PHOENIX — On the heels of a thrilling overtime win against the Utah Jazz, the Phoenix Suns aim to extend a three-game homestand to two wins against the third-seeded Denver Nuggets.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Much like Friday’s win against the Jazz, the Suns will be without Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.
Here’s what we’re seeing from Footprint Center ahead of the game:
Injury report
Kevin Durant (left ankle sprain), Bradley Beal (left great toe soreness) and Grayson Allen (left knee soreness) are all out. Allen exploded for a 21-point game against Utah, all on 3-pointers. This will be three-straight games out for Durant and two for Beal.
For Denver, Aaron Gordon (right calf injury management) and Jamal Murray (left knee inflammation) were upgraded to available. Michael Porter Jr. (left hamstring tightness), Russell Westbrook (left hamstring strain), Peyton Watson (right knee sprain), DaRon Holmess II (right Achilles tendon repair) and Vlatko Cancar (left knee surgery) are all out.
Pregame quotes
Suns coach Mike Budenholzer
On Grayson Allen performance playing along Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal:
“He’s in a good place. I think playing off of those guys, he and I have talked a little bit about it like he’s just, got some rhythm last year, when and where he’s playing is a little bit different this year, but now, I think he’s gotten into a good place with it. He’s just so good against the closeout, he’s so good spacing the court, making shots and I think he makes a lot of winning plays and is underrated defensively. So, he’s just a really good basketball player that I think his teammates appreciate, certainly, we as coaches appreciate him, so, he’s a very good player.”
On what this team needs to stay connected down the stretch and be focused:
“I mean, I just think communication, whether things are going well or when there’s struggles or there’s hard times and again, you got to keep talking to each other, you got to keep finding solutions, be part of the solution. I think that’s, that’s always a big key for any team that wants to stay together through 48 minutes.”
On facing Nikola Jokic tonight:
“Yeah, he’s just, a great player. He’s been doing it year after year after year now, so it’s hard to find something new to say. I do think you know, the efficiency with which he’s shooting a three ball, the willingness with which he’s shooting a three ball, and it’s just maybe taking his game to even another level. He’s seen everything, he’s able to adjust quickly if you change something, so just a great, great player. I think he’s a great leader, great teammate with that team, so yeah, these are the challenges that we all look forward to.”
Nuggets coach Michael Malone
On Devin Booker’s game last night being aggressive and initiating the offense with Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal out:
“Yeah, I thought, Bud (Mike Budenholzer) should’ve played him more last night. What Devin Booker is doing and obviously, talk about a class act, I owe him a couple of bucks. I got a box of Girl Scout cookies on the way in that Devin bought for the whole group, and they let me have a box, so I own a couple of bucks for the Thin Mints. But I’ve always been a big fan of his as a person and as a player. Congratulations to him for becoming the all-time leading scorer in Sun’s history.
“What a remarkable accomplishment and when you think about the players that they’ve had here, it’s a testament to his hard work, his skill level, his dedication to his craft, and you mentioned it, we all look at him as just an elite scorer, but I’ve seen it at least, his ability to also be a very capable play maker and he doesn’t fight it like when he’s got two defenders on him, he’s making the right play.
“That’s all you want from a superstar and that’s what he is; to make the game easier for his teammates, to take over the game when you need a guy to take over and that’s what Book does night in and night out and it’s just remarkable.”
Starting lineups
Phoenix Suns
- Tyus Jones
- Devin Booker
- Nick Richards
- Royce O’Neale
- Ryan Dunn
Denver Nuggets
- Jamal Murray
- Julian Strawther
- Nikola Jokic
- Aaron Gordon
- Christian Braun
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Reporter Connor Moreno covers the Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @cmorenosports, and on Bluesky, @cloading.bsky.social
