DENVER (Interstat) — Nikola Jokic and the top-seeded Denver Nuggets host Jaden McDaniels and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday at Ball Arena in a pivotal Game 5 of their Western Conference playoff series. The best-of-seven set is tied 2-2 after the Timberwolves evened the series with a 113-96 victory Thursday in Minneapolis. Game 5 tips off at 8 p.m. MDT. Denver (55-29) earned the seed in the West during the regular season. Minnesota (51-34) is the seed. McDaniels has been a driving force for the Timberwolves. The forward logged 20 points, 10 rebounds and three assists in 41 minutes during the Game 4 win. He has scored at least 14 points in each of his past four playoff games against Denver, including a 16-point, eight-rebound effort in a Game 3 loss. Jokic leads the Nuggets after averaging a triple-double in the series. The center posted 27 points, 15 rebounds and three assists in Game 4. He recorded 24 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists in a Game 2 loss and opened the series with 25 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists in a Game 1 victory. Denver won Game 3 at home, 116-105, but the Timberwolves have proven difficult to put away. Minnesota took Game 2 in Denver, 119-114, and has won three of the past five meetings in the Mile High City. The Nuggets closed the regular season with eight wins in their final nine games. Jokic posted at least 15 points and 10 rebounds in eight of his past nine contests overall. Minnesota enters after winning four of its final five regular-season games and splitting the first four games of this series. The Interstat game simulator projects a 124-115 Denver victory. The winner of Game 5 will take a 3-2 series lead. Game 6 is scheduled for Thursday in Minneapolis.