DENVER — The top-seeded Denver Nuggets face the Western Conference favorite Phoenix Suns in a second=round clash featuring perhaps the two best teams in the conference starting Saturday night.
This week, both Locked On Nuggets and Locked On Suns previewed the series from their local perspectives.
“If you lose this series … you might have to look at your team and say where can we be meaningfully better given the guys that we already have?” Locked On Nuggets co-host Adam Mares said of the stakes of the series.
After a solid first round series, Denver guard Jamal Murray figures to be rounding into form in a clash of former University of Kentucky stars.
“I think Devin Booker, who’s been on a tear, is going to be good in this series, and I think Jamal Murray is going to look across and say ‘I’ve gotta match that,’” Mares said.
Booker averaged nearly 40 points per game on better than 60 percent shooting in a first round win over the Clippers.
“I’m not saying Devin Booker is a better player than Kevin Durant, but I will tell you I think he’s maybe a more impactful player than Kevin Durant,” Locked On Nuggets co-host Matt Moore said.
Of course, the Nuggets bring reigning back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic to the battle, who was excellent in the first round as well.
On the Phoenix side, Booker remains the engine for the team’s offense even after the acquisition of two-time NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant in February.
“Book has been dominant on both ends of the floor and I don’t think that’s going to stop against Denver,” Locked On Suns host Brendon Kleen said.
Defense has been a bigger question for the Suns, but a more straightforward, disciplined gameplan may suit the team better against the Nuggets.
“I think from the jump, you kind of just want to play Denver straight up,” Kleen added. “Contest, rotate well, and get a rebound when they miss.”
Much attention will be paid to young center Deandre Ayton in this series as he matches up with Jokic. Two years ago when the Suns swept the Nuggets in the second round, Ayton guarded Jokic well in the post and played with great energy on offense. But Ayton is coming off a down season and an inconsistent performance in the first round.
“Ayton plays him tough, he’s strong, and he seems to only want to play strong when he’s playing against Jokic,” Locked On Suns co-host Aaron Edwards said. “I think he kind of takes that matchup seriously, so if Ayton doesn’t get in foul trouble and keeps his feet on the ground, you can play them straight up and run on misses.”
The Suns are 3.5-point underdogs on the road in Game One, but they are -132 favorites to win the series at the FanDuel Sportsbook.