Suns 120, Nuggets 112
Eric Bledsoe scored 21 points and matched a season high with 10 assists as Phoenix took control in the second half and denied visiting Denver a sixth straight win.
Gerald Green poured in 24 points off the bench and Goran Dragic scored 20 for the Suns, who have won five of six. Markieff Morris collected 15 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, four blocks and three steals while Marcus Morris scored 14 for Phoenix.
Wilson Chandler scored 19 points and Timofey Mozgov added 18 points and 13 rebounds for the Nuggets, who were attempting to climb above .500 for the first time since they were 1-0. Arron Afflalo scored 18 points while Ty Lawson struggled to 17 on 4-of-16 shooting and handed out 12 assists for Denver.
The Nuggets were within 103-94 with 9:23 left before Green scored seven straight points to make it a 16-point gap. The Suns went over three minutes without scoring but Denver never seriously threatened, and Bledsoe’s 3-pointer with 48 seconds left proved to be the final nail as Phoenix closed it out.
It was tied at 64 in the half but the Suns used an 8-0 run bookended by Dragic to take a 78-68 lead with 7:05 left in the third. Green hit three 3-pointers over the final 4:24 of the period to hold off a surge and sent Phoenix into the final stanza up 93-86.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Nuggets will get an immediate chance for revenge when they host the Suns on Friday. … Lawson has posted three straight double-doubles and has recorded at least 12 assists in five of the last six games. … Phoenix G Isaiah Thomas (ankle) missed the game and is day-to-day.