The Denver Nuggets will look for a measure of revenge against the Phoenix Suns Friday night at the Pepsi Center.
The Matchup: Phoenix Suns (6-5) at Denver Nuggets (6-6)
Location: Pepsi Center
Time: Friday, November 20 at 7 p.m. MT
How to Watch: Altitude
Betting Line (per Bovada): Suns by 2.5
Projected Starting Lineups:
Denver – PG Emmanuel Mudiay, SG Gary Harris, SF Danilo Gallinari, PF Kenneth Faried, C J.J. Hickson
Houston – PG Eric Bledsoe, SG Brandon Knight, SF P.J. Tucker, PF Markieff Morris, C Tyson Chandler
The Denver Nuggets will seek redemption come Friday night at the Pepsi Center, when they host the Phoenix Suns. The two teams met just six days ago in Phoenix, where the Suns demolished the Nuggets 105-81.
Denver was playing their third game in four nights against the Suns, so fatigue was undoubtedly a factor in the outcome. The Nuggets shot the ball very poorly in the first meeting with the Suns, settling for way too many outside shots and primarily threes. Denver chucked up 35 long-range bombs against Phoenix, making only six of those attempts.
Shot selection has been a big factor in the Nuggets wins and losses this season. In the Nuggets’ six losses this season, they’ve averaged 91 field-goal attempts and have a three-point shooting average of 26.2 percent. In their six wins, on the other hand, the Nuggets have averaged only 81 field-goal attempts and a three-point shooting percentages of 42.1 percent.
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This shows that when the Nuggets minimize possessions, utilizing their defense and rebounding, they not only win more often, but also shoot more efficient shots. For Denver, not getting in a shootout again or chucking up bad perimeter shots against Phoenix could go a long way in its chances to win this time around.
Denver will first need to control the glass against Phoenix to have success in the team’s second meeting, something they didn’t do in the first game. The Suns outrebounded the Nuggets 57-42 in their 105-81 win, having seven players finish with at least five rebounds in the victory. The Nuggets were led by Will Barton with 12 rebounds, but didn’t get much production on the glass from their starting frontcourt. Kenneth Faried and J.J. Hickson only combined for 11 rebounds in the first meeting with Phoenix, something that will need to change for Denver to win.
Lastly, Denver needs more from its starting five in this game. The Nuggets starters only accounted for 30 points in the loss to Phoenix, while shooting a combined 12-44 (27.2 percent) from the field. The Suns starting unit doubled that output, scoring 62 points on a combined 24-45 (53.3 percent) shooting from the field.
The Nuggets will need more from Danilo Gallinari and Emmanuel Mudiay, who combined for only 21 points on 30 shots in game one against the Suns. Denver will also need to contain the backcourt of Brandon Knight and Eric Bledsoe this time around, Bledsoe finished with 30 points in the first meeting.
Player to Watch: Danilo Gallinari
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Gallo has been great for Denver this season so far through 12 games, averaging a career-best 18.3 points per game.
However, he has been a Jekyll and Hyde of sorts over the Nuggets last four games, scoring over 25 points in two Denver wins and failing to reach double digits in two Denver losses. In the two wins, Gallo averaged 29.5 points, 5.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds while shooting 68 percent from the field and 66 percent from beyond the arc.
Gallo was a different player in the two losses against the Spurs and Suns, though, averaging only 8.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists in those games on 19 percent shooting from the field and 28.5 percent shooting from the three-point line. I expect more of the Jekyll here from Gallo, especially given his poor performance in the first meeting against Phoenix. He should play well and put up similar numbers to what he did in the Nuggets past two wins.
Look for Denver to rebound the ball better here and try to minimize possessions against the Suns this time out. The Nuggets should also get more out of their starters and I look forward to seeing how Mudiay responds after a rough outing against Bledsoe last game.
I think Gallinari has a monster game, but ultimately think Denver falls short to a Suns team that just flat out matches up well with them. I think Denver’s willingness to shoot bad threes and waste possessions offensively will cost them once again versus the Suns.
Next: Nuggets Put in Great Effort, Fall Short to Spurs
Final Score Prediction: Suns 103, Nuggets 97