The team with the best net rating in clutch situations and second-most home wins in the regular season went 0-2 when all it needed was one such win in the second round.

In Game 1 at Ball Arena, the Timberwolves led by three with five minutes remaining and held on for a 106-99 win that snatched home-court advantage from the Nuggets. Minnesota again had a three-point advantage with just under five minutes left in Game 7 and advanced to the conference finals with a 98-90 win on the Nuggets’ home court.

“We have one of the best home records in the NBA this year, and to lose (Games) 1 and 2 and then to lose 7, I don’t think anyone could have predicted that happening. I think most people had the series going seven, but not the way it went seven. It was kind of a strange series in that regard,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said after Denver’s season ended Sunday.

“To let them come in here three times and beat us on our home court, that’s something that we’re not accustomed to. If you’re going to try to win a championship, if you’re going to try to get to the Western Conference finals, obviously, you’ve got to protect your home court.”

Here’s what the film shows from each of the final five minutes of Denver’s season:

5:00-4:00

Down five as the clock ticks under 5 minutes, the Nuggets go right to the two-man game that’s been so trustworthy the last few postseasons. Nikola Jokic comes off a couple of off-ball screens and goes right to Jamal Murray for another handoff. Jokic’s screen provides all the space Murray needs to get to his floater, making it a one-possession game.

Murray then plays 20 seconds of really solid defense before Anthony Edwards splits a double team and kicks to an open Naz Reid in the corner. The shot misses, but Rudy Gobert beats Jokic to the rebound.

Denver gets lucky again, as Edwards misses a driving layup, but Reid bumps Michael Porter Jr. away from the rim and grabs another offensive rebound over Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who’s forced to foul. Gobert crashed and put a body on Gordon, while Jokic was caught watching near the free throw line.

The inability to limit Minnesota to one shot costs Denver an opportunity make up any ground in the first minute of crunch time. Minnesota had the third-best rebound percentage in the clutch this season, while Denver was ninth.

“The second half, they totally dominated the glass,” Malone said. “We dominated in the first half. In the second half, they outrebounded us 29 to 15.”

4:00-3:00

This is where it all goes wrong for Denver.

There’s a half second where Minnesota leaves Caldwell-Pope unguarded while Edwards recovers to Murray, who again uses a screen from Jokic to penetrate. Reid walls off the drive, while Gobert is in position to guard Gordon and Jokic at the same time, forcing Murray to retreat. Jokic gets the ball but has his fadeaway swatted by Reid. Better spacing from Gordon would’ve helped but it’s a near-perfect possession by the league’s best defense.

“They turned up their level of aggression and kind of got us out of rhythm,” Gordon said.

Minnesota burns some clock with a patient offensive possession. Edwards misses a contested step-back 3 only for Minnesota to continue to dominate the glass. Reid and Gobert both crash the glass from the left side. Murray doesn’t offer Jokic enough help. Jokic’s caught between boxing out the two bigs and gives up a put-back dunk to Reid.

It manages to get worse from there.

Mike Conley catches Murray slacking and steals the ball in the back court. It immediately leads to a four-on-three. Minnesota’s veteran point guard passes to a cutting Reid, who makes the extra pass to Edwards for an open corner 3.

“Mike Conley is the most underrated player in the NBA, probably,” Jokic said. “I love the guy. He is so good. He always makes the right play.”

Denver’s suddenly down 10 thanks to some uncharacteristic play from its two stars in front of a shocked crowd.

3:00-2:00

Minnesota looks like the fresher team and uses that advantage to drain the clock.

The pressure defense forces Murray and Jokic to start their two-man tango with eight seconds left on the shot clock. Gobert drops to cut off Murray’s drive and leaves Jokic alone at the top of the key where he misses a decent look at a 3.

“I’m not worried about being tired,” Murray said. “I’ve been playing in Denver for eight years now. I’m used to the altitude. I’m used to finding my second wind.”

The Nuggets get a stop, and Jokic draws Gobert’s fifth and sixth fouls a couple of seconds apart. Jokic makes both free throws, but it takes Denver a minute to shave a couple of points off the lead.

2:00-1:00

Denver just misses out on a potential momentum swing when Jokic pokes the ball away from Conley, but Minnesota wins a couple of jump balls to retain possession. Murray secures a defensive rebound and starts the break but misses Porter for what should’ve been an uncontested dunk to make it a six-point game with 90 seconds left. Instead, Murray misses a pull-up 3.

Minnesota rebounds and takes a nine-point lead on a free throw before Denver’s last gasp.

Murray drives for a layup and forces a Minnesota turnover on the inbound. Jokic hits a tough shot off a post move to make it a five-point game with a minute to go.

1:00-0:00

One last offensive rebound effectively ends Denver’s season.

“They had a lot of offensive rebounds,” Jokic said.

“If someone beats you, I think they’re the better team. Congrats to them. Did we have chances? Of course we did, but if someone beats you, they’re just better.”

The Nuggets force the ball out of Edwards’ hands, and Conley’s driving layup with 43 seconds left misses. Caldwell-Pope gets caught spectating as Towns crashes for an unobstructed put-back dunk.

Caldwell-Pope misses a quick 3 on the other end. Minnesota grabs the rebound. The Nuggets were content to concede until Jaden McDaniels tried to bounce the ball up to himself for a dunk. Caldwell-Pope commits a foul.

Everything after that was immaterial.

“This feeling sucks,” Malone said.

“You go from training camp all the way through, and then it comes to an abrupt halt, and that hurts.”