Nuggets keep series alive with Game 5 win over Timberwolves

The score mattered, but the way Denver got there mattered more. The Nuggets looked quicker with their reads, cleaner in the half court, and less dependent on Nikola Jokic having to solve every possession by himself. That had not always been the case earlier in the series.

Minnesota is still in control. But now the next game has a different weight to it. When a team facing elimination wins by double digits, the other side suddenly has to prove it can stay calm and close the door.

One game does not erase the problems Denver had before. It does, though, force Minnesota to adjust. The rotations, counters, and late-game choices all get another look now.

Denver did not flip the series. It did make it uncomfortable again.