Jaden McDaniels faced heavy boos from fans as the Denver Nuggets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 125-113 in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series.

The game, led by Nikola Jokic, saw Denver respond strongly after earlier criticism from McDaniels. Despite the loss, Minnesota still leads the best-of-seven series 3-2, with Game 6 set to be played in Minnesota.

McDaniels, who has become a central figure in the series rivalry, said the hostile atmosphere motivates him. “I love this environment. Everyone hating me brings the best out of me,” he said after the game.

The tension between both teams has been building throughout the series. Earlier, McDaniels had called the Nuggets “all bad defenders” after Minnesota’s Game 2 win. The situation escalated further in a previous game when McDaniels scored a late layup after the result was already decided, leading to a confrontation with Jokic. The incident resulted in fines and ejections but no suspensions.

In Game 5, McDaniels scored 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting in over 27 minutes but also committed four turnovers. Minnesota struggled with ball control overall, recording 25 turnovers. The team is currently adjusting to the absence of Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards due to injuries.

The match also saw heated moments on the court. McDaniels was involved in a brief altercation with Jonas Valanciunas during the fourth quarter. Later, Christian Braun received a technical foul after celebrating a dunk while directing gestures toward McDaniels.

Despite the intensity and crowd reaction, McDaniels remained unfazed. He emphasized that the team’s focus is on winning the next game and closing out the series.

Minnesota will now look to secure victory in Game 6 at home and avoid a deciding Game 7.