The one-seeded Nuggets are just two wins shy of a Western Conference Finals berth after finishing atop the Suns 97-87 in Game 2 in Denver to take a two-games-to-nothing lead in their best-of-seven series.
Two-time MVP Nikola Jokić was incredible for Denver finishing with 39 points, 16 rebounds, and five assists on 17-of-30 shooting.
Jamal Murray had a difficult shooting night finishing with just 10 points on 3-of-15 from the field and 0-of-9 from three, however, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – 14 points on 4-of-4 from three – and Aaron Gordon – 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting – did what they could to help pick up some of the offensive slack.
The first half proved back-and-forth with neither team jumping ahead by more than a half-dozen at any stage.
Some superb shot-making courtesy of Devin Booker helped the Suns build an eight-point lead mid-way through the third quarter.
Suns point guard Chris Paul left the game with four-and-a-half minutes to play in the third and was unable to return due to groin tightness.
Phoenix will be sweating on the 37-year-old’s health as the series shifts back to Arizona for Games 3 and 4.
The visitors were outscored 42-28 after Paul exited the game thanks to a dominant fourth-quarter, Denver run headed by a trio of Caldwell-Pope threes and eight Jokić points.
The Suns scored just 14 fourth-quarter points on 7-of-25 shooting as the Nuggets surged towards a decisive Game 2 win.
Booker and Kevin Durant were the only Suns to make multiple shots in the final period.
Denver dominated the paint battle and restricted the Suns to just 6-of-31 from behind the arc.
Phoenix’s well-documented lack of bench production was again a thorn in their side with their reserves combining for just four points on 2-of-16 shooting.
Booker did what he could to keep Phoenix in it finishing with 35 points, five rebounds, and six assists on 14-of-29 shooting – he is now the Suns all-time playoff leader in games with 35+ points, 5+ rebounds, and 5+ assists.
Durant, meanwhile, had 24 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks but hit on just 10 of his 27 field goal attempts and two of his 12 three-point attempts.
Deandre Ayton – who finished with 14 points and eight rebounds – was the only other Sun to finish in double figures as Phoenix stooped to their second-lowest scoring total of the season.
The scene of the series now shifts to Phoenix on Saturday with the Suns desperate to get one back on Denver and keep their championship hopes alive.
