NBA Recap: Balanced Nuggets Offense Overwhelms Suns in 133–111 Rout
The Denver Nuggets showcased their depth and dominance in their home opener, cruising past the Phoenix Suns 133–111 on Saturday night. Jamal Murray led the scoring with 23 points, while Nikola Jokic recorded his second consecutive triple-double to start the season, tallying 14 points, 15 assists, and 14 rebounds despite taking just eight shots.
Denver’s offense was widely distributed, with seven players reaching double figures. Christian Braun added 20 points, Aaron Gordon chipped in 17, and recent standout Cameron Johnson contributed 15. Jonas Valanciunas and Bruce Brown followed with 12 and 11 points respectively, as the Nuggets shot an efficient 51.2% from the field.
Jokic’s scoring came late, with his first field goal attempt arriving after a goaltending call late in the second quarter. His initial shot was a free throw with just over four minutes left in the first half.
For Phoenix, Devin Booker led the charge with 31 points, supported by Grayson Allen’s 17 and Dillon Brooks’ 15. The Suns struggled with consistency, shooting just 43.2% from the floor.
Denver built early momentum, ending the first quarter up 34–28 thanks to a buzzer-beating 56-foot jumper from Murray. The Nuggets extended their lead to 71–54 by halftime, fueled by Gordon’s dynamic sequence of free throws, a lob-dunk, and a three-pointer, plus another deep shot from Murray.
Jokic’s turnaround jumper pushed the lead to 20 in the third, but Phoenix briefly rallied behind Booker and Brooks to cut the deficit to nine. Denver quickly countered with an 11–0 run to restore control, entering the fourth quarter ahead 100–83.
Murray’s early triple in the final period stretched the lead to 108–86. Though Phoenix narrowed the gap to 110–99 on Royce O’Neale’s three-pointer, Denver responded with another 11-point burst to seal the win.
