Big-Shot Beard
05/02/2023
By: Jeff Yoder
James Harden (45) Plays Hero for Short-Handed 76ers; Nikola Jokic (39-16-5) Gives Denver a 2-0 Lead
Yes, we know. LeBron James vs. Steph Curry is about to take over the second round of the NBA Playoffs with Game 1 between the Lakers-Warriors tipping off tonight. But there are other teams still hooping. Last night’s Game 1 between the 76ers and Celtics was without Joel Embiid (sprained knee), but James Harden (45 points) tied his playoff career-high to lift Philly on the road. The Celtics had a four-point lead inside two minutes before Tyrese Maxey’s and-one brought the Sixers within one, and Harden hit a clutch 3 with 8.1 seconds left to flip home-court in the series. Out west, the Nuggets rallied from down 10 in the fourth quarter thanks to another outstanding performance from Nikola Jokic (39-16-5) on a night where Jamal Murray (10 points) was ice cold. Denver outscored Phoenix 27-14 in the final frame, and the Suns — after loading up the roster with Kevin Durant at the trade deadline — find themselves in an 0-2 hole.
Conference Semifinal Highlights
Gm 1: 76ers def. Celtics (119-115) | PHI Leads (1-0)
Gm 2: Nuggets def. Suns (97-87) | DEN Leads (2-0)
Top Performers
J. Harden (PHI): 45 points, 6 assists, 7-for-14 (3pt)
N. Jokic (DEN): 39 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists
J. Tatum (BOS): 39 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists
D. Booker (PHX): 34 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists
Tonight’s Schedule
Gm 2: Heat at Knicks (7:30 pm ET) | MIA Leads (1-0)
Gm 1: Lakers at Warriors (10:00 pm ET)
Additional Storylines
Sporting News: NBA Twitter Reacts to James Harden’s 45-Point Game 1
B/R: Bold Predictions for 2023 NBA Playoffs 2nd Round
The Ringer: 1 Defining Question for Each 2nd-Round Playoff Series
Photo: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images