Jokic has triple-double as Nuggets avoid elimination with 125-113 win against Timberwolves
DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic snapped out of his prolonged funk with a triple-double, Spencer Jones provided a key spark and the Denver Nuggets staved off elimination with a chippy 125-113 win over the injury-riddled Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of their playoff series. Jokic had 27 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds for Denver, which trimmed its deficit to 3-2 in the best-of-seven series. Jamal Murray scored 24 points and Jones added 20. Jokic posted his 23rd playoff triple-double, third on the career list, as the Nuggets stopped a three-game skid and played the way they did most of the regular season in securing the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. Game 6 is Thursday night in Minneapolis.
Thunder breeze through the first round for a 3rd straight year and brace for tougher games ahead
PHOENIX (AP) — Oklahoma City’s first-round dominance in the NBA playoffs continues. The road should get at least a little tougher in the coming weeks. The Thunder finished off a four-game sweep of the Phoenix Suns on Monday night, winning 131-122 after pulling away in the second half. The defending champions are 12-0 in the first round over the past three years. Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looked every bit like the reigning Most Valuable Player against the Suns, averaging 33.8 points and shooting 55.1% from the field. He was at his best in Game 3, scoring 42 points on 15-of-18 shooting.
Sloppy Pistons are 1 loss from becoming 7th No. 1 seed to lose to an 8 seed in the NBA playoffs
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Those 60 wins in the regular season and that No. 1 seed don’t mean much for the Detroit Pistons right now. They’re one loss away from a rare elimination. Only six No. 8 seeds have defeated a No. 1 in a playoff series in NBA history. It’s happened only four times since the postseason was expanded to a best-of-seven series for all rounds in 2003. But the Pistons were sloppy with the ball and careless overall in a 94-88 loss to the Orlando Magic on Monday night, falling behind 3-1 in their first-round Eastern Conference series.