Brunson leads Knicks to big playoff win over Pacers

Jalen Brunson has scored 44 points, reaching 40 for the fifth time this post-season, and New York moved a win away from their first NBA Eastern Conference finals trip since 2000 by beating Indiana 121-91 in Game 5.

The Knicks rebounded from a blowout loss and guaranteed themselves at least one more game at Madison Square Garden in front of their roaring fans. Josh Hart had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Deuce McBride scored 17 points.

The No.2 seeds can win the series on the road after the first two-day break between games.

Brunson hurt his right foot in Game 2 and was limited to 18 points in Game 4, his lowest of the post-season, when the Pacers ran New York off the floor in a 121-89 romp. He kept insisting he was fine and there was no reason to question that on Wednesday (AEST).

Brunson shot 18-for-35 and again looked like the player who finished fifth this season in MVP voting, not the one who shot 10-for-26 in Game 3 and 6-for-17 on Sunday.

He scored 28 in the first half, a Knicks playoff record, then put away the game in the fourth with seven straight points, capped by a three-point play that made it 106-86 with 7:57 to go.

Brunson, who scored 43 in Game 1 to become the fourth player in NBA history with four consecutive 40-point playoff games, had plenty of help. Alec Burks added 18 points off the bench and Isaiah Hartenstein had seven points and 17 rebounds.

Pascal Siakam scored 22 points for the sixth-seeded Pacers, who will try to stay unbeaten at home in the post-season to force the decisive game.

In Denver, Nikola Jokic celebrated his third NBA MVP award by scoring 40 points as the Nuggets shut down Anthony Edwards in a 112-97 win over Minnesota.

The win put the reigning champions one win away from the Western Conference finals.

Jokic also had 13 assists and seven rebounds as the home team won for the first time this semi-final series.

Aaron Gordon added 18 points and 10 boards, and Jamal Murray scored 16.

Edwards was held to 18 points on 5-of-15 shooting. Karl Anthony-Towns led the Wolves with 23 points, and Rudy Gobert scored 18.

With their first three-game losing streak of the season, the Wolves will have to snap their skid on Thursday night at Target Center to force a Game 7 back in Denver.

Jokic, who was presented with his third MVP trophy in a pre-game ceremony, scored 19 first-half points in leading Denver to a 50-44 lead at the main break. He added 16 points in the third quarter when the Nuggets pushed their lead to 14.

Before the game, Minnesota coach Chris Finch expressed dismay at the NBA fining Gobert $US75,000 (about $A113,000) for making a money gesture following a call by referee Scott Foster in Game 4.