Deadspin | Struggling Suns need wins, Nuggets next team in way

With 5 weeks left in the common season, the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets are battling for playoff positioning. Whereas Denver is jockeying for the second general seed in the Western Convention, Phoenix is preventing for its postseason life.

The Suns sit exterior the play-in event with 20 video games left, and each a type of is a chance to realize floor, beginning on the Nuggets on Friday night time.

Phoenix received two of three video games, the newest in opposition to the Los Angeles Clippers once they rallied from 23 down. The victory was overshadowed by star Kevin Durant exchanging heated phrases with coach Mike Budenholzer in entrance of the Suns bench in the course of the recreation, which Durant downplayed after the very fact.

“He permits me as a participant on the team, a veteran on the team, to voice my opinion,” Durant mentioned postgame. “If we each did not care, we’d by no means have stuff like that. … That reveals that me and Bud actually care about attempting to proper this ship and attempting to win basketball video games.”

The 6-foot-11 energy ahead was instrumental in the comeback with 34 factors, and Durant leads Phoenix in scoring at 26.9 factors per recreation. Devin Booker is second (25.9 ppg) and Bradley Beal rounds out the highest three (17.6).

Friday kicks off a crucial four-game street journey in opposition to groups forward of the Suns in the standings. It is also the final of 4 video games between them and Denver, with the Nuggets profitable two of the primary three, together with one at Phoenix on Feb. 8.

Durant missed that loss with an ankle damage, and the Suns missed his 25-point common over two appearances in opposition to Denver this season.

The Nuggets are banged up heading into the matchup. Reserve guard Julian Strawther will miss not less than 4 weeks with a left knee sprain and Aaron Gordon has sat out the final three video games with a left ankle sprain.

Denver did get Peyton Watson again from his proper knee damage in the win over Sacramento on Wednesday night time. He scored two factors in 16 minutes in his first recreation since Jan. 31.

“It felt good to be again, felt good to go on the market and assist the team win the sport,” mentioned Watson, who leads the team in blocks with 1.2 per recreation. “Positively some rust to knock off. I’m not one for excuses. I’m right here to assist us get wins and assist us win video games. That’s my position on this team. I need to be higher on Friday.”

The Nuggets acquired a lift from their bench in Wednesday’s win and a giant carry from Russell Westbrook, who began in place of Gordon. He had 25 factors and is averaging 12.9 factors a recreation, tied with Gordon for fifth, and can also be tied with Jamal Murray for second in assists with 6.1 per recreation

Jokic leads the team in scoring (28.8 ppg), rebounds (12.8) and assists (10.4) — inserting him in the NBA’s high three in every class. Murray is second in scoring at 21.4 factors a recreation and Michael Porter Jr. is averaging 18.4 factors.

–Discipline Degree Media