NBA: Denver Nuggets search for answers after dropping 2 straight to Phoenix Suns

Kevin Durant and Devin Booker needed just a little bit more offensive help, someone to take just tiniest bit of pressure off Phoenix's high-scoring tandem.

Along came Landry Shamet, who elevated his game — five 3-pointers, 19 points — as Suns equalized second-round series at 2-2 against Denver Nuggets.

It’s X-factors who are helping swing a series that moves back to Mile High City for Game 5 on Tuesday night. Philelphia also plays at Boston with that series tied at 2-all.

Durant and Booker are simply doing what stars do — shine. Same with Nuggets in Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic , whose 53-point performance in a 129-124 loss Sunday was overshowed by a sideline fracas with Suns owner Mat Ishbia (Jokic drew a $25,000 fine from league for making improper contact).

Shamet certainly stepped up for Phoenix in Game 4. contest before, it was Cameron Payne who started in place of injured Chris Paul and scored seven points, including a big 3-pointer early in fourth.

w, it's Nuggets coach Michael Malone's turn to find a counter. Malone hinted it could be extended minutes for veteran point guard Reggie Jackson or possibly more floor time for shooting guard Peyton Watson. It may be a change in schematics, too.

Anything to wrestle back momentum from Suns.

“We owe it to ourselves to make sure we’re looking at everything we can do to give us our best chance of winning,” Malone said. "Wher that’s justing game plan, wher that’s justing rotation, everything is on table."

Booker was sizzling in Phoenix, shooting 79% from floor and scoring a combined 83 points over two games.

“That’s just Book — he looks for those moments to t just make those shots but send a mess to his team that he can carry us," Suns coach Monty Williams explained. "He practices all those shots. I’ve seen it. ... He would sit right here and tell you that even though he me those shots we have more work to do. That’s what I’m going to say as well.”

It was bench that provided quite a boost for Suns in Game 4. reserves for Suns outscored Nuggets' reserves by a 40-11 margin, with Shamet leing way. Terrence Ross and Jock Landale each ded eight.

“We knew this series wasn’t going to be easy. y’ve got two of top few scorers in this league on ir team,” Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. said. "We’ve got to figure out how to slow those guys down a little bit.”

That and finding more options to take offensive lo off Murray and Jokic, two-time NBA MVP who's averaging 36.5 points, 14 rebounds and 9.5 assists.

Aaron Gordon h a big performance in a Game 1 blowout with 23 points. In Game 2, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope went 4 for 4 from beyond arc, including back-to-back swishes that erased a deficit and put Nuggets ahe for good early in fourth quarter.

“We have to take what y’re giving us,” said Porter, who's 9 of 25 from deep in series. “re are some ways that I think we can get everybody involved."