On April 1, Beijing time, the Suns defeated the No. 1 Nuggets in the West 100-93 at home to win four straight games. The Nuggets put Jokic, Murray, Porter and Pope in a truce. Durant bounced back and scored 30 points on 11-of-15 shooting, Booker also scored 27 points and Paul added 13 assists. The Suns led by as many as 27 points, but the Nuggets, who played in the remaining team, narrowed the gap to four points at one point. In the end, the Suns withstood the pressure to win. After this game, the rankings of the two teams did not change, with the Nuggets continuing to be first in the West and the Suns fourth in the West.
Statistics
Nuggets: Gordon 26 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals, Brown 16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals, Jordan Jr. 5 points and 12 rebounds, Jackson 13 points, Braun 11 points;
Suns: Durant 30 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal and 2 blocks, Booker 27 points and 6 assists, Paul 5 points, 6 rebounds and 13 assists, Ayton 8 points and 10 rebounds, Okoji 14 points, Biyombo 9 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks, Warren 4 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals.
Star of the game: Durant
Durant shot 11-of-15 from the field, 2-of-3 from three-point range, 6-of-7 from the free throw line, and scored 30 points efficiently, leading the Suns to defeat the Nuggets, who were home-wresting.
Highlight moments
Gordon backhand dunk!
Durant hit a three-point shot and scored 12 points on 4-of-4 shooting in the first quarter!
Booker's long pass, Durant's fast attack dunk!
Gordon Air Dunk!
Biyombo sent a big hat in the second quarter, and it was Gordon who suffered!
Paul hit the ground and Okoji completed the dunk!
ABCD Wired is coming! Paul passed to Booker, Booker back to Durant, Durant hit the ground again, Ayton completed the dunk!
Brown steals and dunks!
Match Review
In the first quarter, Gordon scored on a dunk, Durant scored 5 points on consecutive free throws, Booker hit a layup, and Durant made another dunk. Brown scored on a layup, Gordon answered a dunk, and Durant hit a three-point shot to score 12 points on 4-of-4 shooting in the first quarter to give the Suns a seven-point lead. Jordan Jr. scored four straight points, and Ayton also played color in the mid-range. Warren and Booker scored back-to-back shots, and the Suns stretched the gap to 15 points. Kankar went on a 2+1 run to give the Suns a 32-20 lead over the Nuggets.
In the second quarter, Brown hooked and scored, Durant hit consecutive shots, Kankar hit another 2+1, Jackson hit a three-pointer, Biyunbo sent a big hat, Gordon scored a basket, and the Nuggets trailed by 8 points. Booker scored five straight points, Okogi hit a three-pointer and then completed a dunk, and Booker hit a free throw to stretch the gap to 20 points. At halftime, the Suns led the Nuggets 60-40, with Durant scoring 19 points and Booker contributing 18.
Brown scored on a layup, Durant hit a free throw, Brian hit a 2+1, and Booker returned a three-pointer. Ayton scored on a dunk and Durant hit a free throw, giving the Suns a 27-point lead. Brown dunked, Gordon made a layup, Braun scored on a fast-break break, Gordon hit another 3-pointer after a dunk, Nagy also hit a 3-pointer, and the Nuggets went on a 27-8 run to close the gap to 8 points. Biyom completed the dunk and finished the third quarter to give the Suns an 84-74 lead over the Nuggets.
In the final quarter, Durant hit a free throw, Smith scored a layup, Braun hit a three-pointer, and Nagy hit a layup. Durant hit a layup, Biyombo dunked, Gordon hit a free throw, and Durant hit a free throw. Brown received a technical foul, and Durant hit a free throw, and he already scored 30 points. Watson dunked and Gordon scored on a rebound, leaving the Nuggets trailing by just four points. Durant blocked Brown, Booker scored on a layup, Brown scored on a layup, Paul hit a three-pointer, and eventually, the Suns beat the Nuggets.
Both sides start
Nuggets: Jackson, Brown, Braun, Gordon, Jordan Jr
Suns: Paul, Booker, Okogie, Durant, Ayton