Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Finally, Nets’ Big 3 ‘on the same page’
All healthy, Harden, Durant, Irving jelling at perfect time
Five games against the Celtics were nearly as many as Nets’ Big Three played together in the regular season, so they’re far from a finished product.
The Nets don’t have the luxury of time. Then again, nobody else has the luxury of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden.
“I think if us three are on the same page and play well and we can communicate with the rest of the guys, where to be on both ends of the ball, I take our chances against anybody,” Harden said.
The Nets closed out the first series with their three superstars by beating the Celtics 123-109 on Tuesday night in Game 5 in the best-of-seven series.
They will open their first appearance in the Eastern Conference semifinals since 2014 on Saturday against the Bucks.
The Bucks swept a two-game series from the Nets in Milwaukee in May while Harden was sidelined. Both he and Durant had lengthy absences in the second half of the season, limiting them and Irving to a combined eight games together.
In fact, the Nets had so many players in and out of the lineup that the starting five they used against the Celtics never started a game in the regular season.
The second-seeded Nets can shoot their way around most of their flaws, but can’t count on that against the third-seeded Bucks. They’re the only team that scores more than the Nets, averaging 120.1 points to the Nets’ 118.6 during the regular season.
That’s why the defensive commitment and improvement Durant saw against the Celtics could be so important against the third-seeded Bucks.
“We’re going to need that even more going into the next series and it’s all about progressing every day for us,” Durant said.
Harden had 34 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in Game 5, the first triple-double by a Nets player other than Jason Kidd in the postseason. Irving scored 25 points and Durant had 24.
Lillard shines in loss: Michael Porter Jr.’s 3-pointer with 1:33 left in the second overtime helped the Nuggets squelch an epic comeback by the Trail Blazers with a 147-140 victory in Game 5 of the West series Tuesday night in Denver.
The third-seeded Nuggets won despite guard Damian Lillard’s franchise playoff record 55 points and NBA playoff record 12 3-pointers.
Lillard scored 17 of the Blazers’ 19 points in the two OTs, but he didn’t score again after his 12th 3 in 17 attempts put the Blazers ahead 140-138 with 3:47 left. And his teammates didn’t score again, either.
Game 6 is Thursday in Portland. The Nuggets lead the series 3-2.
Suns take series lead: Devin Booker scored 30 points after two quiet games and the second-seeded Suns sent LeBron James to the locker room early, dismantling the seventh-seeded Lakers 115-85 in Game 5 of the West series Tuesday night in Phoenix.
The Suns lead the series 3-2. Game 6 is Thursday in Los Angeles.
The defending league champs were without Anthony Davis due to a strained groin, and the Suns took full advantage. They made 14 3s and had just four turnovers.
The only bad news for the Suns: point guard Chris Paul took a shot to his injured right shoulder in the third quarter and didn’t return.
James scored 17 of his 24 points in the third quarter, but couldn’t rally the listless Lakers. The four-time league MVP sat at the end of the bench by himself in the fourth quarter before heading to the locker room with about five minutes left.
Embiid sits out Game 5: As expected, league MVP finalist Joel Embiid sat out Game 5 of the 76ers’ East series against the eighthseeded Wizards on Wednesday night in Philadelphia.
The 76ers said Embiid has small lateral meniscus tear in his right knee.
Embiid isn’t scheduled to have surgery. He’s considered day to day.
The top-seeded 76ers led the eighthseeded Wizards 3-1 in the series ahead of Game 5, which ended too late for this edition.