Denver – Jamal Murray fought through an illness to score 25 points and power the Denver Nuggets past the Thunder 119-107 on Thursday night, sending the series back to Oklahoma City for a decisive Game 7.
Sick since Wednesday, Murray was listed as questionable for the game. He ignited the Nuggets with a four-point play to start things off and sank a step-back 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter that pushed Denver’s lead to double digits for the first time.
Nikola Jokic led Denver with 29 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists, and Christian Braun scored a career playoff-best 23 points to go with 12 rebounds. But it was second-year reserve guard Julian Strawther who ignited the Nuggets’ runaway, scoring a career playoff-high 15 points, all in the second half.
Strawther had a pair of 3s and a layup during a 10-0 third-quarter spurt that helped Denver take a double-digit lead, and he kept going in the fourth quarter as the Nuggets finally had a laugher in this exhaustive, physical series.
Game 7 is Sunday, with the Minnesota Timberwolves awaiting the winner after dispatching Golden State in five games.
One negative for Denver: Aaron Gordon grabbed at his left hamstring late in the game and hobbled through the final few minutes.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 32 points, including 18 after halftime despite playing with four fouls since the second quarter. But he didn’t get enough help from his usually reliable teammates to clinch Oklahoma City’s first trip to the Western Conference Finals since 2016, when it lost to the Warriors in seven games.
Chet Holmgren added 19 points. All-Star Jalen Williams scored six points on 3-of-16 shooting.
Although Lu Dort’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer gave the Thunder a 61-58 halftime lead, it was the Nuggets who swaggered through the tunnel after erasing a 12-point deficit with a 12-0 run over the final 2:05 of the first half, a run capped by Braun’s 3-pointer.
The Nuggets, who won the title two years ago, finally get two days off after a grueling past few weeks. They have played every other day since April 29.
The Thunder have only lost back-to-back games twice this season, once in November and once in early April.
Suns employee sues team
Phoenix – A current employee for the Phoenix Suns has sued the team, alleging discrimination, harassment based on race and unlawful retaliation.
The suit was filed by lawyers representing Gene Traylor in U.S. District Court in Arizona on Tuesday, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.
Traylor was hired by the Suns in January 2023 as the director of safety, security and risk management. He alleges that a security presentation he gave to management that year led to retaliation by members of the organization, and that he was eventually demoted.
ESPN first reported that the lawsuit had been filed. The Suns confirmed that Traylor still works for the team.
Traylor’s suit also says that the Suns failed multiple arena security tests. It alleges that the Phoenix Police Department’s Homeland Defense Bureau conducted tests in 2023 and 2024 and plainclothes officers were able to smuggle weapons into the arena.
One of Traylor’s attorneys, Sheree Wright, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
“Ms. Wright and her client have made absurd accusations of misconduct surrounding the security department of the Phoenix Suns. These allegations are delusional and categorically false,” said Stacey Mitch, the team’s Senior Vice President of Communications.
Traylor’s suit is the latest legal action against the Suns. In November, Andrea Trischan sued the team, alleging racial discrimination and unlawful retaliation that led to her termination. Trischan was the team’s former manager of diversity, equity and inclusion for about 10 months in 2022 and 2023.
Curry looks for another title chance
San Francisco – The season over, Stephen Curry stopped before making his way out of Chase Center for a handshake and long embrace with Draymond Green.
These two longtime teammates are committed to making another championship run together, and now with Jimmy Butler by their side, knowing there might not be too many opportunities left.
Curry expressed sadness at how Golden State’s season ended, with him on the bench unable to help because of a hamstring injury.
The Warriors were eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in a 121-110 Game 5 loss Wednesday night in the Western Conference semifinals – Golden State’s fourth straight game without Curry because of a strained left hamstring since he was hurt in the second quarter of Game 1 last week.
At 37 and with 16 NBA seasons to his name, Curry realizes NBA titles and postseason berths are no longer guaranteed and that there could only be a handful of chances remaining for him, Butler, Green and with Steve Kerr as coach.
