WHO: Phoenix suns (2-1) vs. Denver Nuggets (0-2)

When: 5:30 PM Arizona time

Where: Ball Arena, Denver, CO

Watch: ESPN

What looked somewhat pedestrian in their first preseason loss to the Detroit Pistons at home — granted, the Suns were missing key players Devin Booker, Jusuf Nurkic and Grayson Allen — a trip through the Colorado Mountains to Denver offers a chance for Phoenix to continue to build on the There are already positive signals.

Denver has yet to win in the preseason and is playing the defending Boston Celtics (who at least look in regular season form) twice in a row. So the timing is right to build on the good things we’ve seen so far with Beal, Durant, Tyus Jones and the rookies – Dunn and Oso.

We can see more of this tonight!

Can the Suns hold the Nuggets scoreless?

Will we see the bench crowd play a breakout game?

Were the inconsistent signs we saw defensively and in terms of intensity just a preseason blip?

Who will Royce O’Neale wrestle next for possession and a jump ball?

Starting lineups

Injury report

Sunbathing

Jusuf Nurkic — OUT (middle finger)

Grayson Allen — OUT (Achilles)

Devin Booker — OUT (ankle soreness)

Josh Okogie – OUT (hamstring soreness)

Gold nuggets

DaRon Holmes II — OUT (Achilles)

Peyton Watson — OUT (Hamstring)

What to pay attention to

While Phoenix has missed out on the services of key players, the Denver Nuggets are experiencing their own growing pains during this stage of the preseason. Key figures like KCP – Kentavious Caldwell Pope – leave a starting guard-sized hole in the lineup.

For more background, note the tone Denver fans and others are taking about the deterioration of their roster and the apparent rift between coach and owner here: Michael Malone, Nuggets brass who ‘doesn’t see eye-to-eye’.

No doubt we can keep an eye on any discord that builds in Denver, starting with this preseason matchup!

Keys to a Suns victory

Ultimately, both the Suns and Denver are looking to build off a successful regular season and make a deep run into the playoffs in April 2025. But a win here? It will come down to getting comfortable early and keeping Denver from developing a dynamic offense through Nurkic.

On paper, the Suns look like the better team, but with a home field and familiarity with the altitude, this could turn into a preseason rock fight. I’m hoping that when both teams go to their benches, we’ll see a rejuvenated Suns team dig in and pull it out.

Prediction

Suns win modestly – Denver continues to struggle with personnel issues:

Suns 113, Nuggets 102

Royce O’Neals scores the 2-0 jump ball wrestlingand taking one away from Christian Braun.