Who: Phoenix Suns (1-2) vs. Denver Nuggets (2-2)
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
Just three games into the regular season and our Suns community is in disarray already. An ugly start to the season has us jumping to benching Jalen Green, trading for a point guard, and Chris Haynes is reporting on the “growing frustration” inside the locker room. It was good that the Suns had three entire
days in between games before playing the Nuggets because they had a lot to clean up in practice this week; however, I am ready to watch Suns basketball again.
Much has been made about the poor start offensively and the issues the Suns are having, but it is defensively that the Suns have to turn around quickly to have a shot at winning games this season. The Suns are last in defensive rating very early into the season, and the identity this team had last season has not shown itself once. That is the biggest storyline going into this game: will the Suns’ gritty defensive identity show up in game one of the NBA Cup group play on Friday night?
Tale of the Tape
Probable Starters
Injury Report
Suns
- Mark Williams — OUT (Shoulder)
- Drew Timmie — OUT (G-League/Two-way)
- Oso Ighodaro — QUESTIONABLE (Oblique)
Nuggets
- Cam Johnson — QUESTIONABLE (Right Ankle Sprain)
- Alpha Diallo — QUESTIONABLE (Personal)
- Spencer Jones — OUT (Hamstring)
- Julian Strawther — OUT (Left Knee Sprain)
What to Watch For
The entire NBA has a Nikola Jokic problem, but the Phoenix Suns really had a Jokic problem. In three games last season, Jokic was 21-of-31 from the field and had 42 total assists combined in three wins against the Suns. Here are his stat lines in those three wins:
- 23 points, 17 rebounds, 17 assists
- 26 points, 9 rebounds, 10 assists, and 7-of-7 from the field
- 14 points, 14 rebounds, 15 assists
And let’s not forget the 30-20-20 performance against the Suns in the 2024-25 season either. He is the best, or at least one of the best, players in the league and has completely diced up the Suns in recent memory. It is going to be a big test for Khaman Maluach and, hopefully, Oso Ighodaro at the Suns’ center position. If Ighodaro does not play, how the Suns defend Jokic without Maluach will be where this game is decided. Ideally, the Suns can let Maluach defend Jokic on an island and not send any help to limit his effectiveness as a playmaker. It will be the biggest test in Maluach’s young career, and there will be both good and bad flashes from the Suns sophomore.
The good news is that, like the Suns, the Nuggets have started slow and have yet to hit their stride on either end of the court. They are surprisingly behind the Suns in offensive rating to begin the season and are only shooting 32.8% from 3 so far. If the Suns can at least handle Jokic and force the ball out of his hands, they might have a chance to keep this Nuggets offense from getting back on track for another night. If former Sun Cam Johnson does play for the Nuggets, that is an added element of shooting they have not had so far this season.
Key to a Suns Win
To win this game, the Suns have to keep Jokic and the Nuggets from dominating in the paint and on the glass on both ends. Jokic will likely still get close to a triple-double because that is just who he is. But if the Suns can rebound the ball defensively and continue to pursue offensive rebounds, it will allow them to play with pace, and the concerns about the offense will at least die down for a night. The Suns should score in transition and at the rim against a Nuggets team that, while extremely long, is not super athletic or defensively minded.
Prediction
The Suns come close but fall short.