“All we wanted was a chance, and to finish the year like we did, to sneak in the playoffs and win that first round, there’s a lot to be proud of for sure, considering where we were,” Curry said. “But definitely disappointed, and frankly just sad that I wasn’t out there able to play. We have hopefully a bright future in terms of coming back next year and trying again.”
Where the Warriors were only three months ago was searching for answers – until general manager Mike Dunleavy pulled off acquiring Butler at the trade deadline from Miami in a move that sent Andrew Wiggins to the Heat.
Butler led the way on both ends of the floor, even more so during Curry’s recent absence.
“I’m completely content with who I am as a basketball player, the way that I play the game,” he said. “And to come here and know that I’m second to Steph, I think that’s a really good thing, actually, when you talk about one of the greatest players ever to play this game.”
Golden State wound up 29-15 since Butler’s first game Feb. 8 at Chicago, 23-8 in the regular season, a play-in win against Memphis and 5-7 through two playoff series.
Butler blended into the system beautifully, and he’s not convinced this core group has a two-year window to win it all.
“Yeah, and then if we win some, it could be longer than that because I still think that we have a lot of great basketball left ahead of us,” he said. “I don’t think this age thing is anything the way that everybody is taking care of their bodies, doing right. I think the potential is there.”
Everybody is eager to have a training camp together, even with changes expected during the summer and free agency period. Forward Jonathan Kuminga’s future is one of the biggest pressing questions of the offseason as he is expected to become a restricted free agent in July.
“I haven’t thought about anything yet,” said Kuminga, the team’s seventh overall draft pick in 2021.
For now, Curry plans to take a basketball break and focus on family. He averaged 24.5 points, 6.0 assists and 4.4 rebounds playing 32-plus minutes per game.
If people are calling him the old guy these days, he’s fine with that.
“One, it’s an ultimate compliment because it’s part of the level that you’re playing at. Like, ‘Oh, he’s still doing it at this age,’” Curry said. “Two, it’s a reminder of your basketball mortality and appreciating every moment that you have. That’s why the way this ended was emotional as it was, not being able to play in those big games because you don’t know how many more opportunities you will have.
“But I think the difference on and off the court, like seeing my family and seeing my kids grow and opportunities off the court, it allows me to just have fun and appreciate this chapter of my life as much as possible, knowing that hopefully the next chapter is as great, but this one I’m trying to get every bit of fun and experience and squeeze as much juice out of this as possible.”
Celtics back in New York for Game 6
New York – A championship window seemed to be closing when the Boston Celtics left Madison Square Garden earlier this week.
Jayson Tatum had just been carried off the court with a season-ending injury minutes before the Celtics were pushed to the brink of elimination. The players were decidedly down.
The defending NBA champions are certainly not out.
They return to New York on Friday night for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, believing they can extend the series and the Knicks’ 25-year wait to get back to the conference finals.
“It’s win or go home at this moment, so none of us want to go home and so we understand it’s only going to get tougher,” Celtics guard Derrick White said. “We haven’t done anything yet. Just got to find a way to go to New York and win a game.”
Only 13 teams have overcome a 3-1 deficit to win a series. The Celtics are trying to do it without their leading scorer, who ruptured his right Achilles tendon late in the Knicks’ 121-113 victory in Game 4.
“I know it’s kind of easy to write things off. Obviously unfortunate what happened to JT. But we’ve still got basketball to be played,” Celtics star Jaylen Brown said. “I believe in this group, so don’t count us out just yet.”
The Celtics rolled to a 127-102 victory on Wednesday and have led by at least 14 points in the second half of all five games. The Knicks rallied to win three of them, but the starters know they can’t keep putting the team into a hole.
“We need to be better,” Knicks All-Star Jalen Brunson said. “Flat out.”
A victory would send the Knicks into the conference finals for the first time since they lost to the Indiana Pacers in 2000. The Pacers would be the opponent again, having eliminated top-seeded Cleveland, in a series that would begin Wednesday in New York.
If the Celtics win, Game 7 would be in Boston on Monday, with the winner getting just one day of rest before hosting the Pacers.
White scored 34 points in Game 5 and is 13 for 24 from 3-point range in the last two games. Brown comes off 26 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds and has scored at least 19 points in all five games, a reminder that the Celtics go far beyond Tatum.
