Kevin Durant led the charge, contributing 30 points, 13 rebounds, and five blocks to guide the Phoenix Suns (43-30) to a hard-fought 104-97 victory over the defending champion Denver Nuggets (51-22) on Wednesday night.
With the playoffs looming, the Suns are making a push for a higher seed in the competitive Western Conference, currently sitting just a half-game behind the Dallas Mavericks for the sixth spot.
Despite missing starting point guard Jamal Murray, the Nuggets fought valiantly behind Nikola Jokic’s 22 points, nine rebounds, and 10 assists, but ultimately fell short against a determined Suns squad.
Phoenix’s sharpshooting from beyond the arc proved decisive, with the team connecting on 16 of 33 attempts from 3-point range, compared to Denver’s 10 of 40 shooting from deep.
Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon provided solid contributions for the Nuggets with 18 points each, but Denver’s bench struggled to make an impact, shooting just 5 of 19 from the field.
The absence of Jusuf Nurkic due to a sprained right ankle was a setback for the Suns, but they managed to overcome the challenge with Durant leading the way.
Bradley Beal, who started despite a sprained right ring finger, provided an offensive spark for Phoenix, sinking three crucial 3-pointers in the first quarter. He finished the game with 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting.
Devin Booker struggled with his shot, going 5-of-17 on his way to 17 points. He added nine assists and five rebounds.
Despite the loss, the Nuggets maintain their position atop the Western Conference.
