The Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets were expected to fight for supremacy in the Western Conference this season. Instead, the two teams are battling to stay in the mix a third of the way through the schedule.
Phoenix Suns:
- The Suns (14-13) will meet the Nuggets in Denver on Monday night for the first of two games over the next three days.
- Phoenix is coming off two home losses to teams with losing records and will be without Devin Booker, who has been ruled out with a groin injury. The Suns may also be missing Grayson Allen, who took a hit to the head in Saturday’s 133-125 loss to Detroit, and Bol Bol, who has been limited to seven games this season with a left knee contusion.
- Kevin Durant, who averages a team-high 27.4 points per game, will shoulder more responsibility. Durant has scored 37 and 43 points in the two losses leading up to Monday and has acknowledged struggling when passing out of double teams.
- Despite the injuries, Phoenix has other offensive weapons. Bradley Beal is third on the team in scoring at 18.2 points per game, Tyus Jones averages 12.8 points, and Royce O’Neale contributes 11.1 points.
- Center Jusuf Nurkic, who has had success guarding reigning MVP Nikola Jokic, will also be a key player.
Denver Nuggets:
- The Nuggets (15-11) will play the second game of a back-to-back set after taking a late flight from New Orleans. They needed overtime to beat the Pelicans 132-129 and avoid a second straight loss.
- Nikola Jokic notched his 11th triple-double of the season with 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists, nearly mirroring his season averages. Jokic is scoring 30.9 points per game, pulling down 13.0 rebounds, and dishing out 9.8 assists. He is second in the league in points and assists and third in rebounding.
- The Nuggets needed every bit of Jokic’s offense to get by New Orleans, which only has five wins. One of those wins came against Denver during NBA Cup group play.
- Jamal Murray has been playing well lately, finishing with 27 points against the Pelicans. He has scored 20 or more points in the last four games.
- Murray and Jokic both logged more than 40 minutes in the overtime win, but Denver is 3-0 in games played on the second night of a back-to-back this season. They will face a heavy schedule this week, with five games in seven nights.
Key Players to Watch:
- Phoenix Suns: Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, Tyus Jones, Jusuf Nurkic
- Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr.
With both teams looking to stay competitive in the Western Conference, this matchup will test their depth and resilience. Fans can expect an exciting game as the Suns and Nuggets face off.
