76ers, Suns use 2nd-half eruptions to snag Game 3 victories over Hawks, Nuggets
Philadelphia takes series edge over Atlanta; Phoenix 1 win away from West final
Joel Embiid scored 27 points and the Philadelphia 76ers rode a dominant third quarter to a 127-111 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night and a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Tobias Harris had 22 points and Ben Simmons added 18 to help the 76ers end Atlanta's streak of 13 home wins. The 76ers have taken the series lead with back-to-back wins.
The 76ers played up to their No. 1 seed, taking a lead of 22 points and keeping the advantage in double figures most of the second half. The Hawks played from behind after their last lead at 11-10.
Trae Young led Atlanta with 28 points. John Collins had 23 and Bogdan Bogdanovic 19.
Game 4 is Monday night in Atlanta.
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After leading 65-60 early in the third period, Philadelphia took command with an 11-0 run. The 76ers outscored the Hawks 34-19 in the third period.
Simmons had two baskets during the run, including a jam for a 76-60 lead.
Atlanta couldn't regain the momentum as the 76ers stretched the lead to 20 points, 93-73, late in the period.
Embiid had a scare in the third quarter when he limped and appeared to be in pain after grabbing a rebound. Embiid appeared to step awkwardly on Clint Capela's foot and he remained in the game.
Philadelphia's Danny Green suffered a right calf strain less than four minutes into the game and did not return.
Hawks coach Nate McMillan asked for a strong start that eluded his team in its Game 2 loss. Instead, Philadelphia relied on an unlikely scoring source to grab the early lead.
Furkan Korkmaz, who scored a combined seven points in the first two games of the series, scored 11 points in the opening period while making two 3s. He added another 3 in the fourth for 14 points.
The 76ers stretched the advantage to 11 points in the second period before settling for a 61-56 halftime lead.
Suns push Nuggets to edge
Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns spoiled Nikola Jokic's MVP celebration with a 116-102 victory over Denver on Friday night in Game 3 that put "The Joker" and the rest of the reeling Nuggets on the brink of a quick second-round exit.
Booker scored 28 points and teamed with Chris Paul to lead a steady offensive onslaught that countered Jokic's triple-double of 32 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists.
Paul had 27 points, eight assists and three steals for the Suns, who pulled away after halftime for the third straight time. All five Phoenix starters scored in double figures.
They are a one win away from their first trip to the Western Conference Finals since 2009-10 — which was the last time Phoenix made the playoffs.
Monte Morris scored 21 off the bench for Denver.
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The third-seeded Nuggets, who reached the conference finals last year, are on the brink of getting swept in a playoff series for the first time since the Lakers bounced them out of the first round in 2007-08.
Jokic dedicated his MVP award to his teammates during a raucous pregame ceremony that coach Michael Malone had hoped would energize his team that's lost by 17, 25 and now 14 points.
Malone, who accused his team of quitting after a blowout loss in Game 2, said before tip-off that he liked his team's resiliency.
"I don't know if I've ever been around a better team that can get up off the mat, find a way to get back in the fight and win the fight," Malone said of his team that overcame two 3-1 deficits in the bubble last year.
He said all Phoenix did by sweeping the first two games in the desert was hold serve. "So, now we have to return the favour," Malone said, "and make this a series."
They couldn't, and now the Suns can sweep them right out of the postseason.
