Third Time “Reg” MVP, Jokic And Brunson Lead Nuggets And Knicks Respectively, To Home #5 Wins And (3-2) “Qtrs” Leads

Both NBA conference “2” seeds, the defending champion, Denver Nuggets, who lost the first two games at home and the New York Knicks who won 2 such games, took (3-2) quarterfinal series leads vs Minnesota (Timberwolves) and Indiana (Pacers) respectively, getting 40 or more point(s) #5 performances from 3 time NBA regular season MVP, Nikola Jokic and Jalen Brunson, the latter’s 5th such in these ‘offs, the most since Leb James had 8 in 2018.

Denver bidding to become just the 6th NBA team to overcome a (2-0) series deficit with the first two losses at home, will try to clinch the series tomorrow night in Minnesota.

Friday night, the Knicks and Pacers, who played Friday night games 6, four times in 5 ‘offs series, doing so in ’94,’95,’99 and 2000 with the road team prevailing thrice, play another such games 2 nights hence.

The Knicks forced a game 7 with #6 wins at Indiana in both the ’94 and ’95 semi-final round, winning #7 at home in ’94 and losing it in ’95. They clinched the ’99 semi in 6, with a home Friday night win vs “Indy” in ’99 but lost a #6 Friday night home tilt, as Indiana clinched their still lone NBA final berth (this is their 48th NBA season) in 2000.

Nikola Jokic, pictured above.