The Denver Nuggets escaped the Phoenix Suns in overtime, winning the game 149-141.
With the Nuggets unable to miss from three early in the game, knocking down 13 triples in the first half, it looked like the game might have been over early. But the Suns continued to fight, even when trailing by 21 points in the third quarter.
Devin Booker became unstoppable in crucial moments, stepping up when Phoenix needed him the most. Even when it seemed like the Suns lacked energy, they flipped a switch in the fourth quarter, clawing their way back into the game.
Tying the game at 120 with about a minute left, the Suns had completed an incredible comeback from 21 points down. However, the Nuggets had the final possession, and with the game on the line, they drilled a three-pointer to tie the game, but Durant was left open to send the game into overtime.
The Nuggets got out to a hot start in overtime, killing the Suns chances at putting together a two-game win streak.
Game Flow
First Half
Hitting his first four three-pointers of the game, Aaron Gordon was back in the lineup after missing a few games due to injury and made himself feel right at home. The defensive intensity to push Gordon off the three-point line or even force him to move the ball was lacking on the Suns’ part.
This led to a 21-13 lead to start the game. Offensively, the Suns leaned heavily on Nick Richards, who started the game 3-for-3 from the field, scoring six of the team’s first 13 points.
Energy was lacking for the Suns in the first quarter, while the Nuggets, on the other hand, were knocking down threes and grabbing a couple of steals to ignite their crowd with fast-break dunks.
Continuing to pack the paint while still trying to contest the three-point line, the Suns still gave up seven threes to the Nuggets, hoping they might start missing. Unfortunately for Phoenix, Denver remained red-hot from beyond the arc.
With Devin Booker scoreless and Kevin Durant managing only four points by the end of the first quarter, the Suns found themselves trailing 37-28. The lack of offensive rhythm and defensive lapses put them in an early hole, forcing them to play catch-up against a Nuggets team firing on all cylinders.
Starting the second quarter, Booker made himself available by scoring 10 points within the first five minutes. However, the Nuggets continued to knock down threes, extending their lead to 53-41 as they hit their 11th triple of the game.
Despite Booker’s offensive spark, the Suns struggled to close out on shooters, allowing Denver to maintain control. Phoenix needed to tighten up defensively and find more consistent scoring outside of Booker to avoid falling into a deeper deficit.
The threes kept falling for the Nuggets, making it unbearable to watch at times. Behind 13 made three-pointers in the first half, Denver held a 68-56 lead over the Suns. That was the difference in the game—the three-point shooting.
Durant did come alive, finishing the first half with 11 points and a crossover dunk to lift the spirits of Suns fans.
Second Half
The game became stale in the third quarter, with Jokic dissecting the Suns’ defense while Phoenix once again lacked the energy needed to mount a comeback. With about seven minutes left in the quarter, the Suns found themselves down 81-64, struggling to find any momentum.
When things went bad, they got worse in an instant. Costly turnovers led to fast-break dunks, fueling the Nuggets’ lead and electrifying a crowd that already sensed the game was over. Phoenix had no answers on either end, and Denver continued to dominate with ease.
After an 8-0 run led by Booker who took over to get the Suns with 13 after down by 21, the Nuggets had to take a timeout to cool him off. Booker looked determined to do it himself.
The Suns were only down by 11 at the end of the third quarter, thanks to a strong finish from Durant. As the fourth quarter began, Phoenix quickly cut the deficit to 10, and it looked like Grayson Allen had arrived—throwing down a dunk to bring the Suns within eight.
Down by nine with about eight minutes left in the game, the Suns missed a couple of wide-open shots that could have made it a one-possession game. Those missed opportunities proved costly, as Denver quickly regained control.
Sensing the momentum shift, the Nuggets responded with a quick scoring burst, capitalizing on Phoenix’s missed chances. The Suns had fought their way back, but their inability to convert open looks prevented them from fully closing the gap.
But Booker was incredible, knocking down every three-pointer to bring the Suns within five points with five minutes left in the game. His scoring explosion gave Phoenix a much-needed spark, keeping their comeback hopes alive.
However, the Suns still needed stops on the defensive end to complete the rally. With the crowd growing tense, it became a battle of execution in the final minutes, as both teams fought to take control of the game.
With 2:16 left in the game, the Suns tied the game at 120.
And with the game tied at 122, the Nuggets hit a three to take the lead with 1.4 seconds left in the game. However, thinking the game was over was a mistake—because Durant had something to say about it.
Overtime
Seven straight points by the Nuggets to open overtime kept the Suns away from stealing a victory on the road.
With that, the Nuggets defeated the Suns 149-141.
Up Next
The Suns visit Dallas to take on the depleted Mavericks at 12:30 on Sunday.