Nuggets rally from deficit to beat Jazz in seven games

LOS ANGELES: Nikola Jokic had 30 points as Denver Nuggets reached the Eastern Conference semi-finals with a thrilling 80-78 game seven victory over Utah Jazz.

The 25-year-old Serbian star, who also had 14 rebounds and four assists, had been taking a back seat to Canadian scoring phenom Jamal Murray in the series, but Jokic busted out in the winner-takes-all showdown in Orlando, Florida.

“We didn’t quit. We just didn’t want to quit. I am glad we won the game,” said Jokic.

Murray scored 17 points and Michael Porter finished with 10 points and nine rebounds for the Nuggets, who advanced in a series for the first time after being 3-1 down, becoming just the 12th team in league history to achieve such a comeback.

“A lot of teams would have just given in, especially when you consider we’ve been here 57 days away from our families,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said.

Nuggets will face Los Angeles Clippers in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. The first game is today in the NBA’s quarantine bubble in Florida.

Tuesday’s game finished with a wild sequence that included Utah’s Mike Conley throwing up a desperation shot at the buzzer that ringed the basket but failed to drop.

In the Eastern Conference, Jayson Tatum scored a career playoff high 34 points and Marcus Smart drained five three-pointers in the fourth quarter as Boston Celtics rallied to beat Toronto 102-99 in game two of their series.

Kemba Walker finished with 17 points and Jaylen Brown had 16 points and eight rebounds for Celtics, who grabbed a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semi-final.