Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets dominate Phoenix Suns to secure Western Conference finals spot

The Denver Nuggets secured their spot in the Western Conference finals with an easy 125-100 win over the Phoenix Suns at the Footprint Center in Phoenix in a stunning victory on Thursday night.

The Nuggets dominated the game from the start, with an 18-point lead at the end of the first quarter and a 30-point lead at halftime. They never let up, with a final margin of victory of 25 points – the largest by any road team so far this postseason.

Despite missing Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton, the Suns made a brief effort to close the gap in the second half, but it was too little, too late. Kevin Durant was held to just 8 points in the first half, and the Suns were outplayed on the boards by 11.

Nikola Jokić led the Nuggets with 32 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds, marking his 10th career playoff triple-double – an NBA record for a center. Jamal Murray added 26 points, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope finished with 21 points. The Nuggets shot almost 54% from the field as a team.

The Suns were left disappointed for the second season in a row after losing a blowout game with a spot in the conference finals on the line. The Nuggets, who lost in the 2020 conference finals due to the pandemic, will now await the winner of the Lakers vs. Warriors series.