“They’re defending champions,” Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns said. “So obviously losing Tatum is a big blow for their team, but we know they’re more than capable of beating anyone on any night.”
China’s Yang looking for NBA shot
Chicago – Yang Hansen had just taken questions for about 20 minutes in his native Mandarin, then decided to show off a little of his English as he walked out of the room.
“Bye bye,” he said, stretching his arm skyward as he waved farewell. “Bye bye.”
When it comes to English, he might still have much to learn. When it comes to basketball, he’s trying to show that he knows plenty already.
Yang – a 7-foot-1, 253-pound center from China – is one of a slew of international players at the draft combine in Chicago this week, meeting with teams, getting measured and being put through drills. He also is taking part in the 5-on-5 scrimmaging, under the watchful eye of executives from every NBA team.
He turns 20 on June 26, the day that the Round 2 picks in this year’s NBA draft will get selected. That might turn out to be a fairly memorable birthday for the Chinese big man.
“He really feels happiness here,” Chris Liu, Yang’s interpreter, said after relaying Yang questions from The Associated Press. “And then, he’s really willing to compete with everyone and against everyone. He really enjoyed that.”
Yang knows there is an inevitable comparison. Any Chinese center until probably the end of time is going to be asked about Basketball Hall of Famer Yao Ming, who at 7-foot-6 was by far the best Chinese player ever to hit the NBA.
Yang is not Yao. Being the next Yao, that’s not realistic. Being the best version of Yang is the goal. He has gifts: a nice touch around the basket and solid passing ability among them. He also has things to work on, as would almost any 19-year-old trying to get into the league.
“Yao Ming is my predecessor,” Yang said in Mandarin. “I have always respected him. I want to learn from him.”
There is a learning curve that goes beyond the language barrier. Liu has been sitting with Yang on the bench and in the huddles at games during the combine, translating what’s being said by coaches and others. But when Yang goes into games, he doesn’t need much in the way of additional explanation.
Yang averaged 16.6 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game in the Chinese Basketball Association this past season and was an All-CBA first-team selection. And this draft combine isn’t his first foray into the NBA world – he was on a team that China sent last year to the California Classic summer league, one of the prequels to the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
Yang also has been working out in Los Angeles in recent weeks, with former Florida Atlantic and Michigan center Vladislav Goldin – another draft hopeful – among those who were with him for some of those sessions. Goldin and Yang were matched up in one of the draft combine scrimmages.
“We kind of know each other now,” Goldin said. “It was just cool.”
There have been only a handful of Chinese-born players to reach the NBA. Cui Yongxi was the only one this season; the 6-foot-6 shooting guard appeared in five games with the Brooklyn Nets before tearing his ACL in a G League game.
Yang might be facing long odds. He doesn’t seem worried.
“I will do my best,” he said.
Second round playoff scheduleEastern ConferencePacers vs. Cavaliers
(Indiana wins 4-1)
Game 1: Indiana 121-112
Game 2: Indiana 120-119
Game 3: Cleveland 126-104
Game 4: Indiana 129-109
Game 5: Indiana 114-105
Celtics vs. Knicks
(New York leads 3-2)
Game 1: New York 108-105 (OT)
Game 2: New York 91-90
Game 3: Boston 115-93
Game 4: New York 121-113
Game 5: Boston 127-102
Game 6: Friday at New York, 8 p.m.
Game 7: x-Monday at Boston, TBA
Western ConferenceThunder vs. Nuggets
(Series tied 3-3)
Game 1: Denver 121-119
Game 2: Oklahoma City 149-106
Game 3: Denver 113-104
Game 4: Oklahoma City 92-87
Game 5: Oklahoma City 112-105
Game 6: Denver 119-107
Game 7: Sunday at Oklahoma City, TBA
Timberwolves vs. Warriors
(Minnesota wins 4-1)
Game 1: Golden State 99-88
Game 2: Minnesota 117-93
Game 3: Minnesota 102-97
Game 4: Minnesota 117-110
Game 5: Minnesota 121-110
x-If necessary
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