Spencer Jones has quickly become a key contributor for the Denver Nuggets, stepping into a larger role with Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson sidelined.
While his offensive production stood out in Game 5, head coach David Adelman emphasized Jones’ defensive work against the Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Julius Randle.
“He just competes, man,” Adelman said. “Randle’s an All-Star. Randle’s a load. And nobody in this room would want to be near Randle in their lives. And (Jones) just stands there and takes the hits.
“I thought he was really good outside of one time (at) not fouling him, either, where he made him take tough contested shots. A couple times, (Randle) got to his right shoulder and he laid the ball in with his left hand.
“But that’s why he gets paid a ton of money, because he’s a really special player. But the stuff early, he pushed him out. That’s the thing with Randle. If you concede space, just go home. I think Spence did a good job of competing for the spot.”
Spencer Jones made an unexpected contribution to Monday's win: https://t.co/mV36fB5L1Q
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) April 29, 2026
