In an atmosphere that felt pulled straight from their playoff series last year, the Minnesota Timberwolves again beat the Denver Nuggets despite a historic performance from Nikola Jokić.
The reigning MVP posted a 61-point triple-double, the most points in NBA history in a triple-double and a new career high in scoring, but Denver fell 140-39 in double overtime in a crucial game for their playoff race. The game ultimately hinged on an awful play by Russell Westbrook, who fouled Nickeil Alexander-Walker on a 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded, with a one-point lead.
The result was three free throws for the Timberwolves after an official review.
WHAT THE ASDFGHJKL pic.twitter.com/A0P5NmEdhD
— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) April 2, 2025
Alexander-Walker made the first two free throws with 0.1 seconds left, a brutal ending for the Ball Arena crowd. Nuggets head coach Michael Malone expressed sympathy for Westbrook after the game, saying "I feel awful for Russ."
The Nuggets were playing without Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., leaving Jokić to handle more of the load than usual against Rudy Gobert. The result was less facilitation than Jokić typically prefers on the floor, and a lot more scoring.
He finished the game with the first 60-point game and third 50-point game of his career on 18-of-29 shooting, plus 11 rebounds, 10 assists and two steals. He played a career-high 53 minutes. The Nuggets are now 0-3 in his 50-point games.
NIKOLA JOKIĆ FOR 51 🚨
— NBA (@NBA) April 2, 2025
THE 3RD 50-PT GAME OF HIS CAREER!
Timberwolves/Nuggets in OT on TNT 🍿 pic.twitter.com/3LhbLohd1F
The other two 60-point triple-doubles in NBA history belong to James Harden (Jan. 30, 2018) and Luka Dončić (Dec. 27, 2022). Both players scored 60 points on the dot, with Harden doing so in regulation, while Dončić got a single overtime. Jokić's record was the second superb performance by a multi-time MVP of the night,
