National Basketball Association
Denver 123, Minnesota 116
When: 9:00 PM ET, Tuesday, January 5, 2021
Where: Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado
Officials: #3 Nick Buchert, #12 Robert Hussey, #23 Tre Maddox
Attendance: N/A

Nikola Jokic scored a season-high 35 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, Will Barton scored 20 points, and the host Denver Nuggets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 123-116 on Tuesday night.

JaMychal Green had 17 off the bench, Jamal Murray scored 13, Facundo Campazzo added 11 and Gary Harris and Paul Millsap had 10 apiece to help the Nuggets beat Minnesota for the 10th straight time.

D'Angelo Russell had 33 points and 11 assists, Juancho Hernangomez had 21 of his 25 points in the first half and Malik Beasley and Anthony Edwards scored 15 each for the Timberwolves.

Jarred Vanderbilt added 11 off the bench for Minnesota, which has lost five straight.

Denver trailed 100-93 early in the fourth quarter but used a big run to take control. Jokic hit two baskets, Monte Morris tied it with a 3-pointer and Jokic gave the Nuggets the lead with a short jumper.

Campazzo's three-point play and a free throw and a dunk by Barton finished 15 straight points to give Denver a 108-100 lead.

Vanderbilt scored the next six points for the Timberwolves but Barton's dunk with 3:53 put the Nuggets ahead 113-106.

Minnesota had a chance to get within two after Russell hit a jumper but he and Beasley missed long 3-pointers and Denver scored eight straight points to go ahead by 11 with 1:23 left.

The Timberwolves led by three at the half and quickly stretched it to 78-70 early in the third quarter. Denver climbed its way back in and tied it at 87 on PJ Dozier's fast-break layup, and after Russell's layup Green hit a 3-pointer gave the Nuggets the lead again.

Minnesota scored seven straight and led 96-93 heading into the fourth.

Denver led 49-31 when Campazzo hit a layup with 7:30 left in the second quarter but the Timberwolves rallied, and then two technicals by Jokic -- one for hanging on the rim after a dunk -- sparked a 14-2 run.

Russell capped a 43-point second quarter with two free throws to give Minnesota a 65-62 halftime lead.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Minnesota   Denver
D'Angelo Russell 33 Scoring Nikola Jokic 35
D'Angelo Russell 11 Assists Nikola Jokic 6
Juancho Hernangomez 8 Rebounds Nikola Jokic 15
D'Angelo Russell 9 Free Throws Made Nikola Jokic 10
Jarred Vanderbilt 3 Steals Nikola Jokic 3
Jarred Vanderbilt 2 Blocks PJ Dozier 1
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Minnesota 116 46.2 11-34 21-27 24 42 4 8 14
Denver 123 51.9 8-25 33-45 22 42 2 9 16
Upcoming Games
  • Denver will play their next game at home against Dallas. The Nuggets have a W/L % of .333 after a win and .500 after a loss.
  • Minnesota will play their next game on the road against Portland. The Timberwolves have a W/L % of .667 after a win and .000 after a loss.