Following a successful run through the preliminary round, the top-seeded Nuggets will now compete against the fourth-seeded Suns in the semifinals of the Western Conference.
A tenacious Minnesota team was dispatched by the Denver Nuggets in just five contests because of the efforts of two-time Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic and a rejuvenated Jamal Murray. Devin Booker and Kevin Durant led Phoenix to victory against an injury-plagued Los Angeles Clippers club in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The Suns won the series in five games and advanced to the second round.
Since they made the trade to acquire Kevin Durant at the deadline, the Suns have a record of 12-1 when he plays for them, with their only loss coming in the first game of the series against the Clippers. On the offensive end, Durant and Booker are forging a lovely balance while Chris Paul, who will one day be inducted into the Hall of Fame, is setting the table.
The Nuggets, who have the best regular-season record in the Western Conference, have, for some reason, had their achievements ignored throughout the entire season. Phoenix is frequently regarded as the most championship-capable team in the Western Conference, despite the fact that Denver has dominated the whole season.
Which team boasting the most all-star players will advance to the next round of the NBA playoffs? The matchup between the Suns and the Nuggets in the Western Conference Semifinals is broken down and analyzed by the Sporting News.
Suns vs Nuggets NBA Playoffs Betting Odds
Here are the Suns vs Nuggets NBA Playoffs Betting Odds, brought to you by YouWager.lv:
- Phoenix Suns: Point Spread +2.5, Money Line +120
- Denver Nuggets: Point Spread -2.5, Money Line -140
- Total: 224.5 Over/Under
Suns vs Nuggets schedule
This is their Suns vs Nuggets schedule for their Conference Semifinals Series:
| Date | Game | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| April 29 | Game 1 | 8:30 p.m. at Nuggets | TNT |
| May 1 | Game 2 | 10:00 p.m. at Nuggets | TNT |
| May 5 | Game 3 | 10:00 p.m. at Suns | ESPN |
| May 7 | Game 4 | 8:00 p.m. at Suns | TNT |
| May 9 | Game 5* | TBD at Nuggets | TNT |
| May 11 | Game 6* | TBD at Suns | ESPN |
| May 14 | Game 7* | TBD at Nuggets | TBD |
Suns vs Nuggets 2022-23 Regular Season Series
- Dec. 25, 2022: Nuggets 128, Suns 125 (OT)
- Jan. 11, 2023: Nuggets 126, Suns 97
- March 31, 2023: Suns 100, Nuggets 93
- April 6, 2023: Suns 119, Nuggets 115
Booker made an effort to play through a groin injury on Christmas, but he was only able to do so for a total of four minutes due to his team’s overwhelming victory. After that, he would sit out the next 21 games for the Suns, including their defeat at the hands of the Nuggets on January 11.
Late in the month of March, when the retooled Suns played their first game against the Nuggets, Booker and Durant were both active for Phoenix, while Jokic, Murray, and Michael Porter Jr. were sidelined for Denver.
During the fourth and final matchup of the regular season between the two teams, the stakes were not particularly high. And while Phoenix had all of its elite players available, Denver was once again without its top three players, but Bruce Brown’s performance of 31 points helped keep things interesting.
The fact that these two powerhouses from the Western Conference have not faced each other while at full strength this season adds an extra layer of mystery to the Semifinal matchup.
Nuggets vs Suns Key Storyline: Who’s The Best Player in the Series?
The most recent reader poll that The Sporting News compiled to determine how to rank the top 30 players in the NBA placed Jokic in second place, Durant in fourth place, and Booker in the top 12 spots. Even though Ayton, Murray, Paul, and Porter did not make the cut, each player has the potential to have an impact comparable to that of a top-30 player over the course of a seven-game series.
To put it more succinctly, there will not be a lack of talented players in any way shape or form in the Western Conference Semifinals.
When it comes to the postseason, the team that advances is frequently the one that has the player who has performed the best individually. With regard to this particular playoffs matchup, Booker, Durant, Jokic, and Murray all stand a real chance of leading their respective teams to four victories.
Booker and Durant turned up outstanding performances in the first round. And while Durant dominated as a creator for himself and others on the offensive end, Booker emerged as a legitimate difference-maker on the defensive end, all while turning in some of the best scoring performances of his playoff career. Booker was a key contributor to the Suns’ run to the Western Conference Finals.
Jokic is a two-time MVP for the Nuggets and is capable of taking complete control of the game because to his exceptional passing abilities and high basketball IQ. Murray is reliving the glory days of his run in the 2020 NBA “Bubble,” as shown by the fact that he scored 40 points in Game 2 of a tight opening-round victory over the Timberwolves.
It is possible that the fact that Booker can make a difference in both offensive and defensive situations is what distinguishes him from the other extremely skilled players in this series. If it turns out that Booker is the one who rises to the challenge, then this might be the next stage in a playoff run that will define the 26-year-old’s career.
