Jokic scores 40, Nuggets shut down Edwards in 112-97 win over Wolves for a 3-2 series lead

DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic received the Michael Jordan award from Commissioner Adam Silver before tipoff, then delivered a memorable playoff performance to celebrate his third MVP trophy Tuesday night.

Jokic scored 40 points and dished out 13 assists and the Denver Nuggets shut down Anthony Edwards in a 112-97 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves that put the reigning NBA champs one win away from the Western Conference finals.

Jokic also had seven rebounds with no turnovers as the home team won for the first time in this semifinal series.

“He did everything for us tonight,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “And it was fun to watch.”

Jokic's domination even had his opponents smiling.

“I just laugh. That's all I can do," Edwards said of watching Jokic go off for 16 points and assist on four other baskets in the third quarter when the Nuggets seized control for yet another rout.

“I can’t be mad,” Edwards said. "He’s good, man. I think I said that after Game 1 when we won, and Game 2, he’s the MVP. He’s the best player in NBA. He showed it the last three games, three games in a row. He was special tonight. I’ve got to give him his flowers. He was that guy tonight.”

Jokic even had another rim-rattling dunk, something he’s not known for. When asked if Minnesota’s collection of rim protectors necessitated such moves, Jokic cracked, “You know, I’m a freak of nature. Why not show off my athleticism?”

Aaron Gordon added 18 points and 10 boards, and Jamal Murray scored 16, saying when Jokic has it going, there's no need for anyone else to try to be the hero.

“If Jokic's scoring like that, there's no need to do anything special," Murray said.

Trapped and doubled all night, Edwards was held to 18 points on 5-of-15 shooting. Karl Anthony-Towns led the Wolves with 23 points and Rudy Gobert scored 18.

“I think we did a great job, not just on (Edwards) but everybody," Murray said.

With their first three-game losing streak of the season, the Wolves will have to snap their skid Thursday night at Target Center to force a Game 7 back in Denver.

Jokic, who was presented with his third MVP trophy by commissioner Adam Silver in a pregame ceremony, scored 19 first-half points in leading Denver to a 50-44 lead at the half. He added 16 points in the third quarter when the Nuggets pushed their lead to 14.

After the Wolves used a mini-run to pull to 103-92, Jokic nailed a 3-pointer at the shot clock buzzer over a helpless Gobert, who recently won his fourth NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, to make it a 14-point cushion with just over 3 minutes left.

Edwards averaged 33.3 points in the first four games of the series and the Wolves were looking for somebody else to step up. Although KAT did just that, Edwards missed eight of his first nine shots, had five points at halftime and didn't find his shooting touch until the game had gotten away from the Timberwolves.

Minnesota's veteran point guard Mike Conley was scratched just before tipoff with a sore right Achilles. He was injured when he missed a 3-pointer on the Wolves' final possession in their loss on Sunday. Nickeil Alexander-Walker started in his spot and had 14 points and five assists.

In his pre-game comments, Wolves coach Chris Finch also expressed dismay at the NBA fining Rudy Gobert $75,000 for making a money gesture following a call by referee Scott Foster in Game 4.

That was $25,000 less than Murray was fined for his actions in Game 2, when he, too, made the money sign and threw both a towel and a heat pack toward an official.

When Towns went to the bench with his third foul late in the first half, Gobert pointed at Kyle Anderson, instructing him to guard Jokic. TNT announcer Reggie Miller was aghast at Gobert, saying, “You’re the Defensive Player of the Year! You guard the MVP!”

It mattered little who was guarding the three-time MVP on this night.

“He's amazing,” Murray said, “just the way he picks apart the game and reads the game and trusts his teammates. I'm guessing that for the big fella getting the trophy tonight probably motivated him a little bit. Just being at home was a lot of fun, the place was rocking, kind of felt the energy and he definitely had it going.”

The summary and story has been updated to show Jokic had 13 assists, not rebounds.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Injured Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley walks near the bench during the first half of Game 5 of the team's NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in Denver (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., front, is defended by Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in Denver (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, back, looks on as Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, center, falls to the fall after colliding with Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in Denver (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, left, fields a pass next to Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in Denver (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic holds his NBA basketball MVP trophy before Game 5 of the team's second-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in Denver (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic shoots over Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in Denver (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

PHOENIX (AP) — A judge on Friday rejected an effort by GOP lawmakers to use the term “unborn human being” to refer to a fetus in the pamphlet that Arizona voters will use to weigh a ballot measure that would expand abortion access in the state.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Christopher Whitten said the wording the legislative council suggested is “packed with emotion and partisan meaning” and asked for what he called more “neutral” language. The measure aims to expand abortion access from 15 weeks to 24 weeks – the point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb.

It would allow exemptions to save the woman’s life or to protect her physical or mental health. It would also prevent the state from adopting or enforcing laws that would forbid access to the procedure.

Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma, who is a co-chair of the legislative council, said the group will appeal the court’s decision to the state Supreme Court.

“The ruling is just plain wrong and clearly partisan,” said Toma, a Republican.

Aaron Thacker, communications director for Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, noted that the final decision on the ballot itself remains in the air.

“There’s still a lot of scenarios at play," he said. "Even after the secretary certifies the signatures, the courts have to decide if counties can put it on the ballot or not."

Arizona for Abortion Access, the organization leading the ballot measure campaign, sued the council earlier this month over the suggested language and advocated for the term “fetus,” which the council rejected.

Attorney General Kris Mayes wrote in a motion to submit an amicus brief that “fetus" and “pregnancy” are both neutral terms that the council could adopt.

“It’s incredibly important to us that Arizona voters get to learn more about and weigh our measure in objective and accurate terminology,” said Dawn Penich, communications director for the abortion access group.

Democrats have centered abortion rights in their campaigns in this year’s elections. Organizers in five other states have also proposed similar measures that would codify abortion access in their state constitutions: Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada and South Dakota.

Arizona organizers submitted more than double the amount of signatures needed for the measure to appear on the ballot.

FILE - Arizona abortion-rights supporters deliver over 800,000 petition signatures to the capitol to get abortion rights on the November general election ballot July 3, 2024, in Phoenix. A judge on Friday, July 26, rejected an effort by GOP lawmakers to use the term “unborn human being” to refer to a fetus in the pamphlet that Arizona voters will use to decide on a ballot measure that would expand abortion access in the state. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)