Phoenix coach Monty Williams also beefed up bench scoring by increasing the roles of Terrence Ross, T.J. Payne in turn sped up Phoenix’s offense, helping the Suns outscore the Nuggets 43-21 in transition on 19-for-25 shooting over the last two games. Paul suffered a groin injury in Game 2, which led to Payne entering the starting lineup. The Suns currently look like a totally different team than what the world saw in Games 1 and 2. Throwing out unfamiliar combinations in rotations continues to help Phoenix too. It was a huge part of them winning this game.” “You tip your cap, and you say Landry Shamet, he gave them a third scoring option tonight. “We know what KD and Booker can do,” Malone said after Game 4. Has the Suns' bench turned a corner after Game 4 outburst? Shamet led all the reserves in Game 4 with 19 points on 6-for-9 shooting, pouring in 14 points in the fourth quarter alone despite not even playing a single minute in Game 2. The Game 4 emergence of Shamet only compounded matters for Denver’s defense - which was previously laser-focused on shutting down Booker and Durant - by providing Phoenix a No. Over his last two games, the league’s postseason scoring leader drilled 34 of his last 43 shots, earning recognition as the first player in NBA history to notch 30-plus point games on 75% or better shooting in back-to-back outings the playoffs.ĭurant, meanwhile, provides the second piece of a pair of teammates averaging 30 points or more during the playoffs, a feat occurring for the first time since 1962 (Jerry West and Elgin Baylor). Nuggets coach Michael Malone called his team’s defense on Booker “unacceptable” after Game 3, only for the superstar Suns guard to torch Denver again with a 36-point gem in Game 4. After two consecutive losses to a surging Phoenix squad powered by classic performances from Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, a refreshed bench led by Landry Shamet and a speedier offense with Cameron Payne at the controls in place of Chris Paul, Denver finds itself reeling in adjustment mode after initially seizing an early 2-0 lead to start this series. We’ll see soon enough when the Nuggets and Suns clash again in Game 5 of the West semis on Tuesday ( 10 ET, TNT) at Ball Arena with the series tied 2-2. “How are we gonna respond?” Jeff Green asked repeatedly, almost rhetorically to Aaron Gordon. The Pick: Suns -2.Newly used role players like Jock Landale have put Denver on its heels entering a critical Game 5.ĭENVER – Quietly, near the back of a near-empty locker room after Denver’s Game 4 loss Sunday to Phoenix in the Western Conference Semifinals, two players dressed slowly speaking in hushed tones. Not confident, but let's go with Phoenix to cover. Williams at least somewhat figured out his rotation, and the fourth-quarter benching in Game 3 could light a fire under Ayton. And while KD has put up some huge point totals, he hasn't had a tremendous shooting night thus far this series, so he could be due. The Nuggets are the better team, but there just aren't many answers if Booker is going to play this way. Look for him to do the same thing in Game 4, with Paul expected to remain sidelined with a groin injury. With Chris Paul out, Cam Payne did a great job pushing pace, helping lead to 23 Suns fast-break points on Friday. How Ayton will respond, and how long Williams will stick with him if he continues to struggle, is another key storyline to watch in Game 4. Williams also elected to go with Jock Landale as his backup center, giving Bismack Biyombo a DNP, and Landale performed so well that he was re-inserted for the final five minutes of the game as Deandre Ayton was benched. Josh Okogie and Torrey Craig were largely shelved in favor of Terrence Ross, Landry Shamet and TJ Warren, who are much more capable of putting the ball in the basket. Suns: Aside from the brilliance of Booker and Durant, the Suns won Game 3 thanks to Monty Williams' decision to put more shooting on the floor. The easy answer is to trap or double-team, but then you leave Durant with a 4-on-3 situation, where he's likely to make the right decision for himself or a teammate. Murray wound up with 32 points, but went just 1-for-8 in the fourth quarter and took some ill-advised shots.ĭefensively, Denver has to decide how to adjust to Booker, who absolutely torched them in Game 3. The question is which of his teammates will come with him, as Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - who were excellent in the first two games of the series - combined to shoot 4-of-17 from the field in their first road game of the series on Friday. Nuggets: Jokic is an absolute monster, putting up 30 points, 17 rebounds and 17 assists in the Game 3 loss as the Suns opted mostly to avoid double-teaming the two-time MVP.
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