Who: Phoenix Suns (12-7) vs. Denver Nuggets (13-4)
When: 7:00 PM Arizona Time
Where: Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, Arizona
Watch: Arizona’s Family 3TV, Arizona’s Family Sports
Listen: KMVP 98.7, KSUN
The Suns have shocked most by outperforming expectations across the league. The Nuggets and Suns have already faced off once earlier in the season, when the Suns were figuring things out. In this game, the Suns look to get back what they feel they deserve, to show they are one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Coming off back-to-back fights for the NBA Cup, this may prove difficult, but the Suns have fought adversity this year with a strong punch. That will continue this weekend.
Regardless of them being tired from the previous night, the Suns will give us a fight, and that is what I expect versus the Nuggets, especially with a guy on the Suns who could be fighting for a revenge game as well.
Probable Starters
Injury Report
Grayson Allen – QUESTIONABLE (Right Quadriceps Contusion)
Ryan Dunn – QUESTIONABLE (Right Wrist Sprain)
Jordan Goodwin – QUESTIONABLE (Left Ankle Sprain)
Mark Williams – QUESTIONABLE (Right Calf Soreness)
Jalen Green – OUT (Right Hamstring Strain)
Isaiah Livers – OUT (Right Hip Soreness)
Aaron Gordon — OUT (Right Hamstring Strain)
Christian Braun — OUT (Left Ankle Sprain) OUT
Julian Strawther — OUT (Lower Back Injury Management)
What to Watch For
How the Suns handle the battle versus Nikola Jokic without Mark Williams
In the first matchup, Williams was coming off the bench, getting used to his role, but since this is a back-to-back, he is out to ensure he stays healthy throughout the season. This means the Suns will need to have those wings crashing the boards and prioritizing their second-chance opportunities vs. the Nuggets. This means that if this gets out of hand, the Suns could be in trouble. Without their best big man, on both sides will be tough, but it’s a challenge a team is willing to accept.
For the Nuggets, one thing to keep an eye on is their injuries and how their role players step up. With no Aaron Gordon or Christian Braun, a lot of their toughness and defensive identity is missing. Now they do have some great role players who have stepped up, guys like Bruce Brown Jr. and Peyton Watson. If the Suns can find ways to get at them and be effective offensively, we may see the Nuggets go deeper into their bench and, hopefully, make it easier for the Suns to keep striking offensively.
Keys to a Suns Win
One thing will be controlling the glass and generating second-chance points. Another will be how they defend Nikola Jokic. We saw this earlier in the year when the Suns took on the Spurs and Victor Wembanyama. The Suns sent multiple opponents of all sizes at the big, causing havoc and ultimately giving the Suns an emphatic win. If the Suns can find that same rhythm in this game, they once again could shock the NBA world and truly put themselves where they feel they belong.
The Suns have also been one of the most effective three-point shooting teams this season, having some individuals step up in that category.
Not to mention, on the defensive end, they are one of the scrappiest teams in the league! If they can tap into these two areas of dominance, they have a chance against any opponent in the association.
Prediction Time
With the Suns having a big contest ahead of them the night before, this could be tough. That said, the Nuggets also have an NBA Cup game and are coming off a back-to-back. With both teams being tired and the Suns heading back home, the fans will bring out the best in them. Since they got embarrassed in Denver, I can see the team rallying off the crowd this time.
A slow start would not shock me, but a thrilling finish where the Suns come out on top would not be the biggest surprise either. So they gut this one out and prove that, even against the top-tier teams, they can still fight.
Suns 122, Nuggets 118