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

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

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

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

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

Now, 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 the 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. "Whether that’s adjusting the game plan, whether that’s adjusting the rotation, everything is on the table."

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

“That’s just Book — he looks for those moments to not just make those shots but send a message 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 made those shots we have more work to do. That’s what I’m going to say as well.”

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

“We knew this series wasn’t going to be easy. They’ve got two of the top few scorers in this league on their 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 the offensive load off Murray and Jokic, the two-time NBA MVP who's averaging 36.5 points, 14 rebounds and 9.5 assists.

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

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

76ERS AT CELTICS

Series tied 2-2. Game 5, 7:30 p.m. EDT, TNT

— NEED TO KNOW: James Harden’s go-ahead 3-pointer in the closing seconds of overtime proved to be what the 76ers needed to fight off a late flurry by the Celtics in Game 4 and send their Eastern Conference semifinals series back to Boston tied up at two games apiece. Both teams have lost one home game so far in the matchup, while also claiming a win on the road.

— KEEP AN EYE ON: The 76ers’ rotation. Coach Doc Rivers acknowledged fatigue contributed to the Celtics being able to fight back from a 16-point deficit in the third quarter. But he plans to stick to an eight-man rotation. Harden (47) and Joel Embiid (46) led Philadelphia in minutes played in Game 4, with four starters logging 40 or more.

— INJURY WATCH: Embiid’s minutes were the most he’s played since returning in Game 2 from a sprained right knee. He acknowledged the extra time affected him late in Game 4.

— PRESSURE IS ON: The Celtics. Upon further review, Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said he would have taken a timeout following Harden’s go-ahead 3-pointer in Boston’s 116-115 overtime loss in Game 4. “Hindsight is 20/20. I should have called (a timeout) to help us get a 2-for-1 or a couple more possessions,” Mazzulla said. “Obviously, with (18.2 seconds) left, down one you want to get as many chances as you can. So I definitely learned from that.”

SUNS AT NUGGETS

Series tied 2-2. Game 5, 10 p.m. EDT, TNT

— NEED TO KNOW: The Nuggets have gone 39-7 at home this season, including 5-0 in the playoffs. “We did our job. They did their job,” Jokic said. “In the end, it’s going to be an interesting game.”

— KEEP AN EYE ON: Denver’s defense. “The two games in Denver, I felt our defense was great. We left it somewhere in the desert. It didn’t arrive in Phoenix,” Malone said. “That’s got to be paramount. If we’re going to go up 3-2 and get control of the series again, it’s got to start with defense again.”

— INJURY WATCH: Paul remains day-to-day with a left groin strain, but has been getting in some work. “He’s just getting his shots up and more than likely just seeing where he is,” Williams said. "But I haven’t gotten one official report on Chris. So nothing’s changed for me."

— PRESSURE IS ON: Porter and the Nuggets. The team was a combined 7 of 22 from 3-point range in Game 4, including 2 of 9 from Porter. This after he hit six 3-pointers in Game 3. “Definitely a must-win,” Porter said of Game 5.

Jokic fined $25K by NBA for making contact with Suns owner

DENVER (AP) — Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic was fined $25,000 by the league Monday for making improper contact in the stands with Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia.

No suspension, though. The two-time NBA MVP is all set for Game 5 on Tuesday night in Denver, with the second-round series tied at 2-2.

It was nearly the outcome Ishbia was hoping for in a series where the home team has won every game.

On his Twitter account Monday, Ishbia praised his team's performance and urged no further disciplinary action for Jokic.

“Great win for the Suns last night in an amazing series so far!” Ishbia posted. “That should be and is the only story. Suspending or fining anyone over last nights incident would not be right. I have alot of respect for Jokic and don’t want to see anything like that. Excited for game 5! Go Suns!”

Jokic was assessed a technical foul in the second quarter of Game 4 on Sunday night when the big man tried to snatch the ball back from Ishbia, who was sitting courtside, and hit Ishbia with an elbow.

The situation set social media ablaze and overshadowed a game in which the Suns won 129-124. One of the topics up for debate was whether it was a flop by Ishbia, a former walk-on basketball player at Michigan State, or excessive contact from Jokic.

“I was hoping they’d give him a flopping charge,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said Monday about Ishbia. “That would probably be the only fine I could imagine, but I have no idea.”

Suns standout Kevin Durant figured the incident and resulting fine would be a story, but was glad it's been resolved.

“None of that can get in the way,” Durant said after practice Monday night at Ball Arena. “We can just focus on basketball.”

The mini-fracas began when Suns guard Josh Okogie crashed into the seats while trying to save a loose ball. He landed in a group of fans on the baseline that included Ishbia, who held on to the basketball.

Jokic was trying to get the ball quickly — apparently so the Nuggets could start getting into their offensive possession — when he attempted to grab the ball away from Ishbia. The ball flew backward into the crowd, and then Ishbia was knocked backward by Jokic's elbow.

Jokic defended his actions after a game in which he had 53 points and 11 assists.

“The fan put the hand on me first,” Jokic explained. “I thought the league was supposed to protect us. Maybe I am wrong. I know who he is, but he is a fan. Isn’t he?”

Malone agreed.

“That’s not an owner in the stands. He’s a fan,” Malone said Monday. "We don’t designate who’s in the stands. I just felt after watching that whole incident, Nikola is just trying to get the ball. I felt the embellishment was almost comical, from my standpoint.”

There were a few minutes of confusion as officials sorted out the weird scene, and then Jokic was assessed a technical foul. The Suns made the ensuing free throw.

Devin Booker finished with 36 points and 12 assists. He also gave a shout-out to the Suns owner.

“He got us a point!” Booker said with a grin.

Ishbia has been the Suns’ owner for only a few months, purchasing the team from the embattled Robert Sarver.

Ishbia told The Associated Press at halftime that he was “fine” and more worried about the game than the altercation. He was back in his usual seats in the second half.

The tiff didn't seem to bother Jokic, either — the MVP runner-up scored or assisted on 78 points Sunday, which was the most in a playoff game by a center in NBA history, according to ESPN Stats & Info.