NBA: Nuggets lean on Nikola Jokic to grab 3-2 series lead vs Suns
Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets is guarded by Deandre Ayton #2 of the Phoenix Suns in the first quarter during Game Five of the NBA Western Conference Semifinals at Ball Arena on May 09, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP
Nikola Jokic had 29 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, Bruce Brown scored 25 points off the bench and the host Denver Nuggets beat the Phoenix Suns 118-102 in Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal series on Tuesday night.
Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray each scored 19 points and Aaron Gordon finished with 10 for the Nuggets, who lead the best-of-seven series 3-2.
Game 6 is Thursday night in Phoenix.
Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said an improved defensive display had laid the foundation for his team’s emphatic win.
“We didn’t play any defense in the two games we lost in Phoenix,” Malone said. “When we’re not running, and we’re not defending, we’re going nowhere.
“And that’s what we’ll have to do in game six if we’re going to close this series out.”
Nikola Jokic puts up a triple-double as the @nuggets win Game 5 to secure a 3-2 lead!
29 PTS
13 REB
12 ASTDEN/PHX Game 6: Thurs. | 10pm/et on ESPN pic.twitter.com/hr9d2nEoUx
— NBA (@NBA) May 10, 2023
Kevin Durant had 26 points and 11 rebounds, Devin Booker scored 28 points and Deandre Ayton added 14 points and nine rebounds for the Suns.
After a close first half, Denver took control in a chippy third quarter. The Nuggets went ahead 69-53 with a 17-4 run to open the second half and kept increasing their advantage. Two free throws by Murray and a floater in the lane and a finger roll by Jokic made it 77-57 with 4:46 left in the period.
The Suns got within 17 and had a chance to cut the deficit further, but a Murray steal led to a 6-2 run and an 89-68 lead late in the third.
Suns coach Williams said his team’s challenge wilted in the lop-sided third quarter.
“It was like nothing we’ve put on the floor this year from our standards,” Williams said. “We stood still and didn’t move them around enough. I felt we were somewhat stagnant.
“We’ve got to meet the challenge with the physicality.”
Michael Porter Jr. (19 PTS, 8 REBS, 5 3PM) and Jamal Murray (19 PTS, 6 AST) with big nights in the @nuggets Game 5 win!
🆚 DEN/PHX Game 6
📅 Thursday at 10pm/et on ESPN pic.twitter.com/MXVsT4lzxS— NBA (@NBA) May 10, 2023
Things got heated with 37.6 seconds left in the third when Brown and Jokic were hovering near the Phoenix huddle and Durant elbowed Jokic, who flailed back.
Brown and Durant were each assessed a technical foul.
Denver took a 91-74 lead into the fourth quarter, and then went on an immediate run to essentially put the game away.
Brown hit a 3-pointer and split a pair of free throws and Murray drained a 28-foot trey to put the Nuggets ahead 98-74. The Suns scored six straight points to get back within 18, but Brown hit two free throws, Murray banked 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 to take its only lead at 48-47 late in the second on a Terrence Ross 3-pointer. Denver went into halftime up 52-49. With reports from Agence France-Presse
