On Thursday night, the Denver Nuggets defeated the short-handed Phoenix Suns 125-100 in Game 6 to advance to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2020. Nikola Jokic recorded another triple-double with 32 points, while Jamal Murray added 26.
The Nuggets were humiliated by the Suns in the second round of the playoffs two years before Denver’s series victory. The Suns were blasted out on their home court for the second consecutive year to conclude the season.
The Nuggets will be competing in the conference finals for the first time since their five-game loss to the Lakers in the Florida barrier during the Covid-19 pandemic. They have never won the NBA championship.
The top-seeded Nuggets jumped out to a 44-26 lead late in the first quarter with a 23-2 run and never looked back. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who averaged 9.0 points in the playoffs, tallied 17 points in the first quarter, while Jokic contributed 14 points.
Caldwell-Pope scored a total of 21 points. Jokic had a field goal percentage of 13 for 18 and added 12 assists and 10 rebounds.
The Suns’ fans booed as their team entered the locker room at halftime due to Denver’s sustained offensive dominance, which resulted in an 81-51 halftime deficit. In essence, the second half was an afterthought.
Cameron Payne tallied 31 points for the Suns, connecting on 7 of 9 three-point attempts. Kevin Durant added 23.
The Suns were without Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul due to injury. Ayton suffered a rib contusion in Game 5 on Tuesday, while Paul has missed the last four games with a left groin strain.
Despite a stunning trade deadline deal for Durant, a 13-time All-Star and one of the game’s most prolific scorers, Phoenix was eliminated in the Western Conference semifinals at home for a second consecutive year. The 34-year-old had some excellent moments in the postseason, but he made only one of his first ten shots on Thursday as the Suns fell into a massive hole.
Before Game 6, Suns guard Devin Booker was outstanding, averaging 36 points per game on 60 percent shooting. Thursday, however, the three-time All-Star concluded with only 12 points.
The host team won the first five games of the series before Game 6 was won by the Nuggets.
Boston Celtics 95, Philadelphia 76 Philadelphia 76ers
The Celtics defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 95-86 on Thursday night, sending Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals back to Boston. Jayson Tatum missed his first six three-point attempts before sinking two consecutive critical threes late in the game.
The reigning conference champions are playing on familiar turf. Last year in the second round against Milwaukee, Boston trailed 3-2 before winning Game 6 on the road and Game 7 at home.
Sunday is Game 7 day.
Tatum, who averaged 30.1 points per game during the regular season, never ceased shooting despite missing shot after shot. His ineffectiveness was a major factor in the Celtics’ inability to maintain a 16-point lead. He missed 14 of his first 15 field goal attempts.
With a shot at their first conference final since 2001 on the line, the Sixers struggled through the first half before Joel Embiid exhibited MVP-caliber play in the fourth quarter to rally the Sixers to victory.
With 5:25 remaining, Tyrese Maxey made two free throws for an 83-81 advantage.
That was the end of Philadelphia.
Tatum buried a three-pointer to give the Celtics an 84-83 lead and a second three-pointer to put the Celtics in command of Game 6.
For the 76ers, Embiid and Tyrese Maxey each tallied 26 points.
In his postseason career, 76ers head coach Doc Rivers has blown three 3-1 series leads. The 76ers lost their second home game in the series, although they had momentum in the fourth quarter.
Tatum instead secured a 95-84 advantage over the 76ers with a final three-point dagger.
After Embiid’s pull-up jumper tied the game at 81, the 76ers went 6 minutes and 13 seconds without scoring.
Tatum missed all 10 shots in the first half, including five three-point attempts, as the Celtics led by seven. Tatum stated that he may require surgery on his left wrist during the off-season due to a severe fall. In the final 12 minutes, he found a way to shoot, saving the East champs.
Tatum finished with 19 points on 5-for-21 shooting, but the final stat line hardly mattered because he was instrumental in the Celtics’ 14-3 run that kept their conference title aspirations alive under rookie head coach Joe Mazzulla.
As they did in Game 3, when they squandered the momentum generated by Embiid’s MVP ceremony, the 76ers failed to keep a sold-out arena as energized as it was at tipoff. The Celtics’ quick 15-3 advantage silenced the crowd and threw the Sixers off their game.
The Celtics led 40-26 thanks to Malcolm Brogdon’s three three-pointers and Embiid, James Harden, and Tobias Harris’ ineffective first half. Embiid and Harris started 1 for 7 and Harden 2 for 8, but the gap could have been worse.
Harden’s thundering layup gave the Sixers a 50-43 halftime disadvantage.
