Trying to keep up with the Nuggets' high-powered offense will be a big test, especially at the altitude in Denver. They sacrificed any semblence of depth to do so, however, and it will be interesting to see how much they have to pay for that decision as the playoffs go along. Suns: The Suns went all in to get Kevin Durant, and as a result now boast an incredible perimeter scoring combination in him and Devin Booker. fare given the expectations and pressure against a battle-tested, but thin Suns group that can put up points in a hurry. It will be fascinating to see how Nikola Jokic and Co. Tip-off from Ball Arena is set for 8:30 p.m. If this group is ever going to compete for a title, this is the time to do it with a wide open Western Conference. Ap9:48 am ET The Phoenix Suns visit the Denver Nuggets Saturday for Game 1 of their 2nd-round playoff action. Nuggets: The Nuggets have gotten a pass for their early exits in the last two postseasons due to injuries, but they're fully healthy now and have their best team in over a decade. Nuggets prediction and analysis With the NBA regular season ending on Sunday, Thursday’s game marks the third-to-last contest. Odds: Nuggets -2.5 O/U 226 (via Caesars Sportsbook) Nuggets pick Under 224.5 (-110 BetMGM) Suns vs.Location: Ball Arena - Denver, Colorado.Date: Saturday, April 29 | Time: 8:30 p.m.Here's everything you need to know about Saturday night's Game 1 from Denver: (1) Denver Nuggets vs. Can Nikola Jokic lead the Nuggets back to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2020? Or will Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and the Suns have too much firepower? I fully expect the Suns to take control of this game, and even if the Nuggets don't fully rest their starters, it would not be a surprise if their minutes are limited like when Jokic played just 25 minutes on Tuesday against the Rockets.As expected, the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns have advanced to the second round, setting up one of the most fascinating matchups we may see all postseason. If anything, this is a good opportunity for them to figure out which of their non-starters are deserving of playoff minutes moving forward. The Nuggets simply have nothing to play for tonight, and there is no real reason for them to show any of the schemes they may deploy against the Suns in a potential Western Conference Semifinals matchup. While the motivation for tonight is more related to team chemistry, I expect the Suns to perform well with this lineup. This team can score at any level and has been strong defensively as well. When Durant is on the floor, the Suns have posted a +14.8 Point Differential, and their intended starting lineup of Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Josh Okogie, Durant and Deandre Ayton has a +20.1 Point Differential as well. The Suns have been incredible with Durant and look to continue their undefeated run with him in the lineup. It's been at 1.5 the last few games, and he's exceeded that total in six of seven games alongside Durant. I will be targeting Devin Booker's First Quarter Assists Prop tonight whenever it opens. I wrote at length about the Suns and Kevin Durant's fit in my Weekly Player Props Forecast. The Suns are likely locked into the 4-seed in the West however, with Kevin Durant returning from injury, there remains a desire to play and garner more on-court chemistry amongst the starters. That is one of the worst sample sizes in the league and would be worse than the San Antonio Spurs on their full-season numbers. The Nuggets have a -13.1 Point Differential and score just 105.8 points per 100 while allowing 118.8. However, when he's off the floor, this drops precipitously. When Jokic is on the floor, the Nuggets have a +13.4 Point Differential and score 125.6 points per 100 possessions, per Cleaning the Glass. Surviving the non-Jokic minutes has been major problem that continues to plague Denver. They have been the best team in the West so far this season and have a +2.7 Adjusted Net Rating on the entire season, which has been buoyed by the league's fifth-best offense ( 117.1 Adjusted Offensive Rating). Tonight's game comes down to motivation for the Nuggets. and Bruce Brown at the time of this writing, but it still would not be surprising if their minutes are managed and we see a bit more of Christian Braun (who has been awesome in an expanded role). It appears that the Nuggets will play Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr. The Nuggets have listed Nikola Jokic (calf), Jamal Murray (thumb) and Zeke Nnaji (knee) as questionable for tonight's contest. The Nuggets have clinched the top seed in the Western Conference and may elect to rest their starters, or at least not play them their full rotations.
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