Durant, Booker each record 36 points to help Suns even series with Nuggets

Devin Booker had 36 points and 12 assists, Kevin Durant also scored 36 points and the Phoenix Suns beat the visiting Denver Nuggets 129-124 on Sunday to even their Western Conference semifinal playoff series at two games apiece.

Jokic used his physical play to knock down several big buckets, even ripping the ball away from Suns owner Mat Ishbia at one point after the ball went out of bounds, which earned the Nuggets All-Star a technical foul.

The series returns to Denver for Game 5 on Tuesday.

The Suns took a 98-92 lead into the fourth quarter after a scoring flurry from Booker, who had 17 points in the third. Phoenix wouldn’t trail in the fourth, though Denver didn’t go quietly.

The Nuggets trailed 116-106 with 4:55 remaining but never panicked, slowly cutting into the lead. They pulled within 123-120 with 22.4 seconds left but TJ Warren made two free throws to push the margin back to five.

Booker — averaging 36 points on 60 per cent shooting in these playoffs — was hot once again, shooting 14 of 18 from the field, including 3 of 4 on 3-pointers. Shamet finished with 19 points, shooting 5 of 8 on 3s.

Suns point guard Chris Paul missed his second straight game with a strained left groin suffered during Game 2.

The Suns took a 63-61 lead by halftime. Jokic had 24 points for the Nuggets before the break while Durant had 21 for the Suns.

Harden’s 42 points, clutch shooting leads 76ers over Celtics

James Harden hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 18 seconds left in overtime and scored 42 points to help the 76ers stave off a wild Boston Celtics comeback in a 116-115 victory on Sunday in Philadelphia that evened their playoff series at 2-2.

The Celtics rallied from 15 points down with 2 minutes left in the third quarter in hopes of seizing control of the series.

The Sixers were on the brink of defeat numerous times over the final 17 minutes, none more than when Joel Embiid connected with Smart on a driving, one-handed bank shot with 1:49 left but was whistled for an offensive foul. The play was reviewed and the call stood. Boston kept its 112-111 lead with 1:49 left in OT.

Embiid kept his composure and eventually got to the line to sink the go-ahead free throws with 59 seconds left and the season in the balance.

Embiid had 34 points and 13 rebounds.

They went to overtime tied 107-all after Smart was short on a 3 at the horn that was one of the few clutch shots Boston missed in the quarter. The Celtics trailed by 15 points with 2 minutes left in the third before they sucked the life out of the Wells Fargo Center.

Yes, the 76ers had home court but fans tensed up as memories of all those second-round exits since 2001 stirred inside the building. Smart and Malcolm Brogdon hit consecutive 3s for a 105-100 lead.

But it was P.J. Tucker, the heart and guts of the Sixers, who again did the dirty work on a defensive rebound. He made the free throw with 1:05 left and the tie game gave them new life.