Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal each scored 27 points, and the Phoenix Suns bounced back from a tough loss to Denver earlier in the week with a 110-100 win against the Nuggets on Wednesday night.
Tyus Jones added 17 points, making 7 of 9 shots, and Monte Morris came off the bench to score 11 points. Jusuf Nurkic grabbed 13 rebounds, scoring 8 points and adding 6 assists. Durant also contributed 6 assists, while Beal recorded 4 steals in this Christmas night matchup.
Nikola Jokic led Denver with 25 points and 15 rebounds, and Michael Porter Jr. scored 22 points. Denver, however, lost for only the second time in their last seven games.
Russell Westbrook added 17 points and 6 rebounds off the bench, and Jamal Murray contributed 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists for Denver. Murray had missed Monday’s game due to an ankle injury when the Nuggets dominated the Suns 117-90.
Phoenix played without their star Devin Booker, who has been sidelined for three games due to a groin injury. The Suns shot 46.6 percent from the field, including 11 of 36 (30.6 percent) from three-point range. Grayson Allen also missed his second consecutive game due to concussion protocol.
The Nuggets made 46.2 percent of their shots, but struggled from beyond the arc, making only 8 of 29 attempts (27.6 percent). Aaron Gordon left the game early in the third quarter with a calf injury and didn’t return.
Phoenix built a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter with a 9-0 run. Beal scored twice during the run, and Royce O’Neale added a 3-pointer, giving the Suns a 101-87 lead with 6:48 left. Durant later hit a jumper to push the lead to 105-90 with 4:34 remaining.
Porter scored 4 straight points to bring Denver closer, making it 107-96 with 2:01 left. But Jones quickly responded with a 3-pointer, and the Suns held on to finish the game strong.
The game was close in the first half, with Durant and Beal each scoring 14 points as Phoenix led 58-56 at halftime. Jokic had 17 points and 8 rebounds by the break.
The score was tied at 75 after Westbrook’s basket with 4:10 left in the third. The Suns ended the quarter with a 10-3 run to lead 85-78 and pushed their advantage to 10 points when Mason Plumlee made a three-point play to start the fourth quarter.
