Is Game 4 Must-Win for Suns? History Says Yes

We're hours removed from tipoff between the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets, and you simply can't overstate the importance of tonight's game.

The Suns were carried by a historic Devin Booker performance in Game 3, pushing Phoenix in position to potentially tie the series at 2-2 before heading back to Denver for Game 5 on Tuesday.

The Nuggets hope to rebound in major fashion, even after Nikola Jokic's 30-17-17 triple double and Jamal Murray's 32 points. A win tonight would push Denver ahead 3-1 in the series, a deficit that has proved historically difficult for teams to overcome.

Land of Basketball says teams who take a 3-1 lead have won their series 95% of the time, with only 13 teams climbing back from the deficit.

- In the Conference Semifinals, teams who take that series lead are 91-4.

- In a seven-game series, teams who take that series lead normally finish things off in the following game. 167 series wins afterwards came in Game 5 while 76 wins came in a Game 6. 21 of those eventual series wins came in a Game 7.

Needless to say, the Suns certainly have their work cut out for them. However, a 3-1 deficit doesn't automatically seal Phoenix's fate, especially on a veteran team that offers stars such as Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.

In two consecutive rounds in 2020, the Nuggets overcame 1-3 series deficits in the postseason. The Suns did so themselves in 2006 when they ultimately defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round.

Will the Suns be able to string together a second consecutive win?

Teams that had
- more points in the paint
- more offensive rebounds
- more made 3's
- more free throws attempted

were 108-13 (89%) until last night when Phoenix won.

Oddly enough, teams this postseason are 3-2 when that happens. Both losses?

To the Suns.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) May 6, 2023

Opening tip is scheduled for 5:00 PM.