PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns are prepping for their first back-to-back of the season against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, and a few factors are going into the game that will be key to the matchup.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The Suns are looking to bounce back from Friday’s 129-102 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, a flat outing in their first road game. The Nuggets are reeling from a season-opening loss to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, where Aaron Gordon erupted for 50 points and Nikola Jokic struggled, posting 21 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists on 8-of-23 shooting (2-of-23 from deep).
Phoenix will also be without star guard Jalen Green (right hamstring strain) and center Mark Williams (right knee injury management).
With that being said, let’s get into three of the biggest storylines of Saturday’s clash in Denver.
Suns’ defense needs to show up
Oct 24, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Bradley Beal (0) is defended under the basket by Phoenix Suns forward Oso Ighodaro (11) and forward Dillon Brooks (3) in the first half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Phoenix’s biggest pain point against James Harden and the Clippers? Its defense. Just a couple of nights after Phoenix stormed back from down 20 points on the Kings behind a staunch defense, it faltered in Los Angeles.
The Nuggets are a much more efficient offense, spearheaded by Jokic, and the Suns will undoubtedly be tested defensively. Phoenix’s depleted center rotation won’t just be tested by Jokic, but by Gordon and Jonas Valanciunas off the bench.
“He’s the playmaker,” Jordan Ott said oof Jokic ahead of the game. “We call him the hub. Everything flows through him, but they have a lot of really good players around him.”
Who will step up as a secondary playmaker?
Oct 22, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) and forward Dillon Brooks (3) during the second half against the Sacramento Kings at the Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Green’s absence has been felt in Phoenix’s first two games of the season. The departures of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal may have opened up more avenues of scoring for Devin Booker, but it also slashed the amount of scorers opposing defenses have to key in on.
This means that Bookers is being doubled more than most in the league and he doesn’t have a secondary scorer to defer to. The results have been an increased volume of bad quality shots for Brooks and others.
To be quite honest, the Suns don’t have another scorer at the level of Green right now, which is an important thing to watch.
Phoenix’s depleted center depth
Oct 24, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward John Collins (20) is defended by Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams (15) as he drives to the basket in the first half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
With Williams out, Phoenix is down a long, athletic rim presence. Oso Ighodaro serves great as a secondary playmaker and lob threat. Nick Richards is an adequate board hunting bruiser. Khaman Maluach can space the floor and deter shots, but he’s still too raw.
Williams provides a skillset that no other center on the roster can provide. It may be a long night in and around the paint for the Suns. Don’t be surprised if Jokic and Gordon have a huge night.
Suns injury report: Phoenix loses key center against Nuggets
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