Nikola Jokic’s triple-double propels Nuggets to crucial Game 5 win over Suns

DENVER — Nikola Jokic had a triple-double after making up with Suns owner Mat Ishbia and Michael Porter Jr. sank five 3-pointers to help the Denver Nuggets beat Phoenix 118-102 on Tuesday night in Game 5 to regain the series lead.

Joker had 29 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists for his 10th career playoff triple-double, breaking a tie with Wilt Chamberlain for most by a center in NBA history.

Game 6 is Thursday night in Phoenix.

The home team has won every game in the series. If that holds true again, the decisive winner-take-all clash will come Sunday back in Denver, where the top-seeded Nuggets own the NBA’s best home record at 39-7, including 5-0 in the playoffs.

After Denver lost two straight at Phoenix, Nuggets coach Michael Malone devised a five-point plan for the Nuggets to regain control of the series: patch up their transition defense, slow Devin Booker, get more from his bench, unleash MPJ and knock down open 3s.

Check, check, check, check and check.

Porter bounced back from a bad night in Game 4 with 19 points on 5-of-8 shooting from long range.

Denver outscored Phoenix 31-23 in fast-break points; Booker scored 28 points but missed 11 of 19 shots; Bruce Brown boosted the Nuggets’ bench with 25 points and the Nuggets sank 13 of 27 from long range.

Kevin Durant chipped in 26 points for Phoenix.

The Nuggets turned a three-point halftime lead into a 91-74 cushion with a domiinant third quarter in which Jokic made seven of eight shots for 17 points and Booker was just 1-for-8 for 3 points.

The chippiness of the series reached a new level in the final minute of the third quarter when Nuggets swingman Brown antagonized the Suns as they huddled up on the court and Durant gave Jokic a forearm shiver.

A double technical was assessed on Durant and Brown.

Before the game, Jokic shared a warm pregame embrace — and the basketball — with Ishbia 48 hours after their kerfuffle over a loose ball in Phoenix in Game 4 resulted in a technical foul and a $25,000 fine for the Nuggets big man.

“I was hoping he was going to pay my fine,” Jokic cracked after the game.

The Nuggets jumped out to an early 14-point lead but the Suns trailed just 52-49 at halftime, and the game might have been tied had Booker’s nearly halfcourt heave left his hands just a tick sooner.