NBA playoffs: NY Knicks and Nuggets on the verge of finals with 3-2 lead | Basketball Information

Brunson’s 44 factors gave the Knicks a 121-91 win over Pacers, whereas MVP Jokic led the Nuggets to victory over the Timberwolves in Sport 5.

The New York Knicks and the Denver Nuggets took a 3-2 lead every by successful their residence video games within the Japanese and Western Convention semifinal collection.

Jalen Brunson scored 44 factors for hosts Knicks, who routed the Indiana Pacers 121-91 in Sport 5 at a star-studded Madison Sq. Backyard on Tuesday night time.

The Knicks, who misplaced Video games 3 and 4 in Indianapolis, now maintain a 3-2 lead within the best-of-seven collection. New York will try and clinch a berth within the Japanese Convention finals with a highway win in Sport 6 on Friday.

Brunson, who scored a minimum of 40 factors for the fifth time in 11 playoff video games this spring, added seven assists and 4 rebounds in 43 minutes.

Josh Hart logged 18 factors and 11 rebounds for the Knicks, and Isaiah Hartenstein pulled down 17 rebounds. Hartenstein’s 12 offensive boards tied a franchise playoff report set by Charles Oakley in opposition to the Chicago Bulls on Could 15, 1994.

Alec Burks had 18 factors off the bench whereas Miles McBride scored 17 factors for the Knicks.

“To me, that’s been a trademark of the group,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau mentioned of New York’s excessive degree of power.

“We’ve been short-handed all 12 months and that is our means. We’ve got to play arduous as heck on each possession and we’ve bought to maintain doing it. So, we now have to do this for 48 minutes.

“And we all know if we defend and we rebound, maintain the ball, we’re going to have probability to win.”

Jalen Brunson has recorded his fifth 40+ level recreation of the postseason, the second most 40+ level video games in a single postseason in Knicks playoff historical past. He trails Bernard King (6 – 1984).

— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) May 15, 2024

MVP ‘Joker’ shines for Nuggets

In the meantime, Nikola Jokic celebrated his third MVP trophy by scoring 40 factors and handing out 13 assists because the Denver Nuggets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 112-97 within the Western Convention semifinals.

Aaron Gordon logged 18 factors and 10 rebounds whereas Jamal Murray and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 16 factors apiece for Denver, which leads the best-of-seven collection 3-2 after dropping the primary two at residence.

Sport 6 is on Thursday night time in Minneapolis.

Jokic obtained his MVP trophy from NBA commissioner Adam Silver earlier than tip-off, then scored 12 factors within the first quarter and 7 within the second to stake Denver to a 50-44 half-time lead.

40 factors.
13 assists.
7 rebounds.
0 turnovers.

The #KiaMVP leads the cost for the @nuggets to take a 3-2 collection lead ‼️ pic.twitter.com/CxAIVr86ot

— NBA (@NBA) May 15, 2024

Edwards tried simply eight pictures within the first half, hitting just one, and he didn’t take a shot within the first seven-plus minutes of the third quarter. After the Nuggets grabbed a 76-63 lead, he bought aggressive, hitting a layup and changing a three-point play to shortly lower the deficit to eight factors.

Jokic took over the remainder for the rest of the quarter, banking in a hook shot, changing a pair of three-point performs and making two extra free throws to place Denver forward 88-74 heading into the fourth.

Jokic completed the third with 16 factors on 6-for-7 capturing.

Minnesota made a final push to get inside 101-90, however Murray hit three pictures within the ultimate minutes to seal the win.

Christian Braun scored 10 factors off the bench for Denver.