Jamal Murray scored 20 of his game-high 34 factors within the second half and added 9 assists, Nikola Jokic had 24 factors and 19 rebounds, and the host Denver Nuggets beat the Phoenix Suns 125-107 in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals on Saturday night time.
Aaron Gordon scored 23 factors, Bruce Brown completed with 14 factors off the bench, Michael Porter Jr. added 11 factors and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 10 for the Nuggets in taking the 1-0 collection lead.
Game 2 is Monday night time in Denver, the place the Nuggets have but to lose on this yr’s playoffs.
Kevin Durant had 29 factors, 14 rebounds and 7 turnovers, Devin Booker scored 27 factors and had eight assists, Deandre Ayton had 14 factors and 7 rebounds and Chris Paul added 11 for the Suns.
Phoenix trailed by 15 early within the fourth quarter however lower it to 10 with Durant getting a uncommon relaxation. Gordon and Murray hit layups to increase the result in 106-92 with 8:21 remaining.
Booker transformed a three-point play however Murray answered with two from deep to revive Denver’s 17-point lead and drive a Suns timeout.
Paul missed a nook 3-pointer out of the timeout and the Nuggets started to tug away. Jokic scored on a finger roll, fed Brown for a dunk, after which Brown stole the ball from Durant and dunked once more to place Denver forward 118-95 with 5:09 left.
The groups emptied the benches for the ultimate minutes.
The Suns led 32-31 after the primary quarter behind 15 factors from Durant however he was held to only 4 within the second quarter.
Booker’s layup with 9:46 left within the interval put Phoenix forward 39-38 however the Nuggets went on a 13-2 run to guide by 10. After the Suns lower the result in six, Caldwell-Pope hit two from deep and Gordon made one from behind the arc to spark a 17-6 run to finish the half and provides Denver a 68-51 lead.
Phoenix received inside 11 early within the third however a pair of 3-pointers from Murray made it 83-66, and the Nuggets took a 94-81 lead into the fourth.
—Field Level Media/Reuters
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
