Nikola Jokic had a triple-double after making up with Suns proprietor Mat Ishbia and Michael Porter Jr. sank 5 3-pointers to assist the Denver Nuggets beat Phoenix 118-102 on Tuesday night time in Sport 5 to regain the sequence lead.
Joker had 29 factors, 13 rebounds and 12 assists for his tenth profession playoff triple-double, breaking a tie with Wilt Chamberlain for many by a middle in NBA historical past.
Sport 6 is Thursday night time in Phoenix. The house staff has received each sport within the sequence. If that holds true once more, the decisive winner-take-all conflict will come Sunday again in Denver, the place the top-seeded Nuggets personal the NBA’s finest residence document at 39-7, together with 5-0 within the playoffs.
After Denver misplaced two straight at Phoenix, Nuggets coach Michael Malone devised a five-point plan for the Nuggets to regain management of the sequence: patch up their transition protection, sluggish Devin Booker, get extra from his bench, unleash MPJ and knock down open 3s.
Examine, test, test, test and test.
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Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets is guarded by Deandre Ayton #2 of the Phoenix Suns within the first quarter throughout Sport 5 of the NBA Western Convention Semifinals at Ball Enviornment on Could 09, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Photos)
Porter bounced again from a nasty night time in Sport 4 with 19 factors on 5-of-8 capturing from lengthy vary. Denver outscored Phoenix 31-23 in fast-break factors; Booker scored 28 factors however missed 11 of 19 photographs; Bruce Brown boosted the Nuggets’ bench with 25 factors and the Nuggets sank 13 of 27 from lengthy vary.
Kevin Durant chipped in 26 factors for Phoenix.
The Nuggets turned a three-point halftime lead right into a 91-74 cushion with a dominant third quarter wherein Jokic made seven of eight photographs for 17 factors and Booker was simply 1-for-8 for 3 factors.
The chippiness of the sequence reached a brand new degree within the last minute of the third quarter when Nuggets swingman Brown antagonized the Suns as they huddled up on the courtroom and Durant gave Jokic a forearm shiver. A double technical was assessed on Durant and Brown.
Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets lays in a basket in opposition to the Phoenix Suns within the first quarter throughout Sport 5 of the NBA Western Convention Semifinals at Ball Enviornment on Could 09, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Photos)
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Earlier than the sport, Jokic shared a heat pregame embrace — and the basketball — with Ishbia 48 hours after their kerfuffle over a unfastened ball in Phoenix in Sport 4 resulted in a technical foul and a $25,000 fantastic for the Nuggets large man.
“I hoped he was going to pay my fantastic,” Jokic cracked after the sport.
The Nuggets jumped out to an early 14-point lead however the Suns trailed simply 52-49 at halftime, and the sport might need been tied had Booker’s almost halfcourt heave left his arms only a tick sooner.
STAR SCARES
The Suns received a scare with 2.4 seconds left within the first quarter when Booker turned his left ankle after getting fouled by Jeff Inexperienced on an tried layup. A number of minutes later, the Nuggets received their very own scare when Murray turned his proper ankle and walked round gingerly, shaking it off to remain within the sport.
Michael Porter Jr. #1 of the Denver Nuggets places up a shot in opposition to Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns within the first quarter throughout Sport 5 of the NBA Western Convention Semifinals at Ball Enviornment on Could 09, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Photos)
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TIP-INS
Suns: Phoenix surrendered the primary 9 factors of the sport earlier than Cameron Payne’s lengthy 3-pointer on the 9:33 mark. … Seated courtside alongside Ishbia was Michigan State soccer coach Mel Tucker, derisively identified in a lot of Colorado as “Midnight Mel” for his departure from the Buffaloes job solely hours after telling boosters he was in Boulder to remain.
Nuggets: This marked the primary sport within the sequence that the chief after one quarter held on to win the sport. … The Nuggets held the Suns with out a level for greater than 2 minutes in every of the primary three quarters and Phoenix’s first bucket within the fourth quarter got here on the 10:16 mar on a bucket by Durant.
