Denver Nuggets rides a dominant performance from Nikola Jokic to a 118-102 victory over the Phoenix Suns to take a 3-2 lead into the Western Conference Semifinals
- Jokic posted a triple-double of 29 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists in the win
- It sets up a do-or-die Game 6 for Phoenix, losing just one home game
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Nikola Jokic dropped a triple-double as the Denver Nuggets put on a dominant performance over the Phoenix Suns, going top 118-102 in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
Jokic finished the night with 29 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists as the Nuggets took a lead with 1:25 left in the second quarter and never looked back.
It sends the series back to Phoenix – where the Suns have lost all playoffs for just one game – giving the Nuggets a chance to send the home team.
Including Jokic, four of the Nuggets’ five starters had double-digit points with Michael Porter Jr. (19 points), Jamal Murray (19 points) and Aaron Gordon (10 points) come with big nights.
But the biggest surprise came from bench player Bruce Brown, who dropped a whopping 25 points and five rebounds on a 7-11 shooting line.
The Denver Nuggets put in a great performance from Nikola Jokic to win Game 5 against Phoenix
The Serbian superstar dropped 29 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists in the 118-102 win
Devin Booker led Phoenix with 28 points, six rebounds and four assists
It was a great night from Bruce Brown, who dropped 25 points on a 7-11 shooting line
For Phoenix, Devin Booker led the way with 28 points, six rebounds and four assists. Kevin Durant double-doubled with 26 points and 11 rebounds, while DeAndre Ayton also added 14 points and nine rebounds.
After a thrilling first half, Denver took control in a volatile third quarter. The Nuggets led 69-53 with a 17-4 run to open the second half and continued to extend their lead.
Two free throws by Murray and a floater in lane and finger roll by Jokic made it 77-57 with 4:46 left in the period.
The Suns got to within 17 and had a chance to further narrow the deficit, but a theft by Murray led to a 6-2 run and an 89-68 lead late in the third inning.
Things got heated with 37.6 seconds left in the third as Brown and Jokic hovered near the Phoenix group and Durant elbowed Jokic, who swung back.
Brown and Durant were given technical information.
Denver took a 91-74 lead in the fourth quarter and then went straight to work to essentially put the game aside.
A 26 point, 11 rebound double-double by Kevin Durant proved not to be enough
Denver’s Jamal Murry tallied an impressive 19 points, five rebounds and six assists
Aaron Gordon dropped ten points, six rebounds and six assists to also contribute
Brown hit a 3-pointer and shared a pair of free throws and Murray cleared a 28-foot trey to put the Nuggets ahead 98-74.
The Suns scored six straight runs to come back within 18, but Brown hit two free throws, Murray shot in a 12-footer, and Christian Braun had a steal and a dunk to make it 104-80 with 7:48 left.
Booker hit a 3-pointer, but Jokic fed Gordon for an alley-oop dunk, giving Jokic his 10th assist of the night and fourth triple-double of the postseason.
The Nuggets led 35-20 late in the first quarter, but Phoenix rallied late in the second quarter to take the first lead 48-47. Denver went into halftime 52-49.