Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recorded 31 points and eight assists as the Oklahoma City Thunder finished off a four-game first-round playoff sweep with a 131-122 victory over the host Phoenix Suns on Monday night.

Chet Holmgren added 24 points and 12 rebounds and Ajay Mitchell had 22 points and six assists as the top-seeded Thunder swept their opening Western Conference series for the third straight season.

Isaiah Hartenstein produced 18 points and 12 rebounds and Alex Caruso added 14 points off the bench for Oklahoma City. Mitchell and Caruso each made four 3-pointers for the Thunder, who will face either the Los Angeles Lakers or Houston Rockets in the second round.

Devin Booker scored 24 points and Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green added 23 apiece for the Suns, who were swept in the first round for the second straight playoff appearance, the other occurring in 2024. Phoenix has lost 10 consecutive playoff games dating back to 2023.

Nuggets 125, Timberwolves 113

Nikola Jokic recorded 27 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds as host Denver stayed alive with a win over Minnesota in Game 5 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series.

Jamal Murray scored 24 points, Spencer Jones posted a playoff career-high 20 points and Cameron Johnson finished with 18 for third-seeded Denver, which had lost three straight following a Game 1 home victory.

Julius Randle led Minnesota with 27 points and nine rebounds. Bones Hyland and Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 15 apiece. Jaden McDaniels, loudly booed whenever he possessed the ball, added 13 points for the Timberwolves, who committed 25 turnovers.

Magic 94, Pistons 88

Desmond Bane scored 22 points and made one of his five 3-pointers with 1:16 left as Orlando beat visiting Detroit to take a 3-1 lead in their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.

Orlando forward Franz Wagner had 19 points before exiting late in the third period due to right calf soreness. Paolo Banchero scored 18 points, and Wendell Carter Jr. had 12 points and 11 rebounds.

The top-seeded Pistons were held without a field goal in the final five minutes before Isaiah Stewart scored at the buzzer. Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 25 points, nine rebounds, six assists and eight turnovers.

–Field Level Media

Nikola Jokic recorded 27 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds as the host Denver Nuggets stayed alive with a 125-113 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series on Monday.

Jamal Murray scored 24 points, Spencer Jones posted a playoff career-high 20 points and Cameron Johnson finished with 18 for third-seeded Denver, which had lost three straight following a Game 1 home victory.

“We had to play like we was down 3-1,” Murray said. “I think we did a good job of bringing energy into the game and playing for 48 minutes. Not letting up off the gas. That was a great team win.”

Game 6 is Thursday night in Minneapolis.

“It’s the same situation, so we’ve got to bring the same energy, we’ve got to be poised and relaxed when we go into their building,” Murray said. “We know it’s going to be rowdy, we’ve just got to keep our composure, limit our mistakes on the court, and if we do that, we have a chance to win.”

Both teams had key players missing Monday night. Anthony Edwards (knee) and Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles) were out for the sixth-seeded Timberwolves, and Ayo Dosunmu and Mike Conley started in their absences.

Dosunmu had 18 points after pouring in 43 on Saturday in the Timberwolves’ Game 4 victory.

Julius Randle led Minnesota with 27 points and nine rebounds. Bones Hyland and Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 15 apiece. Jaden McDaniels, loudly booed whenever he possessed the ball, added 13 points, and Naz Reid contributed 12 points for the Timberwolves, who committed 25 turnovers.

“They were more physical, they put two on the ball against the same guys they’ve been doing,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “They put two on Ayo for the first time. Their physicality was key to that.

“It was the turnovers more than anything else hurt us.”

Jones made his second career playoff start in place of Aaron Gordon (calf).

The Nuggets built a 10-point lead in the first quarter, but Minnesota cut it to 34-33 early in the second. Denver closed the half on a 7-2 run to take a 60-51 lead into intermission, and then quickly expanded the advantage early in the third.

After the score was 63-54, Jones hit a trio of 3-pointers and a running dunk that made it 78-59 midway through the frame. The Timberwolves got within 82-67, but Murray and Tim Hardaway Jr. converted three-point plays, Johnson hit from deep and Christian Braun dunked to make it 95-72.

