MVP Jokic ejected as Suns sweep

DENVER — The Phoenix Suns roared into the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 11 years Sunday night with a testy 125-118 victory over Denver that completed a four-game sweep.

The Nuggets? Well, they went down fighting.

Chris Paul scored 37 points and Devin Booker added 34 in a physical game marred by MVP Nikola Jokic’s ejection for a flagrant foul in the third quarter.

Jokic was tossed with 3:52 left in the third quarter and his Nuggets trailing 83-76 after his hard right-hand windmill swipe sent the ball flying but also caught Cameron Payne in the face.

Jokic said he meant only to commit a hard foul on Payne.

“I didn’t want to injure him or hit him in the head on purpose,” he said.

Booker took umbrage at the hard foul and got in the big man’s face before teammates and coaches pulled everyone apart.

Officials assessed a double technical on Jokic and Booker and ejected the MVP after upping the call to a Flagrant 2. Jokic finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes.

BUCKS WIN TO TIE SERIES

MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton finally are getting a little more help, while Kevin Durant keeps seeing his superstar cohorts get hurt.

And now a second-round playoff series that once looked like a Brooklyn Nets runaway suddenly is up for grabs.

Antetokounmpo scored 34 points and the Bucks rolled to a 107-96 Game 4 victory Sunday to tie the series, while the Nets, lost Kyrie Irving to a sprained right ankle.

The Bucks erased a 2-0 deficit by winning two straight in Milwaukee. Game 5 is Tuesday night at Brooklyn.

“We’re very happy, but we’ve got to keep getting better, keep playing together and hopefully we can go into Brooklyn and take one,” Antetokounmpo said.

Brooklyn’s immediate concern is the health of its superstar trio.

Irving was hurt midway through the second quarter and didn’t return.