Devin Booker was the outstanding leader of Phoenix, with 35 points
The Suns accused the poor performance of their bench
The Denver Nuggets, with 39 points and 16 rebounds from the Serbian Nikola Jokicimposed their law this Monday at home and beat the Suns 97-87 to take a 2-0 lead in the NBA Western Conference semifinals, with the series now moving to Phoenix with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant against the ropes.
With a fourth period in which the Nuggets they barely conceded fourteen points to their rivals, Michael Malone’s teamthe best of the regular season in the West, added a momentous victory to trigger the pressure on the Suns, forced to react at home and with the doubt of Chris Paul, who retired in the third period due to a pubic problem.
Jokic led the Nuggets by the hand on a very difficult night for Jamal Murraythe protagonist of the first game, which this Monday did not exceed ten points, with a modest three of fifteen in shots.
But the two-time MVP Jokic sealed a tremendous double double and was supported by a Kentavious Caldwell Pope (14 points and four of four on 3-pointers) who stepped up in the moment of need with two consecutive 3-pointers to lead off the fourth quarter that frustrated the Suns.
Devin Booker was the outstanding leader for Phoenix, with 35 points, five rebounds and six assists, while Kevin Durant finished with 24 points and eight rebounds, but a modest two of twelve from three-point range.
The Suns, who revolutionized their team in February to sign Durant in search of the first ring in their history, once again they paid the low contribution of their benchwith just four points for the thirteen of the Nuggets.
It was a game marked by intense defenses that they complicated the work of great scorers like Durant or Murray. And if the first was picking up pace after starting with a zero of four in shots, the second suffered all night.
The balance was maximum, with constant changes of leaders on the scoreboard, and the first to try to deal a real blow to the party was Booker, with a tremendous third period of fourteen points.
After a first half in which the maximum advantage was six points, for the Nuggets, the Suns had an eight-point margin at 64-56but the locals answered quickly and balanced the clash again, relying on a saving Jokic.
Booker’s big moment collided with fear for Paul, who left the track with 4.32 to play in the third quarter after noticing pain in the pubic area. After a few minutes in the locker room, the Suns reported that the point guard would not return.
The Nuggets rocked and Caldwell Pope sealed two consecutive triples to put them ahead 76-73 in an excellent start to the fourth period.
Durant hit good baskets from midrange, but he also had to live with the problems of fouls, already taking four by the middle of the third period.
Without Paul organizing the game, the Suns lost order and took shots with little preparationwhich took its toll on them in the fourth quarter, when the Suns sealed a 21-8 run that gave them a ten-point lead with 1:34 left to play.
A new triple by Caldwell Pope and a great jump basket by Murray left the Suns definitely touched.
ANDThe third and fourth games will be played on Friday and Sundayrespectively, in Phoenix, with Monty Williams’ team no longer having a margin for error to avoid elimination.