Denver Nuggets (13-6, second in the Western Conference) vs. Phoenix Suns (11-7, fifth in the Western Conference)
Phoenix; Friday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Phoenix will try to keep its three-game home win streak alive when the Suns play Denver.
The Suns have gone 8-5 against Western Conference teams. Phoenix ranks seventh in the Western Conference in rebounding averaging 44.2 rebounds. Jusuf Nurkic leads the Suns with 9.3 boards.
The Nuggets are 11-4 against Western Conference opponents. Denver is second in the Western Conference scoring 55.7 points per game in the paint led by Nikola Jokic averaging 18.2.
The 116.4 points per game the Suns average are 6.7 more points than the Nuggets give up (109.7). The Nuggets average 11.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.4 more makes per game than the Suns give up.
TOP PERFORMERS: Devin Booker is scoring 27.3 points per game and averaging 5.4 rebounds for the Suns. Kevin Durant is averaging 26.7 points and 5.7 rebounds over the last 10 games for Phoenix.
Michael Porter Jr. is averaging 17.6 points and 7.9 rebounds for the Nuggets. Jokic is averaging 26.0 points and 12.1 rebounds while shooting 52.4% over the past 10 games for Denver.
LAST 10 GAMES: Suns: 7-3, averaging 119.6 points, 43.1 rebounds, 26.6 assists, 6.4 steals and 6.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.9 points per game.
Nuggets: 5-5, averaging 112.5 points, 43.8 rebounds, 28.9 assists, 5.9 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.1 points.
INJURIES: Suns: Grayson Allen: out (illness), Damion Lee: out (knee), Bradley Beal: out (back).
Nuggets: Vlatko Cancar: out (knee), Aaron Gordon: out (heel).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
The Associated Press
