Russell Westbrook spoils 61-point triple-double for Jokic in 2OT instant classic

On Tuesday night, the Nuggets and Timberwolves played one of the best games of the entire NBA season, featuring a little bit of everything. This back-and-forth affair felt like it may never end but the Wolves finally pulled it out, 140-139 in double overtime.

Jokic scores career-high 61 points

The Nuggets were without Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., so Nikola Jokic took on an even larger offensive burden than usual. He didn’t come out of the game for the entire second half or either overtime, playing the final 40:38 of the game and scoring a career-high 61 points when it was all said and done.

Jokic also added 11 rebounds and 10 assists. The 61 points are the most ever scored by a player who recorded a triple-double. He did a little bit of everything, hitting 18/29 shots from the floor, 6/11 from three, and 19/24 from the free throw line. 

It seemed like Jokic would be the hero and this game would go down as one of his finest masterpieces of all time after he gave Denver a 139-138 lead with under 20 seconds left to play in double overtime.

Westbrook makes 2 unthinkable errors in final 12 seconds

But somehow, Russell Westbrook managed to steal the spotlight from Jokic, and not in a good way. Anthony Edwards threw the ball away with just over 15 seconds left and the Nuggets were on the fastbreak with a one-point lead. Christian Braun passed it ahead to Westbrook who could have pulled the ball out and waited to be fouled or finished the bunny to put Denver up by three.

Instead, Westbrook blew the open layup, giving the ball back to the Wolves with just over 10 seconds to play. Minnesota pushed the ball up the court while Russ trailed the play. Edwards drove and kicked it to the corner where Nickeil Alexander-Walker attempted a three at the buzzer that missed the mark.

But there was a whistle just before the buzzer as Westbrook came flying in late with a reckless closeout and caught Alexander-Walker on the arm during his follow-through. The officials called the shooting foul, NAW knocked down the first two free throws and missed the third intentionally with 0.1 seconds on the clock, and the T-Wolves pulled out an astonishing win in an instant classic and perhaps the game of the year.

Nuggets have lost 6 straight games to Timberwolves

Adding insult to injury, the Wolves simply have the Nuggets’ number. This horrendous loss for Denver clinched the 4-0 season sweep for Minnesota, and that’s after they won games 6 and 7 in last season’s Western Conference Semifinals to eliminate the defending champs.

The Nuggets were shorthanded, but the Wolves were too as Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo were suspended for their roles in a brawl with the Pistons on Sunday night. No matter how you slice it, the Wolves just come to play against the Nuggets and they keep coming out on top. The West playoff matchups are going to be hell no matter what, but this is one team that Denver really doesn’t want to see.