The Timberwolves went to Denver tonight to face the Nuggets and came up short by a whisker, even after Nikola Jokic dropped a 56-point triple-double against them for the second time in his career. The last time he did this was a 61-point triple-double in April last season.
Four separate players scored above 30 points tonight as the game finished 138-142 in overtime after Minnesota rallied back from a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter. In the high-intensity matchup that kept us on the edge of our seats until the final seconds, here are three key takeaways from the game.
Nikola Jokic Inches Closer To NBA History
The Serbian superstar finished the game with a whopping 56 points, 16 rebounds, 15 rebounds and two blocks while shooting 15-of-21 from the floor (71.4%) and 4-of-6 from the three-point line (66.6%).
He is now only two triple-doubles away from equaling Oscar Robertson’s record of second all-time in triple-doubles (181), and then he will only be behind Russell Westbrook (207).
Jamal Murray Continues All-Star Caliber Form
Jamal Murray also contributed significantly to the Nuggets’ win with a 35-point outburst tonight. He had 35 points, 10 assists, and nine threes made in the game while shooting 12-of-32 (37.5%) from the field.
The Canadian guard has been making a strong case for the first All-Star selection of his career this season. He is currently averaging 25.4 points, 7.0 assists, and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 49.1% from the field and 46.0% from the three-point line.
If he continues his form while the Nuggets remain a top-three team in the West, then the league will have no justification for not making him an All-Star this season.
Anthony Edwards Activates Clutch Mode To Force OT
Anthony Edwards came up clutch for them once again. Time and again, Edwards has proved that he is reliable in the clutch moments as he nailed a crucial three-point shot with 1.1 seconds left in regulation time to tie the game.
ANTHONY EDWARDS HITS THE GAME-TYING SHOT WITH 1 SECOND LEFT!
WE’RE GOING TO OVERTIME IN DENVER 🚨 pic.twitter.com/El6OJyl09Z
— NBA (@NBA) December 26, 2025
After a 14-point outburst in the first quarter of the game, Edwards seemingly tweaked his shoulder while going for a reverse layup. Subsequently, his offensive production had slowed down throughout the game, except when it came down to the fourth quarter. He dropped 13 of his points at that time.
Edwards has delivered the dagger on every occasion as the Timberwolves were on a three-game winning streak coming into tonight’s matchup. He finished the game with 44 points, six rebounds, and three assists while shooting 14-of-25 from the field (56%) and 5-of-14 from beyond the arc (35.7%).
But he ended up getting ejected from the game after a disagreement with the officials in overtime as the Nuggets got a crucial call in their favor to win it down the stretch.
The Timberwolves have now fallen to 20-11 for the season following this loss and face the Nets on Saturday in Minnesota. Meanwhile, the Nuggets have moved up to 22-8 after tonight’s win and will face the Magic on the road in their next game on Saturday (December 27).
