Recap: Phoenix Suns routed by Denver Nuggets 106-81

The Suns have played better than this.

Phoenix managed the impressive feat of losing by 25 to a team that shot 41% from the field and hit just 8 of 25 from three point range.

Getting outrebounded 62-40 probably didn't help. Neither did losing the points in the paint battle 42-24.

The Nuggets took the game right to Phoenix, leading 28-17 after the first quarter.

The Suns trailed by 27 at halftime (63-36) and never really posed a significant threat to the Nuggets in the second half.

Phoenix did use a 10-0 run to cut the lead to nine early in the fourth quarter (84-75), but Denver scored the next 14 unanswered to push the lead back to 23 (98-75).

Nobody on the Suns really had a "good" game, but Alex Len (14 points and 8 rebounds) and Devin Booker (13 points, but only 4-12 shooting) played noticeably less terrible than the rest of their teammates.

At least Alex only missed one game with the tender ankle.

In a refreshing twist, Tyson Chandler got ejected at the beginning of the third quarter after drawing two technical fouls for arguing with a referee. Perhaps Chandler just didn't feel like playing anymore, considering the Suns were down by 27 at the time. Chandler now has three technical fouls this preseason.

Markieff Morris (7 points on 3-13 shooting) also got one of his own (technicals) in the first half.

I'm beginning to think it's entirely possible that by trading Marcus Morris (who had nine technical fouls last season), but signing Chandler (who had 11)... the Suns may not have solved one of their issues from last season (third most technical fouls in the NBA).

Eric Bledsoe sat out the game with a tummy ache. It's preseason.

With backup point guard Ronnie Price also ill, it didn't help matters that Brandon Knight was in foul trouble all night. Well, not all night. He fouled out midway through the third period.

Wilson Chandler led the Nuggets with 19 rebounds. Unfortunately for him, this was a preseason game. Otherwise, it would have been a new career high... topping his previous high of 17 in a game back on January 1, 2010.

Will Barton and Nikola Jokic both scored 19 off the bench for Denver.

This will be a good one to put in the rearview mirror. I guess now we know who bad this team is capable of playing. At least lots of Suns fans were spared watching an ugly beatdown since it wasn't televised...

Hopefully Eric Bledsoe will be ready to take the reins again next game because the Suns offense has seemed mostly disjointed without him.

Of course, this is preseason.

The Suns have three days off before playing the Spurs in San Antonio on Tuesday.