The Denver Nuggets battle with the Portland Trail Blazers was decisive to say the least. Both teams seemed to have the advantage at multiple points in the series, with the Nuggets managing to avoid a Game 7 by winning the series 4-2.
Now, this Denver team is faced with the tough task of defeating the second-seeded Phoenix team, who are coming off a 4-2 series victory over the reigning champion Los Angeles Lakers.
Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and Deandre Ayton were all fantastic for the Suns in the series against LeBron and the Lakers, and will be looking to carry their momentum into a battle with Denver.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets were led by MVP Nikola Jokic, Michael Porter Jr., and other key contributors to help them get over Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers. Both teams will be worn out from their previous series’, and hungry to move onto the conference finals.
This series is set to be a big moment for the injury depleted Denver Nuggets, who will be looking to win their second series in a row without star point guard Jamal Murray, who is out for the rest of the season. If this team is to pull off another incredible series victory over a dominant opponent, they will need to take advantage of their matchups and their strengths.
This article will feature my scouting report on both teams and the potential match ups that will define the series, starting with a challenging guard battle for the Nuggets to a historic battle in the paint between Nikola Jokic and Deandre Ayton.
Denver Nuggets vs Phoenix Suns series preview: Backcourt battle
Once again, the Denver Nuggets are outmatched at the guard position in a playoff series without Jamal Murray. While both Facundo Campazzo and Austin Rivers had a decent series against the Portland Trail Blazers, they were unsurprisingly outscored by the offensive duo of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. This series with the Suns will be no different, as Devin Booker will find ways to get his points and Chris Paul will always find ways to be effective.
Both teams also have good reserves for the backcourt, as both Monte Morris and Cameron Payne can light a fire under the bench to help their teams keep momentum. Morris showcased this a number of times in the series with the Blazers, with the guard scoring a combined 50 points in Game 5 and 6.
Campazzo and Rivers will need to be offensively productive and attempt to limit both Paul and Booker’s effectiveness to help the Nuggets chance at winning. While they will not be able to stop Booker from scoring, limiting his shots and putting pressure on him will go a long way to taking him out of the game.
Campazzo’s playmaking abilities and the way he is able to disrupt the opposing team’s offensive play is going to be a crucial aspect going forward. Meanwhile, Austin Rivers must not be afraid to take a shot and light up the other team, as we all know he is capable of doing.
Payne and Morris’ battle on the bench will also help out their teams, as both will look to get their teams rolling. Morris’ main objective will be outscoring Payne and keeping the momentum going for the Nuggets. If Morris can do this, the Nuggets will have a good chance at getting over the Suns, despite the likelihood that Booker will light them up at stages throughout the series.
Denver Nuggets vs Phoenix Suns series preview: Wing battle
The wing battle is an intriguing prospect for both teams, as the Nuggets look to have a more offensive wing tandem, featuring both Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon. Porter has been excellent since the injury of Jamal Murray, becoming Denver’s secondary option on the offensive end. The young star showed some of his potential to be a dominant force, hitting 22 points in one quarter during Game 6 against the Blazers.
Aaron Gordon has also been vital for the Nuggets, helping them both on the offensive and defensive end, showcasing his great abilities to be a two way player and a playmaker for this team. Added to this starting pair is a bench consisting of veteran Paul Millsap and JaMychal Green, who provide solid options and leadership off the bench.
While the Nuggets wings look to be stronger on paper, Denver needs to not underestimate the Suns interesting wing rotation. Led by starters Mikal Bridges and Jae Crowder, Phoenix have some great defenders who will be focused on limiting the impact of Porter.
Both Bridges and Crowder are effective from beyond the arc, while Cameron Johnson and former Nugget Torrey Craig provide the team with valuable production off the bench.
Bridges will be given the tough task of locking down Porter, which he is more than capable of doing after playing a series against LeBron James. If the Nuggets are to be successful, Porter will need to rise above the tough defensive matchups he will face and continue to stand tall as a star for this team.
Denver Nuggets vs Phoenix Suns series preview: Battle of the bigs
This matchup is likely to be a series definer, with the battle between two of the best big men in the NBA in Deandre Ayton and Nikola Jokic. And boy is it likely to be a treat for fans.
Both players have started the playoffs strong, with Ayton averaging 15.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per contest, while Jokic has averaged an insane 33 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists.
While Jokic is overall the better player, the Serbian superstar has praised his opponent before the series begins. He said that Ayton “guards him well,” with the stats proving that Ayton is a tough opponent for Jokic.
The Joker is still likely to get his buckets, however Ayton will be his toughest matchup in the playoffs thus far, as the Suns star big man will surely make life difficult for the MVP frontrunner. Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic managed to limit Jokic’s abilities as a playmaker, however Joker still managed to get buckets, meaning Ayton may need to use a different strategy.
While Ayton will struggle defending Jokic, the Nuggets superstar will also have trouble defending Ayton, as the big man has been able to score buckets this post season. Their battle is sure to be a defining point for the season, with the player who gets the upper hand in each game providing a valuable boost for their respective teams. This matchup is sure to be the story to watch this series.