LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Devin Booker scored 47 points and Kevin Durant added 39 as the Phoenix Suns clawed back into their National Basketball Association Western Conference semi-final series on Friday with a 121-114 victory over the Denver Nuggets.
The Suns, who dropped the first two games of the best-of-seven series in Denver, held firm at home despite the injury absence of veteran point guard Chris Paul.
Phoenix was up by 15 at halftime, but the Nuggets — led by a triple-double of 30 points, 17 rebounds and 17 assists from two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic — didn’t back down.
They edged ahead three times in the third quarter, but every time the Suns had an answer.
“It’s that time of year,” said Booker, who added six rebounds, nine assists, three steals and a blocked shot. “We dropped a couple of games on their home floor and we just want to protect ours.”
Phoenix scored the first nine points of the fourth quarter and never trailed in the final period as they pulled within 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.
Durant, who missed eight of his first nine shot attempts, made just 12 of 31 from the field but sunk 14 of 16 free throws and had 11 points in the fourth quarter.
Jamal Murray led Denver’s scoring with 32 points and Michael Porter Jr. added 21 and 12 rebounds, but the Nuggets couldn’t contain Booker and Durant and the Suns will have a chance to level the series when they host game four on Sunday.
In the Eastern Conference, Jayson Tatum scored 27 points to lead six Boston players in double figures as the Celtics beat the 76ers 114-102 in Philadelphia to take a 2-1 lead in their series.
Jaylen Brown added 23 points and Al Horford scored 17 for the Celtics, who regained home-court advantage with a second straight victory after dropping game one in Boston.
An emotional night in Philadelphia saw Sixers center Joel Embiid accept his Most Valuable Player trophy from NBA commissioner Adam Silver in a pregame ceremony.
Chants of “M-V-P” rang out for Cameroon’s Embiid, who celebrated with his parents as he held his toddler son, Arthur — who was clad in a “My dad is the MVP” T-shirt.
The Celtics cut short the celebrations, however, powering to a quick 14-4 lead.
