The Denver Nuggets and the Phoenix Suns have sealed their spots in the Western Conference semi-finals.

 

The Nuggets won 112-109 against the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Suns beat the Los Angeles Clippers 136-130 as both clinched 4-1 series wins.

 

The Nuggets and Suns will now face each other for a conference final spot, with the first match in Denver on Saturday.

 

In the Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Hawks beat the Boston Celtics 119-117 to keep their series alive.

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has said "there's no failure in sports" after his team's early exit from the NBA play-offs.

 

After being NBA champions in 2021, the Bucks were knocked out of last season's Conference semi-finals and then this season's first round, despite being top seed in the Eastern Conference.

 

After the Bucks' exit, Antetokounmpo was asked if this season was a failure.

 

"There's good days and bad days," said NBA's two-time Most Valuable Player.

 

"Some days you're able to be successful, some days you're not. Some days it's your turn, some days it's not your turn.

 

"That's what sport's about. You don't always win, and this year somebody else is going to win. We'll come back next year and try to be better."

The Miami Heat will face the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semi-finals after both teams progressed from the first round of the play-offs.

 

The Heat clinched a 128-126 overtime win in game five to knock out the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks.

 

The Knicks eliminated the Cleveland Cavaliers with victory on Wednesday.

 

The Golden State Warriors are one win from the West semi-finals while the Memphis Grizzlies stayed alive in their series with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Boston Celtics are through to the Eastern Conference play-off semi-finals after a thrilling 128-120 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

 

Jaylen Brown scored 32 points and Jayson Tatum added 30 as the Celtics won the best-of-seven series 4-2.

 

They will face the Philadelphia 76ers, who completed a 4-0 series sweep of the Brooklyn Nets last weekend.

 

The Celtics are the top seeds left in their conference after the Miami Heat's shock win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

 

In a contest featuring 22 lead changes, Trae Young, whose late three-pointer sealed victory for the Hawks in the previous game, scored 30 points with 10 assists.

The Sacramento Kings beat the Golden State Warriors 118-99 in San Francisco to take the defending NBA champions to a play-off series decider.

 

Malik Monk and De'Aaron Fox combined for 54 points as the Kings trounced the Warriors to level the series at 3-3.

 

The Kings - as third seeds - will have home advantage in Sunday's final game.

 

LeBron James' LA Lakers await the winners in the Western Conference semi-finals after completing a 4-2 series win against the Memphis Grizzlies.

 

D'Angelo Russell secured 31 points as the Lakers triumphed 125-85.

The Denver Nuggets beat the Phoenix Suns as the next round of the NBA play-offs got under way on Saturday.

 

One spot is still available in the last eight but the Nuggets began the Western Conference semi-finals with a 125-107 home win against the Suns.

 

Jamal Murray scored a game-high 34 points for the Nuggets, who are the top seeds in the division

 

Nikola Jokic, the NBA's Most Valuable Player for the past two seasons, had 24 points and 19 rebounds for Denver.

James Harden inspired the Philadelphia 76ers to a thrilling 119-115 victory over the Boston Celtics in game one of their Eastern Conference semi-final.

 

Harden scored 45 points, including a three-pointer to put the 76ers ahead with eight seconds remaining at TD Garden in Boston.

 

"He was awesome," said Sixers coach Doc Rivers. "Kept his cool, knew when to attack, knew when to give it up."

 

Game two of the best-of-seven series is at the same venue on Thursday.

The Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid has been named the NBA's most valuable player for the 2022-23 season.

 

The 29-year-old Cameroonian centre picked up 73 first-place votes, with two-time MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets second with 19.

 

Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks was third.

 

Embiid won his second consecutive NBA scoring title in the regular season, with a career-high season average of 33.1 points per game.

The Lakers held off a late flurry by the Golden State Warriors to win an entertaining Game 1 in the Western Conference semi-finals 117-112.

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is 'set to return to the court for Wednesday night's Game 2 against Boston.

Defending champions the Golden State Warriors beat the Los Angeles Lakers 127-100 to level their Western Conference semi-final at 1-1.

 

Klay Thompson top scored with 30 points for the Warriors, with Stephen Curry adding 20 points and 12 assists.

 

Anthony Davis, who starred in the Lakers' opening win, was limited to 11 points.

 

"We realised we let one go in game one. [When] we keep it simple the floodgates can open," said Thompson.

James Harden scored 42 points as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Boston Celtics in overtime to level their play-off series at 2-2.

