The Denver Nuggets persevered on the road without a few rotation players and defeated the Phoenix Suns 122-105.
The Nuggets extended their win streak to six games, though it wasn’t for a lack of effort from the Suns. They pushed Denver initially despite being on the second night of a back-to-back. The Suns attempted a ludicrous 50 three-pointers tonight (making 17 of them) compared to just 16-of-35 from the Nuggets. That disparity helped keep the Suns in the game at first, but Denver weathered the initial barrage and locked in defensively enough to separate in the second half.
Jamal Murray returned from a one-game absence (resting his knee on the second night of a back-to-back) and scored 30 points, shooting 12-of-23 from the field and 6-of-9 from three.
Murray had struggled with his outside shot over the last few games, so it was great to see him string together some makes. The Suns couldn’t keep up with him, as the Kentucky point guard played with some quickness and agility while shooting the ball with confidence.
Nikola Jokic added his normal impressive game with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists, just one short of the triple-double in 28 minutes. Jokic didn’t come back in during the fourth quarter because the Nuggets second unit held the Suns at bay. Still, it didn’t make Jokic’s night any less impressive, as he shot 11-of-13 from the field, 1-of-2 from three-point range (including a last second shot clock heave) and 3-of-3 from the free throw line.
Joker juking ’em out pic.twitter.com/nNZR1gAcdr
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) February 9, 2025
Elsewhere, Christian Braun and Julian Strawther each had 18 points, with Braun also adding seven rebounds and six assists to that tally. The Nuggets two-way wing also did a solid job against Suns star Devin Booker, who had 24 points and three assists in 34 minutes but shot just 8-of-19 from the field.
GET THIS MAN IN THE DUNK CONTEST pic.twitter.com/0yTMP9GaTl
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) February 9, 2025
Off the bench, the Nuggets had solid contributions from Jalen Pickett, Zeke Nnaji, and DeAndre Jordan. Pickett hit back-to-back three-pointers in the third quarter and played solid defense, finishing +13 in 17 minutes. Nnaji also played solid defense all the way around and had five defensive boards and two steals in 21 minutes, though the offense still needs work. Jordan had 11 rebounds and a block in his 17 minutes, doing a great job filling in the non-Jokic minutes with someone the Nuggets could trust.
A professional win
Overall, this was a very professional win from Denver. Yes, the Suns were on a back-to-back and didn’t have Kevin Durant or Bradley Beal. It doesn’t matter who the Suns are missing if the Nuggets don’t execute their coverages and plays or out-hustle the opposing team.
Denver struggled guarding initially, and their first quarters continue to be their worst defensive quarters consistently. Still, it’s better to finish strong defensively than to let go of the rope, and the Nuggets kept getting better. After allowing 32 points in the first quarter, they allowed just 23 points in the second, 26 points in the third, and 24 points in the fourth. Again, the Suns were probably tired but it’s a good sign that the Nuggets are finding their rhythm on defense throughout games.
Here are Denver’s season ranks in Defensive Rating during the 2024-25 season:
- 1st Quarter – 117.2 (27th)
- 2nd Quarter – 117.0 (27th)
- 3rd Quarter – 112.1 (8th)
- 4th Quarter – 108.4 (7th)
Denver still needs to find ways to get defense into the game sooner, but it’s good to know they have a higher gear on that end of the floor. They also need to prove it against better teams, because while this six game winning streak has been fun to watch, it’s come against teams that are either horrible or are in compromised positions in their rotation due to injuries or fatigue.
That being said, you can only play who’s in front of you, and the Nuggets are taking care of business in a professional way. With two more games before the All-Star break against a Portland Trail Blazers squad that is surprisingly good, Denver will have to stay locked in through the final whistle before enjoying the All-Star break.
Final Rotations
