The Denver Nuggets secured a hard-fought victory over the Phoenix Suns with a final score of 104-97. The game was a showcase of skill and determination from both teams, but ultimately it was the Nuggets who emerged victorious.
Denver's offense was firing on all cylinders, with standout performances from Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Jokic dominated in the paint, scoring crucial points and grabbing key rebounds, while Murray showcased his scoring ability with clutch shots down the stretch.
The Suns, with the toughest remaining schedule in the NBA, moved a half-game ahead of Sacramento for the seventh spot in the Western Conference as they try to move up to sixth to avoid a play-in game. Dallas is No. 6, a half-game ahead of Phoenix.
Nuggets struggled without starting point guard Jamal Murray, who missed his third straight game with a sprained left ankle.
The Phoenix Suns have three players listed on their injury report: Bradley Beal, Damion Lee, and Jusuf Nurkic. Bradley Beal is questionable with a right finger sprain, Damion Lee is out due to right meniscus surgery, and Jusuf Nurkic is questionable with a right ankle sprain. Both Devin Booker and Kevin Durant are listed as available against the Denver Nuggets.
Right now, the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns are currently tied with a 1-1 record in the regular season. The winner of tonight takes the tiebreaker, but neither team will likely end up next to each other in the standings.
Kevin Durant currently leads the Suns in scoring, averaging 27.6 points per game. Devin Booker leads the team with 6.9 assists per game.
Nikola Jokić, the 6’11” Serbian powerhouse, leads the Nuggets in average scoring, rebounds and assists with 26.1 points per game, 12.3 rebounds per game and 9 assists per game.
Three of the Suns' starters Devin Booker (17 points), Grayson Allen (13) and Bradley Beal (10) scored in double figures. The Suns shot a stellar 16-of-33 from 3, and 47% overall.
Denver's two-time MVP Nikola Jokic was slightly short of a triple-double with 22 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. All five of the Nuggets' starters scored in double digits.
The Suns are 2-1 on their five-game road trip, and Phoenix plays next at the West's No. 2 team Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday at 5 p.m.
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