Phoenix Suns get right with Christmas win vs Denver Nuggets

On By Littum

PHOENIX — Merry Christmas, Phoenix Suns fans.

The Suns ended a three-game losing skid in a 110-100 victory over the Denver Nuggets to close out a loaded NBA roster on Christmas Day.

Phoenix — still under Devin Booker and Grayson Allen — found the much-coveted energy and toughness that has eluded them for much of the last few weeks when they seemingly needed it most.

After losing to the Nuggets in Denver just two days before by their biggest margin of defeat this season, the Suns responded exactly as many had hoped.

Phoenix forced 16 turnovers and had 31 assists on the night. Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal both led all scorers with 27 points each.

Mike Budenholzer on the team’s aggressiveness against Jusuf Nurkic: “I mean, the big players, they’ve seen everything, their team has probably seen everything. These guys have been together for a long time, but I think just a mindset of being aggressive is a good place for us to start. So regardless of (Nikola) Jokic and his ability to pass and score and do all the things, I think it’s more just about us and having a good mindset tonight.”

It was the Suns who put their foot on the gas first, coming out of the first quarter with a 38-34 lead. Both Nikola Jokic (15) and Kevin Durant (10) finished the period with double-digit points, while Phoenix made its first six of seven shots from downtown.

The Suns saw their advantage trimmed to just two heading into the locker room in 58-56 fashion. Phoenix turned the ball over just four times in the first half while shooting over 50% from the field. Bradley Beal tied Durant for the Suns’ lead with 14 points.

A series of late plays by Phoenix on both ends of the floor saw the Suns take an 85-78 lead into the fourth. Bench players like Monte Morris and Josh Okogie made their presence felt in the third, a historically bad 12-minute stretch this season for Phoenix.

The Suns pushed their lead to 12 with just over seven minutes left in the fourth quarter and didn’t look back, keeping the Nuggets out of reach until the final buzzer sounded.

Phoenix will stay at the Footprint Center to host the Dallas Mavericks on Friday.