Chandler, Faried lead Nuggets past Suns
DENVER -- Wilson Chandler posted season highs of 28 points and 11 rebounds, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Phoenix Suns 120-104 Wednesday night for their first home victory.
Kenneth Faried also had season highs in points (20) and rebounds (15) for Denver.
The Nuggets (4-7) had lost their first three games at home and four straight overall before Wednesday. They started fast against the Suns (3-9) and never relinquished the lead.
Brandon Knight came off the bench to lead Phoenix with a season-high 32 points, and Devin Booker scored 24 before picking up his second technical in the final minute.
Phoenix center Tyson Chandler returned after missing the past four games due to the death of his mother. He had five points and five rebounds in 20 minutes.
Denver held the high-scoring Phoenix offense in check in the first half. The Suns came in fifth in the NBA in points per game but were 17 of 42 (40.5 percent) from the field before intermission, struggling to find much against the Nuggets' suddenly stingy defense.
Chandler had 13 points in the second quarter when the Nuggets expanded their lead to 19 at one point. He scored eight points in a span of 1:54 to help Denver go from eight up to 47-34 midway through the period.
Denver stretched its lead to 20 in the third quarter before Phoenix crawled back into it. The Suns cut the deficit to 13 entering the fourth and got within 100-93 on Jared Dudley's 3-pointer with 6:18 left.
Phoenix had a chance to get closer, but Faried stole the ball from Eric Bledsoe, which led to a three-point play for Emmanuel Mudiay.
The Suns had one last rally to get within nine, but Jameer Nelson scored on a layup, Danilo Gallinari drained two free throws and Mudiay hit a baseline floater to give Denver a 111-98 lead with 2:18 left.
Gallinari finished with 18 points, and Nelson had 17. Mudiay had 15 points, six assists and five rebounds.
NOTES: The Nuggets signed F Alonzo Gee on Wednesday, a day after waiving Jarnell Stokes, and he played four scoreless minutes. Gee has played for six teams in his seven seasons, including 39 games for Denver in 2014-15. ... Phoenix rookie F Dragan Bender turns 19 on Thursday. ... With G Gary Harris (foot) and G Will Barton (sprained ankle) out, veteran Jameer Nelson started his second game of the season. He teamed with Emmanuel Mudiay in the backcourt. Harris is expected to miss up to four weeks. Barton has missed eight games but is getting closer to returning.