In a do-or-die Game 5, it would have been easy for the Denver Nuggets to roll over and die. They gave the Utah Jazz everything they could handle in Game 4, but the Jazz still won and took a 3-1 series lead. No team in the bubble at that point had prevented elimination after the opposition won their third game.
The Nuggets were the first one. They finally found their defense in the second half of this game, and Jamal Murray just won’t miss. He’s on absolute fire, helping the Nuggets win Game 5 and prevent elimination.