Defending champions the Denver Nuggets on Sunday outgunned the Minnesota Timberwolves 115-107 to level their NBA playoff series as the Indiana Pacers pulled even with the New York Knicks.
The Nuggets, fueled by 35 points from NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon’s 27 points on ruthlessly efficient 11-of-12 shooting and 19 points from Jamal Murray, claimed a second straight win in Minneapolis to knot their best-of-seven Western Conference semi-final series at two games apiece.
The Pacers dismantled the Knicks 121-89 in Indianapolis to level their Eastern Conference semi-final at 2-2.
Photo: AFP
“Now it’s best of three,” Jokic said, adding that the Timberwolves’ stunning victories in Games 1 and 2 in Denver had only strengthened the defending champions.
“We took a hit and we bounced back, and hopefully we can defend the home court now,” he said.
The Nuggets withstood a 44-point performance from Anthony Edwards, but the Timberwolves star just did not have enough scoring support despite an energetic effort from the hosts.
Edwards’ dunk with less than a minute left in the first half cut what had been a 16-point deficit to seven.
Jokic then came up with a steal and fed Michael Porter Jr for a dunk, while Murray scooped up an errant inbound pass near the sideline, rebalanced and launched a 17m buzzer-beater from beyond the half-court line that swished through and sent the Nuggets into the break with a 64-49 lead.
Murray immediately struck a pose in front of the broadcast table.
“So sick. You make something like that, it’s like: ‘OK, at least we know our point guard’s hot,’” Gordon said.
“Nothing crazy. It felt good from the moment it left my hand,” Murray said. “It’s as simple as that.
He followed up with 12 points in the third quarter to keep the Nuggets in control as early foul trouble sent Jokic to the bench.
Jokic returned to score 16 in the fourth and the Nuggets kept the Timberwolves at bay.
In Indianapolis, the Pacers finally got their high-octane offense firing. After the first two games of the series came down to the final minutes, the Pacers fashioned a blowout as a raft of injuries at last caught up with the weary Knicks.
Tyrese Haliburton scored 20 points and the Pacers connected on 56.8 percent of their shots, drilling 14 three-pointers and dominating in the paint.
T.J. McConnell scored 15 points off the bench for Indiana, who had six players score in double figures.
After a dunk by Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein to open the game, the first quarter was all Pacers, Indiana pushing their lead to as many as 23 points.
The Pacers bench outscored the Knicks reserves 17-0 in the first quarter, and the domination continued in the second, as Haliburton sent the crowd into a frenzy with a three-pointer over Donte DiVincenzo to put the Pacers up by 30 with 5.9 seconds left in the first half.
They would lead by as many as 43 before it was over, but despite the rapturous ovation from fans at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Haliburton said the Pacers must remain focused on the task ahead.
“We did our job,” Haliburton said. “They did their job and won two at home, we did our job and won two at home. We understand the magnitude of Game 5 and we’ll be prepared for that one.”
Additional reporting by AP
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