Suns at Nuggets
Nikola Jokic's sudden rise is helping the Denver Nuggets in the win column and redefining the expectations for the team, which finds itself in the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference. Jokic will try to guide the Nuggets to a sixth win in the last eight games when they host the Phoenix Suns on Thursday.
Jokic recorded a double-double in eight of 10 games this month and is averaging 25.1 points on 61.2 percent shooting and 11 rebounds in the last seven contests. The 21-year-old Serbian is putting in work on the defensive end as well and collected three blocks and two steals to go along with 23 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in a 103-93 triumph over Utah on Tuesday. The Suns will attack Jokic with defensive anchor Tyson Chandler, who outplayed Minnesota Timberwolves stud Karl-Anthony Towns on Tuesday only to watch his team fall 112-111 on Andrew Wiggins' last-second jumper. Chandler scored 22 points on 9-of-9 shooting and hauled in 17 rebounds in the loss - the eighth time in his last nine games that he grabbed at least 15 boards.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona (Phoenix), Altitude (Denver)
ABOUT THE SUNS (15-30): Chandler's hard work on the inside is complimented by the work being done on the perimeter by 20-year-old Devin Booker, who scored 26 points on Tuesday to mark his 10th straight game with 20 or more points. The Kentucky product is shooting 53.6 percent from 3-point range in that span, including 12-of-19 in the last three games. "Just having confidence in myself," Booker explained to reporters. "Shooting the last shot like I made the one before."
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (19-25): Denver limited the Jazz to 7-of-22 from beyond the arc and 41.2 percent from the field in Tuesday's win, and coach Michael Malone's focus on defense is getting across to the players. "When we play defense, it definitely generates offense," Nuggets forward Darrell Arthur told reporters. "We're not going to be able to outscore people every time, so when we do play our defense we can be a dangerous team." Arthur's defense is leading to his own offense, and he went for 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting - 3-of-3 from beyond the arc - in Tuesday's triumph.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Nuggets PG Emmanuel Mudiay (back) sat out the last two games and is day-to-day.
2. Suns PF P.J. Tucker grabbed four steals on Tuesday and is averaging 2.7 over the last six games.
3. Denver took the last four in the series, including the first two meetings this season.