Jamal Murray scores 23 points to lead Denver Nuggets to Game 5 win over San Antonio Spurs
Wednesday 24 April 2019 07:24, UK
Jamal Murray had 23 points and seven assists as the host Denver Nuggets beat the San Antonio Spurs 108-90 on Thursday night in Game 5 of their Western Conference playoff series.
The Nuggets lead the series 3-2 heading into Game 6 at San Antonio on Thursday night. Game 7, if necessary, would be played Saturday in Denver.
Nikola Jokic amassed 16 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, Will Barton scored 17 points off the bench, and Gary Harris had 15 points for Denver.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and DeMar DeRozan also scored 17 for the Spurs, who lost a second game in a row.
Denver quickly turned an 11-point half-time lead into 21-point edge in the first 2:34 of the third quarter. Paul Millsap hit two free throws, Murray drained a 25-footer, Millsap hit another pair from the line and then hit a three-pointer after the Spurs' Patty Mills hit a jumper.
After DeRozan stepped out of bounds, Murray sank a jumper to make it 65-44, and the Spurs called a timeout.
Less than five minutes later, a three-pointer from Murray gave the Nuggets a 77-49 lead. Denver were 11-of-13 from the foul line in the third quarter after attempting just four free throws in the first half.
San Antonio went on a 12-2 run to get the deficit down to 18, but Jokic hit two three-pointers around a jumper by the Spurs' Jakob Poeltl in the lane, and Denver took an 85-63 lead into the fourth quarter.
Denver's Malik Beasley hit a three-pointer and Barton had two baskets for a 7-0 run to open the fourth. The Nuggets led by as many as 30.
The Nuggets got off to their best start in the series, outscoring San Antonio in the first quarter for the first time, and they built on that.
The Spurs were able to get within three in the second quarter but Harris hit a three-pointer that kickstarted a 14-3 run that gave Denver a 53-38 lead with 1:52 left in the first half. The Nuggets led 53-42 at half-time.
Game 6 takes place in San Antonio in the early hours of Friday morning (1am) - watch live on Sky Sports Arena.