It was 106-84 before Minnesota made a push. Randle hit a hook shot, Dosunmu had a steal and a layup and Hyland made a layup to cut the gap to 13. After Jokic sank two free throws, Randle converted a three-point play and Reid’s jumper got the Timberwolves within 10.

Braun drained a trey, Murray dunked and Jokic had a layup that resulted in a three-point play, making it an 18-point game with 3:33 to go, and Denver closed it out.

“The ball movement was there, we just didn’t make the plays that were right in front of us,” Finch said. “We started the game wanting to make all the home run plays instead of all the plays that get us into the ballgame.”

–Field Level Media

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recorded 31 points and eight assists as the Oklahoma City Thunder finished off a four-game first-round playoff sweep with a 131-122 victory over the host Phoenix Suns on Monday night.

Chet Holmgren added 24 points and 12 rebounds and Ajay Mitchell had 22 points and six assists as the top-seeded Thunder swept their opening Western Conference series for the third straight season.

“You want to get off on the right foot,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Just as a group, it’s good confidence-wise to open the playoffs that way. The more you can sweep, the more days off you have to rest.”

Isaiah Hartenstein produced 18 points and 12 rebounds and Alex Caruso added 14 points off the bench for Oklahoma City. Mitchell and Caruso each made four 3-pointers for the Thunder, who will face either the Los Angeles Lakers or Houston Rockets in the second round.

Devin Booker scored 24 points and Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green added 23 apiece for the Suns, who were swept in the first round for the second straight playoff appearance, the other occurring in 2024. Phoenix has lost 10 consecutive playoff games dating back to 2023.

“No better test than the defending champs,” Booker said. “You realize how every possession matters, every moment matters. It’s something to build on going into next year.”

Added Suns coach Jordan Ott: “I do think there’s a sense of pride with this group. What hurts today is it ends, that team ends. … Give (the Thunder) credit, good team. I thought it was a hell of a battle.”

Collin Gillespie made six 3-pointers while scoring 20 points for the Suns.

The Thunder again played without Jalen Williams (hamstring), who was hurt in Game 2.

Oklahoma City shot 53.7% from the field, including 17 of 34 from 3-point range.

The Suns made 53.3% of their attempts and were 14 of 39 (35.9%) from behind the arc. Grayson Allen has 12 points for Phoenix.

Mitchell and Gilgeous-Alexander each buried treys in the final 35 seconds of the first half, and the Thunder held a 75-67 lead at the break.

“We just played the right way,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Nothing out of the usual. Guys were out there making aggressive plays and playing for each other. We have a formula we try to play with and impose that every night. The more we do so, the better off we’ll be no matter who we’re playing.”

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 17 in the half for Oklahoma City, which made 61.4% of its shots in the opening two quarters. Gillespie made five 3-pointers and all six of his field-goal attempts while scoring 17 in the half. The Suns shot 59.5% over the first 24 minutes.

Oklahoma City’s biggest lead in the opening half was 11. The Thunder matched that in the third quarter on Gilgeous-Alexander’s three-point play with 7:26 remaining in the period.

Just over two minutes later, Holmgren drilled a 3-pointer to make it 95-80.

The Suns soon answered with eight straight points — five from Booker, three from Brooks — to move within 99-92 with 2:55 to go in the period.

The Thunder led 106-98 entering the fourth quarter, and Hartenstein converted a three-point play to start the final frame. Gilgeous-Alexander’s layup made it 122-106 with 5:23 left as Oklahoma City finished off the sweep.

–Field Level Media

The Denver Nuggets will be looking to avoid elimination in Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves without key contributor Aaron Gordon due to his injured calf.

The team ruled Gordon out Monday evening ahead of the game in Denver. Minnesota leads the first-round NBA playoff series three games to one, following Saturday’s 112-96 win. In that game, Gordon played but was visibly limited in his movement. He finished 4-of-11 shooting from the field, including 1 of 5 from 3-point range in scoring 9 points.

The 12-year veteran sustained the injury in Game 2 of the series and did not play in Game 3.

Gordon had season averages of 16.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

Neither team will be at full strength Monday, as the Timberwolves will be without guard Donte DiVincenzo who suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon in Game 4 as well as All-Star Anthony Edwards, who sustained a hyperextended knee and bone bruise in that same contest.

Edwards will be week-to-week should Minnesota advance.

–Field Level Media