Nuggets fans serenaded Jaden McDaniels with vitriol and boos in Game 5 at Ball Arena on Monday night.

“Ja-den sucks! Ja-den sucks!”

“(Expletive) McDaniels! (Expletive) McDaniels!”

The Timberwolves forward quickly has become the biggest sports villain in the Denver after his comments following Minnesota’s Game 2 win in which he called every member of the Nuggets a “bad defender.”

After backing up the talk in Games 3 and 4, McDaniels’ individual performance in a 125-113 win for the Nuggets in Game 5 was representative of his team’s.

The 25-year-old from the Seattle area scored just 13 points on 11 shots, contributed four of the Wolves’ 25 turnovers and picked up five fouls while being limited to 27 minutes. His performance was not a result of the constant boos and jeers from the crowd, he said.

“It was cool. It ain’t affect me at all,” McDaniels said. “I’ve been in foul trouble early in games before. I hear the crowd. None of it affects me. It just brings the energy and juice out of me.”

McDaniels knew what was coming. He’s said previously in the postseason he enjoys playing on the road and sending the home fans home unhappy — like the Timberwolves did in a Game 7 against the Nuggets two years ago.

“I like it,” McDaniels said. “You see I’m probably shaking my head the whole time they’re booing me. I’m laughing. They can’t get in my head. I already expect it to come.”

It also helped McDaniels had a veteran in Mike Conley in his ear when he was on the bench, reminding him that it won’t be like this back home for Game 6.

“As much hate as you’re getting tonight, there’s gonna be about 100 times more love for you when you go back to Minnesota. Just know that,” Conley said he told McDaniels. “He’s a good man. He really just does whatever it takes to win. He’s got a great mindset. I know he’s gonna be ready to go when we get home.”

Even with a rough Game 5, McDaniels is averaging career-bests in points, rebounds and assists in the playoffs. His role will be elevated for the duration of this series, given the injury to Anthony Edwards that likely sidelines Edwards for a few weeks. The offensive struggles aren’t anything that takes a sizable adjustment on his or his team’s part, he believes.

“Just silly turnovers,” McDaniels said. “Some (from) myself, throwing the ball to the other team. Just playing too fast. It’s on me. I gotta be better, not fouling early in the game and taking care of the ball. Four turnovers, I usually don’t do that.

“(If) we cut down 10 of them turnovers, I think we come out with a win. It’s just (about) being smarter and playing the smarter brand of basketball that won us the three games already.”

That’s McDaniels’ focus — securing a Game 6 win and moving on to the second round. If that happens, the last laugh is his.

“We just gotta get the job done the next game and then there’s no more talking,” McDaniels said.