Vibe Check: Still alive, but barely breathing. After Jamal Murray played like he was auditioning for a “Last Dance” reboot, the Nuggets and Nikola Jokic slammed the Clippers in Game 5, 131-115. Now, with the series at 3-2 and a ticket to OKC in sight, Denver just needs one more win… and maybe fewer fourth-quarter stress tests.

Jamal went nuclear (43 on 65% shooting), Gordon said “remember me?” with 23, and Joker casually tossed out another triple-double like it was a Tuesday. And even when L.A. made it weird late (again), we slammed the door shut with an 11–0 run. Ball game. Vibes restored.

So now, what you clicked for: is Nikola Jokic playing tonight? Let’s kill the suspense—YES. The big fella is not on any injury report, and he’s very much ready to cook. Jokić will be on the floor in Game 6 doing all the usual stuff: confusing defenders with passes no one saw coming, slow-motion bullying Zubac in the paint, and maybe scoring 13 points just to prove he doesn’t need to score to ruin your game plan. He’s fine. The Clippers? Less so.

And if you were hoping for some injury drama to swing momentum—sorry, but that episode’s been canceled. No one’s hurt. Nobody’s limping. The boys are back (except DaRon Holmes II, who’s been out since 23 Feb). Westbrook returned last game and gave us 21 spicy first-half points off the bench. Christian Braun’s looking like a villain on defense. MPJ’s doing just enough to be terrifying. And our bench? Alive. Functional. Participating. Wild times.

Depth check time—because playoff minutes don’t grow on trees

Nuggets Depth Chart vs Clippers (a.k.a. The Healthy, Semi-Organized Chaos)

Okay, we know Jokic is in. We know Jamal Murray just had a microwave moment and scorched the Clippers for 43. But what about the rest of the squad? Who’s riding shotgun and who’s just hanging out for vibes and warmups? Let’s take a look at what the Nuggets are rollin’ with.

And now, let’s talk facts: the Nuggets dropped 131 in Game 5. That’s not basketball—that’s a bonfire. They shot nearly 56% from the field and over 50% from deep. Jamal Murray looked possessed, Jokic dished out 12 assists on a rough shooting night, and the team rebounded like they meant it. Even Christian Braun put up 11 and 12—this man turned into Josh Hart on vacation.

Meanwhile, the Clippers? Solid shooting numbers, sure. But they got outplayed where it mattered:

• Free Throws? Clippers bricked 10 of ‘em.
• 3-point defense? Nuggets held them to 37.9% from deep, while going nuclear themselves.
• Playmaking? Denver’s ball movement sliced L.A. open—29 assists to 29, but Denver’s were decisive and early in the shot clock.

Here’s the big one: Jamal Murray + Nikola Jokic = pure playoff hell. Even with Jokic scoring just 18, the Nuggets were +13 with him on the floor. They’re a well-oiled machine when everyone’s locked in.

Denver trails slightly in the overall stat game—but momentum, Game 5 execution, and vibes? That’s leaning Nuggets. The Clippers might lead in raw FG%, but when Jokic orchestrates and Jamal goes full anime villain, it’s hard to keep up.

If the Nuggets bring even 80% of that Game 5 energy into Game 6, the Clippers might as well call Uber early. Denver doesn’t just need Nikola Jokic to dominate—they need everyone to keep crashing boards, hitting open shots, and letting Murray cook. Bottom line? The series isn’t over. But if the Nuggets keep hoopin’ like that, it just might be for the Clippers.