Murray pours in 40 to help Nuggets defeat Timberwolves for 2-0 series lead

Jamal Murray of Kitchener, Ont., scored 40 points and Michael Porter Jr. had 13 of his 16 in the fourth quarter, powering the Denver Nuggets past the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves 122-113 on Wednesday night for a 2-0 lead in their NBA playoff series.

Anthony Edwards had 41 points for the Wolves, who shot a sizzling 81 per cent in the third quarter to erase a 64-59 halftime deficit.

Minnesota had shot just 39 per cent in the first half, just slightly better than it did in a 29-point loss in the series opener Sunday night.

"They shot 80 per cent in the third quarter — 80 per cent!" Denver coach Michael Malone fumed on TNT after watching the Timberwolves make 17 of 21 shots. "So, we didn't play any defence. That's what happened!"

The Nuggets recovered during a thrilling fourth quarter that began with Porter scoring eight straight points — on a four-point play, a reverse layup and two free throws — but the Nuggets couldn't shake the energized Wolves, who clawed back and went ahead 99-98 on an Edwards' jumper.

Porter replied with a three-pointer that restored Denver's lead for good.

Rudy Gobert scored 19 points but was whistled for a technical foul while arguing his fifth foul, a shove in Jokic's back. It was teammate Kyle Anderson — whom Gobert punched in the Timberwolves' final regular-season game — who calmed down Gobert.

The Timberwolves promised to be more physical after getting blown out Sunday night but it took until the third quarter for them to really bring the fight to the Nuggets.

Bucks match NBA record in series-tying win

Brook Lopez scored 25 points, Jrue Holiday added 24 and the hot-shooting Milwaukee Bucks withstood Giannis Antetokounmpo's absence while trouncing the visiting Miami Heat 138-122 on Wednesday night, tying their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series at a game apiece.

Antetokounmpo remained out for Milwaukee after leaving the Bucks' 130-117 Game 1 loss early in the second quarter with a bruised lower back. The two-time MVP suffered the injury on a hard fall after getting fouled late in the first period during a drive to the basket.

"We'll continue to monitor him and expect for him to improve and still continue to be optimistic that soon he'll be ready to play," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said before the game.

The Bucks also were missing guard Wesley Matthews, who had strained his right calf in Game 1. The Heat didn't have Tyler Herro, who broke his right hand in Game 1 and likely won't return this season unless Miami reaches the NBA Finals.

For at least one night, the Bucks didn't miss Antetokounmpo at all as they capitalized on a dramatic turnaround in three-point shooting. In Game 1, the Bucks went 11 of 45 on three-point attempts while the Heat were 15 of 25. This time, the Bucks made more than half their three-point shots in a record-tying performance.

Joe Ingles scored 17 points for the Bucks and was five of six from beyond the arc. Khris Middleton and Grayson Allen added 16 points apiece. Bobby Portis had 13 points and 15 rebounds.

Jimmy Butler scored 25 points for the Heat, who host Game 3 on Saturday.

Tillman leads Morant-less Grizzlies past Lakers

Xavier Tillman scored a career-high 22 points and had 13 rebounds, and the Memphis Grizzlies tied their first-round Western Conference series at 1-1 Wednesday night by beating the visiting Los Angeles Lakers 103-93 with all-star guard Ja Morant sidelined by an injured hand.

No. 2 seed Memphis sat Morant after he tested the right hand originally hurt April 7 in a win at Milwaukee and aggravated driving to the basket in the opening loss to the Lakers. He had more exams on the hand before being declared inactive and watched from the bench with his hand bandaged.

Jaren Jackson Jr., the NBA's defensive player of the year, scored 18 points for Memphis. Desmond Bane had 17, while Tyus Jones had 10 points and eight assists filling in for Morant. Dillon Brooks of Mississauga, Ont., added 12 points and Luke Kennard had 13.

LeBron James led the Lakers with 28 points and 12 rebounds. Reserve Rui Hachimura had another strong performance with 20 points. Anthony Davis struggled mightily after posting a double-double in the opener, going 4 of 14 and finishing with 13 points and eight rebounds.

The Lakers, winners of 11 of their previous 13, had a four-game winning streak snapped. Now they head home for Game 3 on Saturday night after never leading by more than three, and that came on the first points of the game.

Memphis took control in the first quarter with a 22-8 run, with back to-back threes in the span of 10 seconds from rookie David Roddy, then Kennard, who also drew a foul for a four-point play.

Hachimura scored 11 in the third and helped the Lakers trim a Memphis lead that reached 66-46 to 73-67. The Grizzlies finished the quarter on a 10-4 run to push the lead to 83-71 going into the fourth.

The Lakers never got closer than 94-88 in the final quarter on a James' layup with 3:10 remaining. Memphis scored five straight to push it back to double digits.