Suns look to avenge loss to Nuggets
Denver can't erase getting swept by Phoenix in the conference semifinals last season, but took joy in beating the Suns in last month's season opener.
"It felt good, it felt good," Nuggets guard Will Barton said after Oct. 20 game at Footprint Center. "Anytime a team embarrasses you like they did last year in the playoffs, that feeling doesn't go away. It stings until you get back on the court. So to come here in their building and get a win? Feels good."
The Suns ended up starting this season 1-3 after reaching the NBA Finals, but have since won 11 in a row. So they now have an opportunity to extend the league's longest current win streak by beating a team that topped them in the opener.
"I think our guys are anxious to play them just because of what happened on opening night, but I think that's low hanging fruit, if you will," said Suns coach Monty Williams after Saturday's practice. "I think we just want to win and we want to keep getting better. We know they're a good team."
The Nuggets (9-7) have lost their last three games to the Mavericks, 76ers and most recently, the Bulls, 114-108, Friday. In grand contrast, the Suns haven't lost since Oct. 27 when falling to Sacramento on a Harrison Barnes' 3 at the buzzer.
'We're figuring it out," Suns backup point guard Cameron Payne said. "I'd say some games, we're probably not playing well, but we're playing great defense.
Trying to let it lead to our offense, but we're just playing our culture of basketball. We're doing it together."
The Suns have risen up to third in defensive rating behind the Warriors (14-2), which has the NBA's best record, and the Los Angeles Clippers (9-7).
"The foundation of our defense is being
laid right now," Williams said. "We want to keep growing and getting better."
The Suns allowed 114.75 points in their 1-3 start. In their 11-game win streak, they've only given up more than 114 points once when beating Atlanta, 121-117.
Phoenix had a four-game stretch in which it didn't allow 100 points in each win before yielding 104 in Friday's eightpoint victory over the Mavericks.
"We just have each other's backs," Suns backup big JaVale McGee said. "We're really focused on 'the shift' as we call it and just being in the right spots for our teammates."
The Nuggets are 18th in the league in offensive rating, 24th in points per game, but Phoenix must still contend with big Nikola Jokic.
The reigning MVP is the NBA's sixth leading scorer at 26.4 points a game and second in the league in rebounding at 13.6 boards a game. Jokic went for 27 points and 13 rebounds in Denver's win in Phoenix last month.
"You definitely got to be physical," said McGee, who was teammates with Jokic last season in Denver. "He's going to get a lot of touches. Just got to make sure he's taking hard shots. You're getting him to where he's not in his sweet spots."
McGee also noted Jokic's passing as the All-Star is averaging 6.4 dimes a game.
"It's also important for people who aren't guarding Jokic to guard their man and not get backcut," McGee said. "He's an amazing passer."
Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.
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