MINNEAPOLIS — A few uncharacteristic misses bothered Nikola Jokic more than a series of promising makes excited the Nuggets’ star after the Nuggets saw their chance to sweep the Timberwolves slip away, 114-108, in overtime Sunday night at Target Center.

The costliest of the misses came at the free throw line late in regulation. With the Nuggets down by one in the final 15 seconds of the fourth quarter, Jokic drew a foul on Karl-Anthony Towns. He stepped to the line with 12.7 seconds left and a chance to put the Nuggets ahead. The first free throw rolled around the rim and spun out. Jokic made the second, and the Nuggets got a stop on the other end to force overtime.

“We had an opportunity, even in regulation, and I missed a free throw,” Jokic said after. “Then, in the end, they were scoring a lot, and we didn’t. I think I missed a couple of easy ones.”

After the Timberwolves scored 16 points in the fourth quarter, allowing the Nuggets to force overtime with a 12-0 run with every point being scored or assisted by Jokic to end regulation, the Timberwolves scored 18 points on 75% shooting from the field in the 5-minute overtime period.

Jokic went 2 of 5 in overtime. He made his first shot, an elbow jumper that put Denver ahead by one with more with 3:20 left. The Nuggets went back to the two-man game between Jamal Murray and Jokic, but the big man missed a couple of floaters that are typically money.

“I do think that he was trying to be very, very aggressive,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said postgame.

Jokic’s final make was a strong finish over Minnesota center Rudy Gobert in the final minute, making it a one-point game with 31 seconds left. Anthony Edwards hit a dagger 3 on the other end and Jokic finished an otherwise efficient night from 3 by missing a wide-open look from deep with eight seconds left, effectively ending Denver’s hopes of a sweep.

Jokic made a season-high five 3-pointers on eight attempts, which was one shy of matching his season-high in attempts.

“It was going in, so why not,” Jokic said.

The final line showed 43 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and two steals for Jokic. He made 15 of his 26 shots from the field and 8 of 12 free throws, despite a couple of frustrating misses, to match his previous playoff career-high. Jokic also scored 43 points in a Game 6 loss to the Spurs back in 2019.

“We just tried to be super physical, be aggressive with him. He had his 3 goin’,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said postgame. “Normally, he’s not taking eight 3s a game. He felt comfortable out there. He’s a hell of a player, just gotta try to make life as hard as you can.”

Jokic made three of his 3s in the third quarter and scored 15 of Denver’s 22 points in the period. His 3 ball could help soften up Minnesota’s defense, which features a pair of 7-footers inside. If Jokic continues to shoot efficiently, either Gobert or Karl-Anthony Towns must step outside.

“They got two centers out there that are clogging up the paint. He’s going to get those looks from the top of the key,” Murray said. “When he’s knocking them down, we’re a dangerous group.”

In the end, the Nuggets star simplified his game in a very characteristic way.

“I’m confident,” Jokic said.

“Sometimes I make. Sometimes I miss.”

Game 5

Timberwolves at Nuggets, 7 p.m. Tuesday at Ball Arena.

TV: Altitude/NBA TV

Line: Nuggets -9