The Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets face off at 5:30 pm Saturday in Game 1 of their NBA Playoffs Western Conference semifinals series. Follow our score updates for the latest news and analysis from the game.
The Suns are shooting the ball really well in the second half. But the Nuggets continue to shine from 3-point range, making it hard for Phoenix to make a dent in this Denver lead.
Denver is 13-for-26 from 3-point range. Jamal Murray now has 22 points and is 4-for-6 from 3. Aaron Gordon is 3-for-3 from 3-point range and has 19 points.
Phoenix outscored Denver in the quarter, 20-18, but the Nuggets had an answer for every Suns’ run.
Score: Nuggets 86, Suns 71 (4:05 left in third quarter)
The first half of the Suns vs. Nuggets NBA Playoffs series is in the books.
And it belonged to Denver.
The Nuggets dominated the first half at Ball Arena building a 68-51 lead after 24 minutes.
The Suns shot the ball well in the first half, going 22-for-40 from the field, but they had too many turnovers (9) and allowed too many offensive rebounds (12) and second-chance points to the Nuggets.
Denver went 9-for-17 from 3 in the first half. The Suns were 2-for-5.
Nikola Jokic had 14 rebounds in the first half. The Suns had 15 rebounds as a team.
Kevin Durant had 19 points in the first half for the Suns, while Devin Booker had 14.
Aaron Gordon had 16 points for Denver on 6-for-6 shooting from the field (2-for-2 from 3). He also went 2-for-2 from the free throw line.
The Suns certainly have a lot of offensive firepower and are more than capable of going on a huge run.
But the first 24 minutes of this series belonged to the Nuggets.
Score: Nuggets 68, Suns 51 (halftime)
The telling stat of the first half of the Suns vs. Nuggets game so far?
The Nuggets have 12 offensive rebounds. The Suns have one.
That’s not going to get the job done for Phoenix.
Denver has built a 60-47 lead and has all the momentum. The Nuggets are in rhythm offensively, while the Suns seem to be struggling to get anything going.
A second telling stat so far? The Nuggets are 9-for-16 from 3-point range.
The Suns are 2-for-4 from 3.
The third telling stat? Phoenix has nine turnovers. Denver has four (The Nuggets hold a 12-2 lead on points off turnovers).
The Suns obviously want to start turning those stats around.
Score: Nuggets 60, Suns 47 (2:22 left in second quarter)
The Nuggets have built a 49-41 lead on the Suns midway through the second quarter.
Aaron Gordon has been the catalyst for the Nuggets. He has 13 points on 5-for-5 shooting from the field.
Kevin Durant sat out the first 3:18 of the second quarter, before returning and giving Devin Booker his first breather.
Denver outscored Phoenix in the second quarter, 18-9.
The Suns are down by nine despite shooting 18-for-27 from the field. The Nuggets are getting a lot of offensive rebounds (9) and second-chance points in the game.
Denver is 19-for-38 from the field.
Denver outscored Phoenix 21-14 with Nikola Jokic on the bench at the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second.
Score: Nuggets 49, Suns 41 (6:41 left in second quarter)
Much has been made of the depth advantage the Nuggets have over the Suns, and the little bench production Phoenix got in the series against the Los Angeles Clippers. Will that depth hurt Phoenix in the altitude in Denver?
Kevin Durant and Devin Booker did not exit the game in the first quarter.
Durant scored 15 points in the quarter, Booker scored 8. The Suns went 14-for-21 from the field.
The Nuggets went 12-for-28 from the field. Jamal Murray led Denver with 10 points.
Denver held a 14-8 rebound advantage in the first quarter and an 8-1 edge in offensive rebounds.
Neither team got any points from its bench in the first 12 minutes.
Score: Suns 32, Nuggets 31 (end of first quarter)
Kevin Durant is off to a hot start for the Suns in Game 1 against the Nuggets.
Durant is 4-for-5 from the field for a team-high nine points.
Jamal Murray is 3-for-4 from the field for a game-high 10 points for Denver.
The Nuggets have scored six straight to take a 25-20 lead in the first quarter, the largest lead for either team.
Score: Nuggets 25, Suns 20 (3:22 left in first quarter)
The Suns and Nuggets are putting on an offensive show early in Game 1 of their NBA Playoffs series.
The Suns are 6-for-8 from the field at the first break in action at Ball Arena in Denver.
The Nuggets are 5-for-7.
The Suns hit their first six shots of the game.
Denver’s Jamal Murray leads all scorers with eight points on 3-for-3 shooting. Kevin Durant and Deandre Ayton each have four points for Phoenix.
Devin Booker has all four of the Suns assists in the early going.
Score: Suns 13, Nuggets 13 (6:46 left in first quarter)
The Suns have a change in their starting lineup for Game 1. They are going back to Josh Okogie in the starting lineup alongside Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton.
Torrey Craig started for Phoenix in the series against the Los Angeles Clippers, but Okogie and the Suns had success with him in the starting lineup down the stretch of the regular season.
The Nuggets are starting Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Nikola Jokic, Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon.
The Suns vs. Nuggets game on Saturday can be seen on TNT.
You can see the complete schedule for the Suns vs. Nuggets NBA Playoffs series here.
Suns vs. Nuggets Game 1 prediction
USA TODAY Sports’ Sportsbook Wire has the Suns winning Game 1, 128-120.
It writes: “The Suns are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 Saturday games, and the Nuggets are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 conference semi-final games. Phoenix is also 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings in Denver .”
You can see other picks and predictions for the contest here.
The Nuggets are a 3.5-point favorite over the Suns, according to Tipico Sportsbook.
Denver is -160 on the moneyline, while Phoenix is +140.
The over/under for the game is set at 227.5 points.
You can see more odds for the Suns vs. Nuggets NBA Playoffs series here.
Michael C. Wright of NBA.com picks the Suns to win the series in seven games.
He writes: “The winner of this series likely winds up in the NBA Finals, especially when you consider the dogfights in progress on the other side of the bracket with Sacramento and Golden State. Phoenix possesses all the offensive firepower between stars Durant and Booker, but Denver can lean on its depth and overall cohesiveness under coach Michael Malone, the NBA’s fourth-longest tenured coach. Still, the Suns are growing every game that Durant and Booker are on the floor together.”
You can see more predictions for the Suns vs. Nuggets NBA Playoffs series here.
Pregame reading for Suns vs. Nuggets Game 1
Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton have lots to prove
Here’s why Kevin Durant, Devin Booker will lead the Phoenix Suns past the Denver Nuggets in six
Chris Paul: Phoenix Suns will ‘figure it out’ against No. 1-seed Denver Nuggets in semifinals
Game on: As the Suns’ playoff party continues in Denver, we have your storylines, back stories
Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr. says he hasn’t watched Devin Booker, Suns in 2023 playoffs
The Phoenix Suns are last in the NBA Playoffs in bench production. Is Cameron Payne the answer?
The Republic’s writers explain what Suns must do to win Game 1 vs. Nuggets
Reach Jeremy Cluff at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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