DENVER — Brandon Knight hit two key late 3-pointers and had 19 points to help the Phoenix Suns snap a five-game losing streak with a 110-96 victory over the injury-depleted Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.
Eric Bledsoe added 18 points for the Suns, who had six players score in double figures as they ended a seven-game road skid. The Suns grabbed 65 rebounds, most in the NBA this season.
Will Barton had 22 points and Danilo Gallinari chipped in 20 as the Nuggets lost their eighth straight game at Pepsi Center. It’s the third-longest home losing streak in team history. They lost 10 in a row beginning in April 1997 and spilling over into the following season. They also dropped 11 straight Dec. 16, 1997, to Jan. 29, 1998.
The arena wasn’t all that packed due to a snow storm hitting the area.
Already without banged-up forwards Kenneth Faried (bruised left thumb) and Wilson Chandler (sore left groin), the Nuggets lost starter Darrell Arthur to a strained right knee in the first quarter. The injuries kept coming as centre Jusuf Nurkic rolled his right ankle in the fourth quarter. He was helped off the court and into the locker room by Faried.
Up 71-69 late in the third quarter, the Suns went on a 12-0 run to open up a cushion. They held Denver scoreless for nearly four minutes during the spurt.
Then the Suns weathered a run by the Nuggets midway through the fourth quarter, when Gallinari and Ty Lawson hit back-to-back 3-pointers, followed by two free throws from rookie Joffrey Lauvergne to make it 91-85. But Knight later hit two straight 3-pointers to end the threat.
Before the game, Suns coach Jeff Hornacek preached more tenaciousness on defence, something that had slipped during the losing streak. They held the Nuggets to 38.3 per cent shooting, forced 15 turnovers and outrebounded the Nuggets 65-40.
There was a comical moment in the third quarter when Nurkic put a shoulder into Markieff Morris and Morris went flying, landing on the floor under the basket. There was no call and Nurkic easily made the layup. The Nuggets’ big man then caught the ball and put it on top of Morris. Nurkic drew a technical.
Lauvergne hit his first career 3-pointer and finished with 11 points. He also was called for offensive and defensive goaltending in the first half. The 23-year-old native of France was signed last week after playing most recently in the Russian Super League.
TIP-INS
Suns: Marcus Morris hit a half-court shot to end the first quarter. He picked up a technical in the second. … Phoenix began the 14th of 18 back-to-back games this season. The team is 4-9 on the second night. … Alex Len had 10 rebounds.
Nuggets: The news that Faried couldn’t play surprised Nuggets coach Brian Shaw since the energetic forward practiced the day before. "It was his call and he said he wasn’t going to be able to play," Shaw explained. "You can’t question that. He knows himself better than anybody else does." … Chandler missed his second straight game, but said he hopes to be in the lineup Friday.
UP NEXT
Suns: Host Oklahoma City on Thursday night.
Nuggets: Host Utah on Friday night.<
