Phoenix – The Nuggets’ big goal this season is to make it to the second round of the NBA playoffs for the first time since 1994. Be careful what you wish for Denver. The Nuggets’ main nemesis, the Phoenix Suns, could be waiting.
If the Nuggets were to advance to the second round, it’s likely they would meet the Suns. Denver finished the regular season with a 1-3 mark against the Suns in a 107-96 loss at US Airways Center on Saturday night. The Nuggets’ only victory against Phoenix this season was in triple overtime, 139-137, at the Pepsi Center on Jan. 10. Phoenix (47-21) has also won seven of the past eight games against Denver (40-31).
“They’ve had our number for the past year and half,” said Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony, who scored a game-high 28 points, but was limited to two points in the fourth quarter on 1-of-4 shooting. “They are probably the only team that have our number. I don’t really like saying that, but it’s true.”
Despite the loss, the Nuggets’ magic number to clinch the Northwest Division dropped to six after the Utah Jazz lost 91-89 to Sacramento on Saturday. Denver’s setback snapped a three-game winning streak. The Nuggets are expected to land the third seed in the Western Conference playoffs by winning the Northwest while the Suns are expected to win the second seed by winning the Pacific Division. If such a scenario happens, the teams would meet by advancing to the second round.
“They’re doing well,” Nash said. “The seeding says they could be there. So definitely, I think it’s a good possibility.”
Nuggets center Marcus Camby, who had 15 rebounds and three blocks, said: “I would love to be back here. But we have some work to do in the first round to get there and they have some work to do also. But I think it would be a great series.”
The Suns had a 30-27 lead at the end of the first quarter. Phoenix, however, used a 12-2 run to take a 42-29 lead after an Amare Stoudemire jumper with 6:23 left in the second quarter. The Nuggets didn’t make a field goal in the second until a jumper by Andre Miller (24 points) at the 5:57 mark. The Suns entered the half up 57-48 after nailing six 3-pointers and scoring 15 points off eight Denver turnovers.
Denver went on a 21-10 run to regain the lead at 69-67 after a Miller layup with 3:49 left in the third quarter. It was Denver’s first lead since being 27-26. But the Suns finished the third with a 79-75 lead.
“We didn’t share the ball well enough, we didn’t make good enough decisions and we forced way too many shots and we hung in the game,” said Denver coach George Karl, whose bench scored just 17 points.
The Suns opened the fourth quarter with a 6-0 run to take an 85-75 lead after a jumper by Shawn Marion (21 points) at the 10:29 mark. A 3-pointer by Raja Bell gave Phoenix a 100-86 lead with 5:43 remaining. The Suns outscored the Nuggets 28-21 in the fourth while nailing 5-of-8 3-pointers to leave the visitors with a lasting memory shall they meet again.
“We could definitely play Denver in the playoffs,” Nash said. “We weren’t really sharp, but I thought we were tough enough to get through it and put in a winning performance.”
