Timberwolves Edge Nuggets in Double OT Thriller Despite Jokic's Historic Performance
DENVER – In a nerve-wracking contest, the Minnesota Timberwolves managed to hold off the Denver Nuggets, securing a narrow 140-139 victory in double overtime on Tuesday night. This hard-fought win came despite Nikola Jokic’s astonishing 61-point triple-double, setting new career and NBA records.
Jokic’s remarkable 61 points, which are the highest scored by any NBA player this season, also established a new benchmark for the most points ever scored in a triple-double. Playing for an intense 52 minutes and 38 seconds, Jokic not only dazzled with his scoring but also grabbed 10 rebounds and assisted on 10 baskets. Remarkably, he remained on the court throughout the entire second half.
“Nikola came to me after the third quarter and insisted, ‘Coach, keep me in. I feel great. Leave me out there,’” Nuggets coach Michael Malone shared post-game. “Clearly, he was in an incredible rhythm – 61 points, 10 assists, 10 rebounds, and 2 steals. The guy is like Superman.”
Jokic himself conveyed, “There were a few times Coach asked if I needed a break, but I felt good.”
The game was decided when Nickeil Alexander-Walker sank two crucial free throws with just 0.1 seconds remaining, following a dramatic sequence where Russell Westbrook stole the ball, missed a potential game-winning layup, and fouled Alexander-Walker in the corner. Intentionally missing his third free throw, Alexander-Walker ensured the Timberwolves’ victory.
“Westbrook is someone who despises losing,” Malone remarked. “Being a perfectionist and fierce competitor, he’ll likely shoulder a lot of this blame himself. But tonight, the Denver Nuggets lost as a team, not due to one person.”
Following the game, Westbrook departed before the media could access the Denver locker room.
When asked if he would discuss the pivotal final moments with Westbrook, Jokic replied, “Why? It’s part of basketball. Mistakes happen, and I’m sure he didn’t intend to foul.”
Anthony Edwards stood out for Minnesota, contributing 34 points along with 10 rebounds and 8 assists. He had started slow with only 10 points by the fourth quarter but surged in performance, marking his seventh consecutive game against Denver scoring 25 or more points.
“He just took off when it mattered most,” Jokic said of Edwards. “That’s what makes him remarkable — both as a person and as an athlete in this league.”
Jokic tied the game at 112 with two free throws, leaving only 13.9 seconds in regulation. In the first overtime, he netted a floater with 7.3 seconds on the clock to knot the score once again at 125.
The matchup was charged with playoff-like fervor, featuring 21 lead changes. The Timberwolves have now prevailed over the Nuggets six consecutive times, including in the playoffs. Remarkably, Jokic became just the second player with a 50-point triple-double to end up on the losing side, echoing Wilt Chamberlain’s fate back in 1963.
It’s notable to reflect on these historical numbers:
091 60-point games in NBA history 6,117 20-rebound games in NBA history 237 20-assist games in NBA history
Nikola Jokic joins Wilt Chamberlain (1967-68) as only the second player to achieve all three feats within a single season.
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves were missing Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo, both serving one-game suspensions due to a skirmish against the Detroit Pistons earlier. Similarly, the Nuggets were without key players Jamal Murray (hamstring) and Michael Porter Jr. (personal matters).
Jokic’s phenomenal night saw him making 18 of his 29 field goal attempts, with six shots landing from beyond the arc. His 61 points now stand as the second highest in Nuggets’ history, trailing only David Thompson’s 73-point game from 1978, and is the most ever allowed by the Timberwolves to an opponent.