Mavericks turn in a super show to pull level with Phoenix in playoffs

Los Angeles, May 9: The Dallas Mavericks rained 20 three-pointers and again neutralised Phoenix point guard Chris Paul to beat the top-seeded Suns 111-101 on Sunday and tie their NBA playoff series at two games each.

Star guard Luka Doncic scored 26 points and Dorian Finney-Smith added 24 for Dallas, who have won two games at home to level the best-of-seven Western Conference matchup after dropping the first two games in Phoenix.

The Suns, who finished the regular season with the best record in the league, will try to regain the advantage when they host Game Five on Tuesday. It’s guaranteed to shift back to Dallas for game six on Thursday.

The Philadelphia 76ers also won a second straight game at home to level their Eastern Conference series with Miami at two-all.

Former NBA MVP James Harden scored 31 points to lead six Philadelphia players in double figures in a

116-108 victory.

Center Joel Embiid scored

24 points, his presence again making things tougher for Miami defensively.

Embiid carried the Sixers early, scoring 15 points in the first quarter. Harden, who didn’t score in the opening period, took over with 13 points in the second and Philadelphia took a 64-56 lead into halftime.

The Sixers, up 89-85 going into the fourth, pushed the lead to 10 with less than six minutes remaining. Miami had cut it to five when Harden drove to the rim for a basket then drained a three-pointer.

Embiid grabbed an offensive rebound and fed Tyrese Maxey for a dunk that made

it 111-103 and Harden made another three-pointer to push the lead to 11 with 1:07 left, sealing the win.

JOKIC PIPS EMBIID FOR SECOND STRAIGHT MVP

Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic will be named as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for a second straight year ahead of Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, ESPN reported on Monday.

The 27-year-old Serbian averaged 27.1 points per game with 13.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists this season as the Nuggets finished sixth in the Western Conference.

The Nuggets and Jokic were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Golden State Warriors.

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— AP Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson (second from left) defends as Phoenix Suns center JaVale McGee goes up to shoot during Game Four of their NBA basketball second-round playoff series in Dallas on Sunday.