hope he can keep it up!
But the Nuggets weren't intimidated by the offensive.
They quickly adjusted their tactics and strengthened their defence, while increasing the tempo of the attack.
Gordon and Murray began to attack the Timberwolves' interior frequently.
Gordon received a pass from Jokic, scored two consecutive baskets, and then completed a violent dunk in a fast break, which completely ignited the passion of Nuggets fans.
Not to be outdone, Murray used his pace and agility to break through the defense and score twice to get the Nuggets back in the game.
The Nuggets' response is really timely, Gordon and Murray are in great shape today! A Nuggets fan left a message on the forum.
Another netizen replied: The Nuggets have this kind of tenacity, and they will never give up until the last minute!
And Pope's three-pointer added fuel to the Nuggets' counterattack.
He hit two consecutive three-pointers from the perimeter, shattering the Timberwolves' hopes of trying to expand the score.
Pope's two three-pointers not only boosted the team's morale, but also made the Timberwolves' defense take care of each other.
The Nuggets regained the lead with this wave of offense.
At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Gordon opened the game for the Nuggets with a dunk, setting off a boom in the court.
Nuggets fans cheered in the stands, and the atmosphere was instantly ignited.
However, the Timberwolves were not intimidated by the ball, and they quickly launched a counterattack.
Edwards and Towns scored inside and mid-range, respectively, and Walker's breakaway layup gave the Timberwolves six straight points to close the gap.
On social media, fans of the Nuggets and Timberwolves also had a heated discussion.
A Nuggets fan tweeted: Gordon's slam dunk is too exciting! It looks like we're going to be able to stabilize the situation.
Timberwolves supporters countered: Don't rejoice too early, the Wolves won't admit defeat easily!
Looking back at the media's evaluation of Gordon, Gordon's significance to the Nuggets is not just a strong scoring point, his all-round performance on the court has made a qualitative leap in the overall strength of the Nuggets.
Not only is he the perfect partner for Jokic, but he also has outstanding contributions on both offensive and defensive ends.
Whenever Gordon is on the court, the Nuggets' offense always gets a significant boost.
His presence has taken a lot of the burden off Jokic, allowing the MVP to focus more on offense and playmaking.
AMERICAN MEDIA HOOPSHYPE ONCE COMMENTED: GORDON IS VERY SUITABLE FOR THE NUGGETS, HE IS THE PERFECT PARTNER FOR JOKIC, THE NUGGETS' OFFENSE WILL BE GREATLY IMPROVED WHEN HE IS ON THE COURT, AND HE IS A DEFENSIVE EXPERT WHO HELPS JOKIC SHARE A LOT OF DEFENSIVE PRESSURE.
This quote accurately reflects Gordon's importance with the Nuggets.
In games, we can often see Gordon helping the team through difficult times with tough defense and efficient offense.
Whether it's facing the opposition's offensive core or defending in crunch time, Gordon has always been able to step up and make a crucial contribution.
A lot of fans have raved about Gordon on social media.
A Nuggets fan tweeted: Gordon is simply the anchor of the Nuggets, his defense and rebounding are too crucial!
Another fan responded: That's right, Gordon's defensive ability allows Jokic to focus more on offense, and the Nuggets' overall offense and defense are more balanced as a result.
Gordon's physicality and athleticism allow him to limit opponents' offense on the defensive end, and his toughness and fighting spirit have infected the team.
On the offensive end, he can not only score with air cuts and fast breaks, but he is also able to use his shooting ability to provide a consistent scoring output for the team.
Jokic also mentioned the importance of Gordon in an interview: Gordon has made our game easier, he always makes the right choices in key moments, and he is an integral part of our team.
Not only the fans and the media, but the Nuggets' coaching staff also spoke highly of Gordon's performance.
The head coach said at a press conference: Gordon's performance on the court is obvious to all, his defensive and offensive ability makes us more confident in the game, and he and Jokic work together very well.
Then, Pope stepped up and fired a series of shots from the outside.
His three three-pointers seemed to pour cold water on the Timberwolves, extinguishing their newly-ignited hopes in an instant.
Every time Pope made a three-pointer, the Nuggets fans cheered even louder.
Not to be outdone, Jokic jumped high on a fast-break break and landed a brilliant dunk to extend the Nuggets' lead to 18 points.
A netizen wrote on the forum: Pope felt really hot today, and these three-pointers completely disrupted the rhythm of the Timberwolves! Another netizen posted: Jokic's violent dunk is also too handsome, and the MVP's demeanor is really unusual!
The final whistle blew and the score was fixed at 112-97, and the Nuggets won the crucial battle of Kings Mountain.
After the game, fans took to social media to express their feelings.
The Nuggets are such a resilient team, especially Jokic, who had an impeccable performance today! Although the Timberwolves are still honored, I hope to see their more exciting performance in the next game!
The win in this game gave the Nuggets the initiative in the series, and they were one step away from advancing to the Western Conference Finals.
The Timberwolves, on the other hand, will need to find a way to deal with it in the next game and try to drag the series into a tiebreaker.
The battle between the two sides is still exciting, and the next game will decide their fate.
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