Michael Malone will join Nikola Jokic at All-Star Weekend after Nuggets edge Timberwolves

Whatever vacation plans Michael Malone had for this year’s All-Star break will have to be put on hold until the summer.

Denver’s coach and his staff are heading to Charlotte in two weeks to work some overtime.

The Nuggets beat the Timberwolves 107-106 Saturday in Minnesota, Denver’s sixth-straight victory and eighth win in its last nine games, clinching the best record in the Western Conference in games played through Feb. 3. That means Malone and his staff will coach Team LeBron in the Feb. 17 exhibition at Spectrum Center

Malone will join Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets’ first All-Star since Carmelo Anthony in 2011, in Charlotte. But which team Jokic will play for will be decided on Feb. 7 when LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the two All-Star captains, draft their respective rosters.

On the second night of a back-to-back, a day after an emotional win over the Rockets, Denver got much-needed contributions from Trey Lyles and Juancho Hernangomez. Lyles, who had been struggling with his three-point shot all season, finished with 19 points and hit 3 of 6 triples. Hernangomez, who hadn’t hit two threes in a game since New Year’s Day, finished with eight points off the bench and sunk two threes.

Nikola Jokic recorded his ninth triple-double of the season — a 13-point, 16-rebound, 10-assist effort. Jokic (25 career triple-doubles) is now tied for 13th on the all-time triple-doubles leaderboard with Clyde Drexler. Tonight, he passed Elgin Baylor. Next up? Michael Jordan.

Minnesota led 38-29 after the first quarter, but a 16-4 Nuggets run to open the second got Denver back to within striking distance. The Nuggets and Timberwolves went shot for shot down the stretch, with Denver’s defense locking down Minnesota on the final possession of the game clinging to a one-point lead.

The Nuggets, who hold the best fourth-quarter defense in the league, held the Timberwolves to 18 points in the final period.

Elsewhere for the Nuggets, Malik Beasley added 22 points. Monte Morris finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists. Both filled in for Denver’s starting backcourt of Jamal Murray and Gary Harris, who both missed the game due to injury.

Karl-Anthony Towns led Minnesota with 31 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists.

The Nuggets are no 8-1 in the Northwest Division. Denver is also 8-1 on the second night of back-to-backs.