 

Harden scored to send the game into overtime then made the decisive three-pointer to clinch a 116-115 win.

 

Philadelphia led for much of the game before a late Boston surge helped them move into the lead.

 

The Phoenix Suns beat the Denver Nuggets 129-124 to ensure their series is also level going into game five.

 

Devin Booker and Kevin Durant scored 36 points apiece while Landry Shamet was a surprise hero off the bench, scoring 14 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter.

Joel Embiid reached 30 points for a third straight game as the Philadelphia 76ers won 115-103 at the Boston Celtics to leave the defending Eastern Conference champions on the brink of elimination from the play-offs.

 

Embiid scored 33 points and Tyrese Maxey contributed 30 for Philadelphia, who lead the best-of-seven series 3-2.

Nikola Jokic scored 32 points as the Denver Nuggets thrashed the Phoenix Suns to win their Western Conference semi-final series in six games.

 

The Nuggets, who have never reached the NBA Finals, beat the Suns 125-100.

 

Jokic recorded 12 assists and 10 rebounds, while Jamal Murray scored 26 points for Denver.

 

The Nuggets will open the best-of-seven Western Conference final against either the Golden State Warriors or the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.

 

In their Western Conference semi-final, the Lakers lead Golden State 3-2 with game six in Los Angeles at 03:00 BST on Saturday.

An inspired LeBron James sent the Los Angeles Lakers into the Western Conference finals and eliminated 2022 NBA winners the Golden State Warriors.

 

The 38-year-old scored 30 points as the Lakers won 122-101 in Los Angeles to clinch the best-of-seven series 4-2.

 

The Lakers, who finished seventh in the regular season, will play top seeds the Denver Nuggets in the series to decide who plays in the NBA Finals.

The Phoenix Suns have fired coach Monty Williams after losing in the NBA play-offs to the Denver Nuggets.

 

Williams, 51, was last season's NBA Coach of the Year but has been sacked following the 4-2 series loss.

 

"We are filled with gratitude for everything Monty has contributed to the Suns and to the Valley community," said Suns president of basketball operations James Jones.

 

His dismissal means five franchises are now looking for new head coaches.

 

The Milwaukee Bucks - who became the 2021 champions by beating Williams' Phoenix team - fired 2019 coach of the year Mike Budenholzer after their play-off series loss to the Miami Heat, despite finishing the regular season with the best record in the league.

Nikola Jokic starred as the Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers in their Western Conference Finals opener.

 

Two-time NBA most valuable player Jokic finished with 34 points, 21 rebounds and 14 assists as Denver won 132-126 to go 1-0 up in the best-of-seven series.

 

A Lakers rally cut the deficit from 21 points to three in the fourth quarter, but a Jokic free throw sealed the win.

 

"A lot of our guys are battle-tested, we've been in a ton of close games," said Denver coach Michael Malone.

 

"I didn't think there was any panic - there was poise. Our guys looked at one another and realised what we had to do to close this game out."

 

Jamal Murray added 31 points for the Nuggets, with four other players posting double-digit scores.

The Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant says he takes "full accountability" for his actions after he was suspended for appearing to hold a gun in a video on social media for a second time.

 

Morant, 23, appeared to briefly hold up a gun in a car with a friend in a live broadcast on Instagram on Saturday.

 

He was also suspended for eight games in March after a video showed him holding a gun in a Colorado nightclub.

 

"I know I've disappointed a lot of people who have supported me," he said.

 

"This is a journey and I recognise there is more work to do. My words may not mean much right now, but I take full accountability for my actions. I'm committed to continuing to work on myself."

A late rally from Jamal Murray helped the Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 108-103 to go 2-0 up in the Western Conference Finals series.

 

Murray scored 23 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter, including four three-pointers from five attempts.

 

Denver are now just two wins away from securing a first appearance in the NBA Finals.

 

"We did what we were supposed to do - we protected our home court," said Nuggets coach Michael Malone.

 

"Now we have to go to LA with a very businessman-like mindset."

Jimmy Butler scored 27 points for the Miami Heat as they beat the Boston Celtics 111-105 to take a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference finals series.

 

The Heat trailed by 11 points early in the fourth quarter before a 20-9 run helped them turn the game around.

 

Butler scored nine points in a final quarter in which, with his side 96-89 behind, he clashed with Boston's Grant Williams.

 

"He hit a big shot and started talking to me. I like that," Butler said.