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The Denver Nuggets take on the Phoenix Suns in a battle between two Western Conference powerhouses who are still searching for their first NBA championship with Game 1 tipping off Saturday night in Denver.
The series features several superstars as reigning two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic leads the Denver Nuggets against a star-studded Phoenix Suns team, headlined by All-Stars Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton, Devin Booker, and 2014 MVP Kevin Durant.
The Nuggets eliminated the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games and had several days of rest. The same goes for Phoenix, which won four straight games over the LA Clippers after trailing 0-1 and went on to close out the series in five games.
Denver and Phoenix split wins in the regular season (2-2), but Nikola Jokic was out of the lineup in the last two games due to a calf injury, while Kevin Durant missed the first two meetings prior to the All-Star break, as he hadn't made his Phoenix Suns debut yet.
Both teams now have a full lineup available and we take a look at three things fans should focus on heading into Saturday's Game 1.
#1 - Nikola Jokic vs Phoenix Suns' Big Four
Nikola Jokic is having another great season and is the favorite to claim the NBA MVP award for a third straight time. Despite his individual accolades, he is yet to win a championship with the Denver Nuggets and his mission has been difficult this season as well, as he faces a Phoenix Suns team that has four superstars on its roster.
Kevin Durant joining the Suns helped Phoenix re-emerge as a legit title contender, and Jokic knows that a difficult task lies ahead in his quest for an NBA championship.
Deandre Ayton will look to limit Nikola Jokic's effect as a facilitator while also attacking the basket and scoring inside the paint. Phoenix's first aim will be to limit Nikola Jokic, as the Serbian big man is capable of finding open shooters for buckets, and Denver has enough of them on the roster, including Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Michael Porter Jr.
Murray is the Nuggets' No. 2 option and looks like his old self in his first postseason appearance in three years. He averaged 25.3 points, 6.8 assists, and 6.0 rebounds per game in the first four games in the first round and appears to have rediscovered his 2020 bubble form when he led Denver to the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.
The addition of Kevin Durant, on the other hand, has brought a lot of firepower to the Suns and has created an outstanding duo with Devin Booker. The two superstars were impressive against the LA Clippers, where Booker averaged 37.2 points and 6.4 assists, while Durant averaged 28.4 points, 7.6 boards and 6.2 assists.
#2 - Will playoff experience play a crucial role in the series?
The Denver Nuggets are a young team with a lot of talent, but they still lack experience, which is very important in the playoffs. The Suns, meanwhile, have a lot of veterans who have played in the postseason numerous times.
Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton combine for 369 playoff appearances. For their part, the Nuggets' Big Three of Jokic, Porter and Porter Jr. have only 111 postseason appearances under their belt.
"We know how talented (the Suns) are," coach Michael Malone said heading into Game 1. "There's a reason they are the odds-on favorite to come out of the West right now. We don't take that personally."
#3 - Phoenix Suns' bench will have to step up in this series
Aside from the star power these two franchises have in their starting lineups, the performance of their bench players will be key to who will have the upper hand moving forward.
After the first round, Denver’s bench has the playoffs’ second-best net rating (4.3), while Phoenix (-1.1) ranks ninth in that category. Meanwhile, the Suns’ bench was outscored heavily by the LA Clippers' bench for the majority of the five-game series and it doesn't come as a surprise that Kevin Durant and Devin Booker are currently No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in postseason minutes.
It's worth noting that in nearly every Phoenix Suns lineup, coach Monty Williams keeps at least two starters on the floor. Expect this to happen again against the Denver Nuggets, but it is time for the Phoenix Suns bench to make a difference and give their superstar colleagues more power.
"We as a staff were talking about options and right when the game was over, our guys were like wanting to get up here," Phoenix coach Monty Williams said, as the Phoenix Suns arrived in Denver on Thursday to better prepare for the first two games on Saturday and Monday, respectively.
"I thought it was great to be able to get up here. It's almost like a mini training camp, if you will. It's just us talking, going over things that are necessary. Allowing them to get some good work in and go to the hotel and just have a great camaraderie and unity and all that stuff."
Overall, an exciting series is expected between the two franchises that are heavy favorites to come out of the West and challenge for the championship. Hence, it will not be easy for any team to dominate the series, so a Game 7 in Denver wouldn't come as a surprise.
