Jokic, Nuggets crush Suns; Tatum saves Celtics
LOS ANGELES (AFP) — The Denver Nuggets crushed the Phoenix Suns 125-100 on Thursday, May 11, to become the first team to reach the NBA conference finals as the Boston Celtics forced a decisive game seven against the Philadelphia 76ers. Western Conference top seeds Denver dominated from start to finish in Phoenix as they polished off the Suns 4-2 in their bestof-seven conference semifinal. The Nuggets reached the conference finals for the first time since the Covid "bubble" in Florida in 2020 and will face either reigning champions Golden State or the Los Angeles Lakers, who hold a 3-2 lead in their series and host the Warriors on Friday. Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic delivered his third triple-double of the series, scoring 32 points with 10 rebounds and 12 assists.
Jokic said the Nuggets shrugged off the idea of a "hostile environment" at the Footprint Center and played with "the same mindset that we are playing with at home — just be aggressive, move them from the spots, make them make tough shots.
Jamal Murray, who was questionable to start because of illness, scored 26 points and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 21 for Denver, who out-scored the Suns 62-46 in the paint, out-rebounded them 41-29 and had 18 secondchance points to the Suns' seven.
But with veteran point guard Chris Paul missing a fourth straight game with a groin injury and center Deandre Ayton ruled out with a rib injury, the Suns endured another embarrassing exit after last year's elimination on their home floor by the Dallas Mavericks.
In Philadelphia, Jayson Tatum scored 16 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter as the Celtics held off the 76ers 95-86 to level their Eastern Conference semi-final at three games apiece.