The Nuggets arrive in Phoenix on Friday with a chance to get back above .500, and the setup is pretty simple: this is the kind of game Denver should expect to handle. The Suns are 1-2, their offense sits 17th in the league, and their defense is last in the NBA. With that backdrop, a Denver loss would raise louder questions than any injury report can explain away.
Still, the Nuggets are managing a short list of absences and a couple of situations worth watching. Denver has Cameron Johnson listed as questionable with a right ankle sprain, while Spencer Jones has been ruled out with bilateral hamstring injury management. After being without Cameron Johnson, Alpha Diallo, Spencer Jones, and Julian Strawther for each of the last three games, the Nuggets could finally get some help back in the mix.
The team’s health has been trending in the right direction, and that matters here because the matchup offers real opportunity. If Johnson is available, Denver gets a needed boost to its three-point game.
If Diallo is able to return, that gives the Nuggets a chance to shore up some of the defensive issues that have been hanging around early in the season. Getting both players back would change the feel of this trip in a hurry.
Denver is still missing Jones and Strawther, so this is not a completely clean bill of health. But even with those setbacks, the Nuggets have enough to work with against a Suns team dealing with its own concerns. Phoenix remains without starting center Mark Williams, who has not played yet this season.
That absence has pushed young center Khaman Maluach into a larger role, and Friday brings a notable test for him: a matchup with three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. On paper, it is the kind of spot where Denver should be able to control the night.
The Suns also enter with some internal tension. NBA insider Chris Haynes reported, "There's some growing frustration within that locker room for the simple fact that that roster does not have a point guard that can organize that offense."
For Denver, the path is clear enough. A road win would move the Nuggets to 3-2, while a loss would make the start to the season look a lot shakier than it already has.
Tipoff is set for 8:00 p.m. MT in Phoenix on Friday.
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When Denver moved Peyton Watson in a sign-and-trade after contract talks stalled, it was the kind of decision that could have looked risky if the wrong side of the deal got the better end. A player who had flashed enough last season to make the Nuggets think twice was suddenly in Cleveland, and the question for Denver became whether the roster could absorb the loss without creating another hole on the wing.
So far, the early returns have made the Nuggets offseason pivot look more sensible. Watson has not found the same rhythm from deep with the Cavaliers that he showed in Denver, while rookie Trevon Brazile has stepped into a similar role and given the Nuggets a cheaper option to develop. It is still early, but Denver has reason to feel better about the way it handled the situation. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets May Have Found The Frontcourt Defender They Desperately Needed
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What has made Brazile especially intriguing is how quickly his defense has translated to the NBA level. He has been limiting opponents efficiency and giving Denver a sturdier look on that end of the floor, which matters for a team trying to build consistency around its bigger lineups. The bigger question now is whether this early impact is the start of a real role, or just the first glimpse of what he can become. [Read more 🡒]
Christian Braun Is Starting To Quiet A Big Nuggets Concern
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The offensive growth matters just as much for a roster that needs reliable two-way production around its stars. Braun has shown more variety in how he scores, including a willingness to get to mid-range spots and make plays for others, which helps explain why his recent form has stood out. If this is the version of Braun Denver gets consistently, it goes a long way toward making his contract look like a smart bet rather than a lingering question. [Read more 🡒]