Nuggets winning easily 132-95 over Suns
The Nuggets winning easily by a score of 132-95 over Phoenix Suns.
Butler’s status may not be known until close to game time after he traveled to Los Angeles to visit a specialist on Friday.
Paul Millsap lead the team in scoring with 20 points, with seven other Nuggets finishing in double digits for points on a night where they faced little opposition from the opposing team’s defense for most of the night. Devin Booker scored 35 points in 30 minutes, but the rest of the team is so bad, it didn’t matter.
Nuggets star center Nikola Jokic will be back in action after being suspended for one game without pay after leaving the bench area on Wednesday while teammate Mason Plumlee and Utah’s Derrick Favors engaged in a shoving match.
Denver didn’t miss its double-double machine — Jokic has posted 20 in the past 25 games — as it steamrolled the visiting Phoenix Suns 132-95 on Friday.
And Nuggets didn’t agree with the discipline of Jokic, but NBA officials ruled he acted in an aggressive manner.
“The rules are the rules,” Denver coach Michael Malone told reporters. “Obviously you want them to be delivered consistently, but they just felt Nikola was a little bit aggressive in his movement along the baseline, which they feel could’ve maybe escalated the situation.”
With Jokic sidelined, there were opportunities for other players to play a role. In fact, eight players scored in double digits for the Nuggets (32-15), who are 1 1/2 games behind the first-place Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference race.
“That’s what good teams do,” Malone said. “When somebody’s not here, somebody else steps up. And tonight was another example of the quality depth we have.”
Denver point guard Jamal Murray was limited to 23 minutes due to ankle soreness — he scored 13 points — but Malone said afterward that Murray will play against the 76ers.
Philadelphia (32-17) resides in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, four games behind the first-place Milwaukee Bucks.
The 76ers registered a 122-120 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday as point guard Ben Simmonsrecorded 21 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds for his eighth triple-double of the season and 20th of his career. Embiid added 33 points and 19 rebounds in the victory.
Forward Wilson Chandler played 36 minutes against the Spurs and reported feeling hamstring tightness. He will miss the game against Denver, the franchise he spent six-plus seasons with before being traded to the 76ers in the offseason
Mason Plumlee had a great night, with 16 points, 7 boards, and 6 assists, while Millsap had a quiet 20 and 9 evening. Trey Lyles had 12 points and 6 rebounds, but missed eight of his 13 shots as he settled for a few too many fadeaway jumpers. Plumlee and Millsap were great for Denver tonight, and without them, this game would have been much closer. While Plumlee played well, there’s no replacing Jokic in the starting lineup. It was nice to see that the team recognized that and still played to their strength.
