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PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns improved to 42-35 and remain at No. 4 in the Western Conference after their 100-93 win over the Denver Nuggets Friday night at Footprint Center.
Suns forward Kevin Durant had 30 points on 11-of-15 shooting and guard Devin Booker had 27 points on 9-of-20 shooting with six assists.
Here were our live updates for how the game unfolded.
Fourth Quarter
FINAL: #Suns 100
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) April 1, 2023
Nuggets 93
Phoenix is two games above the Clippers for No. 4 in the West. It improves to 42-35.
Devin Booker and Kevin Durant combined for 57.
— 1:55 left: The Suns lead the Nuggets, 97-91.
Phoenix’s lead fell to four but Booker just had a huge finger-roll in the paint. He’s up to 27 points. Durant has 30. Nuggets timeout.
Durant goes out with 5:02 left. Paul, Booker, Okogie, Craig and Ayton. #Suns up 95-87.
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) April 1, 2023
— 6:48 left: The Suns are up on the Nuggets 92-85.
Denver has cut Phoenix’s lead to as few as five. Durant has 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting. Booker has not entered yet this quarter.
Third Quarter
END Q3: #Suns 84
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) April 1, 2023
Nuggets 74
Phoenix was on its way to what looked like a runaway win but Denver has fought back. The Nuggets forced some turnovers and got out in transition. They have 20 fast-break points.
Booker has 25. Durant has 23. pic.twitter.com/XVaSD8GFFP
Phoenix’s lead is down to 75-59 after a 14-3 run from the Nuggets. #Suns are a little relaxed offensively and Denver has gotten some steals and forced turnovers. Monty Williams calls timeout.
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) April 1, 2023
Phoenix’s lead is down to 75-59 after a 14-3 run from the Nuggets. #Suns are a little relaxed offensively and Denver has gotten some steals and forced turnovers. Monty Williams calls timeout.
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) April 1, 2023
The Suns led 72-45 with 8:12 left in the third quarter. Phoenix then saw its lead fall to eight thanks to resilient play from Denver.
The #Suns have three starters in double figures now after a 3 from Josh Okogie, who has 11 points.
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) April 1, 2023
Phoenix up 75-55 with 5:09 left in the third.
8:12 left: The Suns lead the Nuggets, 72-45.
It’s been a clinic for the Suns this quarter. They have been flowing well on both ends and have now held the Nuggets to 19-of-55 (34.5 percent) from the field.
Durant has 23 points on 8-of-10 shooting in 19 minutes. Booker has 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting and four assists. Paul has 11 assists.
Phoenix is continuing to build on its largest lead of the game.
KD picking up where he left off to start the second half. pic.twitter.com/m095lZ30hm
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) April 1, 2023
Second Quarter
HALFTIME: #Suns 60
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) April 1, 2023
Nuggets 40
Star duo of Kevin Durant (19 points, 6-of-8 shooting) and Devin Booker (18 points, 6-of-10) thriving. Phoenix is shooting 50 percent from the field and 5-of-11 from 3. 30 to 22 edge on the glass.
First half stats here: pic.twitter.com/vR1nGCu2ex
Really liked the guard-to-wing screen the #Suns had from Chris Paul to Josh Okogie in what looked like semi-transition. Okogie slipped his pick fast and was wide open at the rim for a dunk. #Suns up 53-36 with 3:05 left in the 1st half. Devin Booker up to 15 points. KD has 19.
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) April 1, 2023
— 6:02 left: The Suns are up on the Nuggets, 40-32.
Durant is on a tear. He has 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting (2-of-3 from 3-point range). He is finding his flow and looks very effective. Every shot looks easy for him.
Meanwhile, Phoenix is playing great defense. It has limited Denver to 14-of-37 shooting (37.8 percent) and 1-of-8 (12.5 percent) from 3-point range.
The Nuggets are second in the NBA in 3-point percentage, but it is understandably limited without four starters. It is still an encouraging stat for the Suns.
First Quarter
END Q1: #Suns 32
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) April 1, 2023
Nuggets 20
Impressive first quarter for the Suns, who seem to be finding the rhythm they need with Kevin Durant back with starters.
Durant was terrific with 12 points on 4-of-4 shooting in seven minutes. Devin Booker has 9 points.
Stats: pic.twitter.com/NUuoddABP4
— 3:21 left: Suns lead the Nuggets 24-17.
Phoenix is off to a better shooting start than Wednesday. The Suns are 9-of-15 from the field (3-of-5) from 3-point range.
Kevin Durant in 7 minutes: 12 points on 4-of-4 from the field. He’s made two threes.
Devin Booker has five, Deandre Ayton has four and Chris Paul has three.
Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon has seven points. Denver is shooting 8-of-18 but has an 11-6 rebounding edge.
The Nuggets also have 16 points in the paint compared to Phoenix’s eight.
Book KD pic.twitter.com/JW7xal2h2h
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) April 1, 2023
Deandre (Ayton) vs. DeAndre (Jordan) at tip-off. #Suns’ Deandre wins.
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) April 1, 2023
PREGAME
— The Suns will have the same starting lineup as Wednesday: Paul, Booker, Okogie, Durant and Ayton.
Starters for the Nuggets: G Reggie Jackson, G Bruce Brown, F Christian Braun, F Aaron Gordon, C DeAndre Jordan.
Book in the house.@PlayAtGila | #WeAreTheValley pic.twitter.com/5FWwptDUzb
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) April 1, 2023
— Here is our story on the Nuggets’ absences tonight. The article also includes an embedded video of Suns coach Monty Williams’ pregame press conference.
Kevin Durant getting in pregame work with Jarrett Jack #Suns pic.twitter.com/nN1N3KuhMi
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) April 1, 2023
Monty Williams spoke pregame about the #Suns’ chemistry with Kevin Durant to this point:
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) April 1, 2023
“I think it’s just something that we have to continue to grow and see where we are, because we don’t have the luxury of a ton of games. But it is what it is.”
(Video below):
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