NBA Game Notes (April 25, 2023)

Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on April 25, 2023.

Nuggets Tame Wolves

The Denver Nuggets edged the Minnesota Timberwolves 112-109 in Game 5 of their Western Conference First Round series, taking the series four games to one. The No. 1 seed Nuggets advanced to the conference semifinals, where they will face the No. 4 seed Phoenix Suns.

The Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic had an interesting night, compiling 28 points, 17 rebounds, 12 assists, two steals, and two blocks. It’s the third time Jokic has recorded at least 25 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists in a playoff game, tied for the second-most such games in NBA history:

• 4 — LeBron James

• 3 — Oscar Robertson

• 3 — Wilt Chamberlain

• 3 — Nikola Jokic

Since the NBA began tracking steals and blocks in 1973-74, Jokic is just the fourth player to produce a 25-point, 15-rebound, 10-assist playoff game while recording multiple steals and blocks:

• Ralph Sampson (May 6, 1986)

• Charles Barkley (June 1, 1993)

• Kevin Durant (June 15, 2021)

• Nikola Jokic (April 25, 2023)

Jokic now has three career triple-doubles in closeout wins, the fourth-most such games in NBA history:

• 8 — Magic Johnson

• 6 — LeBron James

• 4 — Draymond Green

• 3 — Nikola Jokic

Jokic attempted 29 shots from the field, making just eight of them (27.6%). That ties the most misses he’s recorded in any game in his career, regular season or postseason. Jokic became the first player in NBA postseason history to record a 25-point triple-double while shooting less than 30% from the floor.

Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray scored a game-high 35 points and dished out five assists. Murray shot 12-23 from the field — including 5-9 from 3-point range — and made all six of his free throws. Murray averaged 27.2 PPG, 6.4 APG, and 5.6 RPG for the series, with shooting percentages of 47.1% from the field, 42.9% from 3-point range, and 90.9% from the free throw line.

The Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards scored a team-high 29 points in the loss, adding eight rebounds and seven assists. It was the third straight game in which he recorded at least 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists. At 21 years and 263 days old, Edwards is the second-youngest player in NBA history to record three such games in a row in the playoffs, trailing only LeBron James (21 years, 126 days).

Teammate Karl-Anthony Towns scored 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds before fouling out late in the fourth quarter. Towns shot 9-17 from the field and made seven of his nine free throws.