A resurgent James Harden on Sunday scored 42 points, including a last-gasp three-pointer to lift the Philadelphia 76ers over the Boston Celtics 116-115 in overtime to level their NBA playoff series.
In Arizona, not even a career playoff-high 53 points were enough for Nikola Jokic to spark the Denver Nuggets to a victory over the Phoenix Suns.
Harden drained a 24-foot corner three with just 19 seconds remaining in overtime at the Wells Fargo Center for a win that leaves the Eastern Conference best-of-seven second round series squared at 2-2.
Photo: AP
In a nerve-shredding finale, Boston’s Marcus Smart nailed a potential buzzer-beating basket, but it did not count as he was unable to get the shot off before time expired.
That left Philadelphia celebrating a gutsy victory that owed everything to the majestic performance of Harden, who bagged his second 40-point game of the series, which continues today at Boston.
“I put the work in and it was all about being aggressive,” Harden said afterward. “Tonight it was really do or die.”
“We found a way to win and that’s all that matters in the post-season,” he added.
In the Western Conference, two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic’s heroics were not enough as Kevin Durant and Devin Booker each scored 36 to lead the Suns over the Nuggets 129-124 to equalize their series at 2-2 with Game 5 today at Denver.
“It’s our job to protect home court,” Booker said. “They say a series doesn’t start until someone wins on the road so we’re going to try to do that in game five.”
Jokic could be looking at a suspension after he was issued a technical foul after an altercation with Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia.
Late in the second quarter, Suns guard Josh Okogie crashed into the seats trying to save a loose ball. He landed in a group of fans on the baseline that included Ishbia, who grabbed the basketball.
Jokic was trying to get the basketball quickly — apparently so the Nuggets could start their offensive possession — when he tried to take the ball away from Ishbia. The ball flew backward into the crowd, and then Ishbia was knocked backward by Jokic’s elbow.
Jokic was unapologetic after the game.
“The fan put the hand on me first,” Jokic said. “I thought the league was supposed to protect us. Maybe I am wrong. I know who he is, but he is a fan. Isn’t he?”
Nuggets coach Michael Malone agreed.
Jokic “is going to get the ball and some fan is holding on to the ball like he wants to be part of the game. Just give the ball up, man,” he said.
There were a few minutes of confusion as officials sorted out the weird scene, and then Jokic was assessed a technical foul. The Suns made the ensuing free throw.
Booker said he knew it was Ishbia in the middle of the fracas.
“He got us a point,” he said with a grin.
Additional reporting by AP
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