Durant scores 30, Suns beat Nuggets 104-97

Kevin Durant showcased his prowess with an impressive performance, tallying 30 points, 13 rebounds, and five blocks as the Phoenix Suns secured their second victory in Denver this month, defeating the defending champion Nuggets 104-97 on Wednesday night.

Despite possessing the toughest remaining schedule in the NBA, the Suns managed to edge ahead of Sacramento by a half-game, claiming the seventh spot in the Western Conference standings. Their aim is to climb to sixth place to avoid a play-in game, with Dallas currently holding that position and leading Phoenix by a mere half-game.

The absence of starting point guard Jamal Murray due to a sprained left ankle posed a challenge for the Western Conference-leading Nuggets. Despite Nikola Jokic‘s commendable effort of 22 points, nine rebounds, and 10 assists, playing through lower back pain and left hip soreness, the Nuggets struggled to maintain their momentum.

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This loss marks only the third defeat for the Nuggets in 18 games since the All-Star break, with two of those losses inflicted by the Suns, who previously triumphed over Denver 117-107 in overtime at Ball Arena on March 5th.