The Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns play on Sunday at 5 pm MST at the Footprint Center in Phoenix in Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinals NBA Playoffs series.
The Nuggets entered the game with a 2-1 series lead. Follow our score updates and analysis of the game.
The Nuggets have built a 9-point lead on the Suns in the first quarter.
Phoenix is pushing the tempo in the game, which has to favor the Suns, as they try to make this a track meet and wear down the Nuggets. But so far, Denver is doing just fine with the up-tempo game.
Kevin Durant is once again getting to the free throw line for Phoenix, he’s 4-for-5 there in the game so far.
Denver is 12-for-22 from the field and 3-for-6 from 3-point range. Phoenix is shooting just 6-for-17 from the field and 1-for-4 from 3-point range.
Score: Nuggets 28, Suns 19 (3:10 left in first quarter)
Will it be the Devin Booker and Kevin Durant Show again for the Suns in Game 4?
The Suns duo combined for 11 of the team’s first 13 points in the early going, with Booker scoring six and Durant five.
Josh Okogie has Phoenix’s other two points.
The Nuggets have four players who have scored so far, with Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic each with four and Michael Porter Jr. and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope with two each.
Score: Suns 13, Nuggets 12 (6:36 left in first quarter)
After a lackluster Game 3, Deandre Ayton didn’t take long to make his presence felt in Game 4 of the Suns vs. Nuggets series.
He had three offensive rebounds on the first possession of the game.
Not a bad start for the Phoenix big man, who came under a lot of criticism for his Game 3 effort (or lack of effort?).
Can Ayton put together a big game for the Suns? That would go a long way in determining whether Phoenix goes back to Denver for Game 5 tied 2-2 in the series, or down 3-1.
Score: Suns 7, Nuggets 4 (8:41 left in first quarter)
There are no surprises in the starting lineups for Game 4 of the Suns vs. Nuggets NBA Playoffs series at Footprint Center in Phoenix on Sunday night.
The Suns are starting Josh Okogie and Kevin Durant at the forward spots, Deandre Ayton at the center and Devin Booker and Cameron Payne as the guards.
The Nuggets are going with Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon as the forwards, Nikola Jokic at center and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jamal Murray as the guards.
The Suns vs. Nuggets game on Sunday can be seen on TNT.
You can see the complete schedule for the Suns vs. Nuggets NBA Playoffs series here.
USA TODAY Sports’ Sportsbook Wire has the Suns winning Game 3, 114-113.
It writes: “The 113.6 points per game the Suns score are just 1.1 more points than the Nuggets allow (112.5). When Phoenix scores more than 112.5 points, it is 31-11-2 against the spread and 34-10 overall. Denver is 36-11-1 against the spread and 40-8 overall when allowing fewer than 113.6 points. The Nuggets score an average of 115.8 points per game, just 4.2 more points than the 111.6 the Suns allow.”
You can see other picks and predictions for the contest here.
The Suns are a 1.5-point favorite over the Nuggets, according to Tipico Sportsbook.
Phoenix is -115 on the moneyline, while Denver is -105.
The over/under for the game is set at 225.5 points.
You can see more odds for the Suns vs. Nuggets NBA Playoffs series here.
Pregame reading for Nuggets vs. Suns Game 4
Phoenix Suns teammates strongly defend Deandre Ayton after career playoff-low performance
What must Phoenix Suns do to win Game 4 vs. Denver Nuggets? Here’s what The Republic’s writers say
NBA Twitter reacts to Devin Booker’s performance in Phoenix Suns’ win vs. Denver Nuggets
How to defend Jamal Murray: Torrey Craig explains Suns’ approach
Kevin Durant ‘at a loss for words’ watching Devin Booker’s epic Game 3 performance in Phoenix Suns must win
Reach Jeremy Cluff at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.