By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
From a 2-0 lead to a 3-2 deficit, it does not look good for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2024 NBA Playoffs Presented by Google Pixel Western Conference Semifinals.
A dominating display by Nikola Jokic in Game 5 of a best-of-seven series shaped the latest productive showing of the Serbian superstar in the European matchup versus French Rudy Gobert.
“He was in the zone. I mean he made a couple of shots that I think I actually blocked and the ball went in. It was just incredible in that quarter, putting his team on his back. He was making everything, drawing fouls, and getting to the line,” the 31-year-old center referred to Jokic dropping 16 of his 40 points in the third period, “I think there are things we should have done better but there are also plays that he made that I think are tough to counter.”
“We know he is a one-of-a-kind player. We know he is going to make some incredible plays. But we got to keep battling. We got to keep making it tough on him, fighting him,” he added in a strong approval of the Joker after the meeting in Ball Arena on Tuesday, “When he scores, and he will score at some point, we got to keep playing. Take it right back at them.”
“I just laugh. That is all I can do,” confessed Anthony Edwards, “He is good, man. I think I said that after Game 1 when we won, and Game 2, he is the MVP. He is the best player in the NBA. He showed it the last three games, three games in a row. He was special tonight. I have got to give him his flowers. He was that guy tonight.”
The series resumes in Target Center on Thursday. If necessary, Game 7 will be played in Denver on the next edition of NBA Sundays.
“We do not want to quit. We still want to win. We are going to Minnesota to get another one,” warned Jokic, switching from Game 5 to Game 6.