Author: Monojit Mandal
The Nuggets beat Phoenix 125-107 in the first leg of the NBA Western Conference semi-finals, thanks in no small part to Jamal Murray’s 34 points.
The Suns came into the game as one of the hottest teams in the league, having won nine of their previous 10 games, but they couldn’t match the Nuggets’ firepower. Nikola Jokic, the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, led Denver with 24 points and 19 rebounds, while six other Nuggets players scored in double figures.
The Suns got off to a fast start, hitting 66.7% of their shots in a tense first quarter that saw 14 lead changes. They led by a point at the start of the second quarter, but the Nuggets quickly took control, leading 68-51 at half-time.
Despite the Suns’ best efforts, led by 29 points from two-time NBA champion Kevin Durant and 27 from DevinBooker, the Nuggets responded with every run and the Suns didn’t bring the gap below 10 points in the second half.
Murray stood out, hitting consecutive three-pointers to start a 14-0 run in the fourth quarter that propelled the Nuggets to a 120-95 lead. It was a return to form for Murray, who missed the entire 2017 season due to a left knee ligament injury.
“It’s great to be able to make an impact at the most important time of the year,” Murray told TNT.
The statistics showed Denver’s dominance, as they hit 16 three-pointers against seven from Phoenix and scored 18 points off 16 Suns turnovers.
The win helped the Nuggets to 38-7 at home in the regular season and playoffs. On Monday, they will host the second game of the best-of-seven series.
Jokic went so far as to suggest that the Suns could be considered the favorites in the series, but the Nuggets proved their championship credentials with a strong performance in the first game.
If the Suns want to challenge the Nuggets in game two, they’ll need to recover quickly, but they’ll take heart from their good start and the knowledge that they have the potential to play at the highest level.
Result: Suns 107 – 125 Nuggets