Nuggets and Pacers win to level NBA playoff series
The defending champion Denver Nuggets outgunned the Minnesota Timberwolves 115-107 to level their NBA playoff series on Sunday 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. The Nuggets withstood a 44-point performance from Anthony Edwards, but the Timberwolves star just didn't 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 and Murray grabbed a steal, turned and unleashed a buzzer-beating shot from beyond the halfcourt line that swished through and sent the Nuggets into the break with a 64-49 lead. Murray scored 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 offence firing. After the first two games of the series came down to the final minutes the Pacers fashioned a blow-out 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. (AFP)