DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had a triple-double after making up with Suns owner Mat Ishbia and Michael Porter Jr. sank five 3-pointers to help the Denver Nuggets beat Phoenix 118-102 on Tuesday night in Game 5 to regain the series lead.
Joker had 29 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists for his 10th career playoff triple-double, breaking a tie with Wilt Chamberlain for most by a center in NBA history. Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinal is Thursday night in Phoenix.
The home team has won every game in the series. If that holds true again, the decisive winner-take-all clash will come Sunday back in Denver, where the top-seeded Nuggets own the NBA’s best home record at 39-7, including 5-0 in the playoffs.
After Denver lost two straight at Phoenix, Nuggets coach Michael Malone devised a five-point plan for the Nuggets to regain control of the series: patch up their transition defense, slow Devin Booker, get more from his bench, unleash MPJ and knock down open 3s.
Check, check, check, check and check.
Porter bounced back from a bad night in Game 4 with 19 points on 5-of-8 shooting from long range. Denver outscored Phoenix 31-23 in fast-break points; Booker scored 28 points but missed 11 of 19 shots; Bruce Brown boosted the Nuggets’ bench with 25 points and the Nuggets sank 13 of 27 from long range. Kevin Durant had 26 points for Phoenix.
Before the game, Jokic shared a warm pregame embrace — and the basketball — with Ishbia 48 hours after their kerfuffle over a loose ball in Phoenix in Game 4 resulted in a technical foul and a $25,000 fine for the Nuggets big man.
76ERS 115, CELTICS 103
BOSTON (AP) — Joel Embiid scored 33 points and Philadelphia beat Boston to take a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Philadelphia led by 21 points in the fourth quarter as home fans booed the Celtics. The 76ers can close out the series when they host Game 6 on Thursday night.
It was the third straight 30-point game in the series for Embiid, who also had seven rebounds, four blocks and three 3-pointers. Tyrese Maxey added 30 points and six 3-pointers. James Harden finished with 17 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds.
Jayson Tatum led Boston with 36 points, but was 11 of 27 from the field. Jaylen Brown had 24 points.
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