Short-handed Timberwolves look vulnerable in Game 5 loss to Nuggets

Show Caption The Minnesota Timberwolves raced out to a 3-1 lead in Game 5 of the NBA playoffs, but lost 125-113 to the Denver Nuggets on April 27. The Nuggets outpaced Minnesota, becoming just the 14th team in NBA history to win a playoff series after trailing 3-1. Denver’s bench scored 27 points in Game 5, compared to just 16 in Game 4’s crushing loss. Cameron Johnson and Spencer Jones combined for 38 points in Game 5, following a low 9-point performance two nights prior. The Nuggets forced 25 turnovers on Minnesota, three more than combined in Games 3 and 4. Timberwolves coach Chris Finch noted the team played tight and pressed, prioritizing defensive plays over offensive home-run opportunities. Anthony Edwards, a key stabilizing presence and dynamic scorer averaging 28.8 points per game, is missing, leaving the Timberwolves vulnerable. Backup guard Ayo Dosunmu showed promise in Game 4 with a 43-point performance but won’t provide consistent production without Edwards. The Timberwolves shrank a 27-point deficit to 10 midway through the fourth quarter, but this came when Denver eased pressure. The path forward involves healing for Edwards and maintaining elite paint defense, as the Timberwolves struggled to limit Denver’s paint scoring to 38.7 points per game in Games 2-4, ballooning to 62 in Game 5. Center Rudy Gobert and forward Jaden McDaniels disrupted Denver’s ball-handlers, but the team must sustain this intensity. Timberwolves forward Julius Randle emphasized the need to maintain the same defensive formula, calling the game’s approach overly aggressive.