Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic led his team to a 118-102 victory over the Phoenix Suns in the fifth game of the Western Conference semifinals. Jokic scored a game-high 29 points, had three rebounds, three assists, a steal, and two blocked shots. He also logged his 10th career postseason triple-double, which sets an NBA record for a center, passing Wilt Chamberlain. When Jokic produces a triple-double, the Nuggets have a record of 30-3.
Jokic and Suns governor Mat Ishbia engaged in some pregame antics, with Jokic tossing a basketball to Ishbia before the game started. Despite the playful encounter, Jokic would soon unleash his skills and lead the Nuggets to a crucial victory.
Jokic spoke after the game, stating that he believed his team was the aggressor in the game, something that wasn’t seen in games three and four in Phoenix. He noted that the Suns were pushing them all over the place in the previous games, but this time, the Nuggets turned the tables.
The Nuggets were struggling with their transition defense in the previous games and Malone emphasized before game five that they needed to improve in that area. The coach said that they have been giving away easy points in transition and that they cannot afford to do that if they expect to win this series. Malone urged his team to be more disciplined during rebounding, stop crashing the glass from the top of the key, and sprint back on defense instead of jogging.
Michael Porter Jr. had a solid performance in game five, hitting six of his nine field goals and four of six shots from behind the arc. He scored 16 points in the first half, finishing the game with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Denver’s bench, led by Bruce Brown, stepped up in game five, contributing a season-high 34 bench points in a 118-102 win.
Devin Booker and Chris Paul of Phoenix were kept relatively quiet in the game, scoring a combined 54 points on 18-for-43 shooting with seven turnovers. Meanwhile, Nuggets star Jamal Murray struggled for most of the game but came on strong in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 points and assisting on a basket without committing any turnovers. He finished the game with 19 points.
Overall, the game was a crucial win for the Nuggets, helping them take a 3-2 series lead over the Suns. The Nuggets will be looking to close out the series in game six and advance to the Western Conference Finals.
