Phoenix Suns: Three Keys to Victory vs Denver Nuggets

The Phoenix Suns face off against the Denver Nuggets tonight at 7:00 PM PST in their third to last game of the season.

What will it take for the Suns to overthrow the number one seeded Nuggets?

Defend the big man

It's obvious that Phoenix’s number one priority will be to defend the two-time reigning MVP Nikola Jokic, though he is questionable.

Jokic is having yet another MVP caliber season this year averaging 24.8 points, 11.9 rebounds and 9.8 assists. Denver’s offense runs through the 28-year-old center so slowing him down will put a foil into Denver’s gameplan.

All eyes will be focused on the matchup between Jokic and Deandre Ayton. While Ayton is known for his strong offensive game, he can make a huge statement on the defensive side of the ball tonight by locking down Jokic.

Despite still being at the top of the MVP race, Jokic is a little banged up as he was forced to miss three games due to a calf injury and in his return to action on Tuesday, he only scored 14 points so he is vulnerable tonight.

Mix and match

The Suns have officially clinched the No. four seed in the Western Conference and home court advantage in the first round.

This game will be a good opportunity for Monty Williams to mix up the rotation a bit to see what players fit the best with each other.

The Suns and Nuggets are locked in their spots in the standings so both teams will most likely be doing some experimenting with their respective rotations.

Also, despite being a "meaningless" game, if the Phoenix pokes Denver in the mouth tonight it could be an omen of what is to come if these to teams end up facing each other in the playoffs.

Increase bench production

In Phoenix’s last game against Denver on Mar. 31, no player from the Suns bench scored over 10 points.

The Suns ended up capturing a 100-93 win but the Nuggets were without both Jokic and Jamal Murray. Now with both players back in the lineup, Phoenix will surely not be able to get away with a victory if the second unit performs like that again.

Phoenix’s bench problems got worse last game against the San Antonio Spurs as Landry Shamet, Terrence Ross and T.J. Warren all scored 0 points while also playing over ten minutes. Those types of performances may slide against a team like San Antonio but won’t against the Nuggets.

A strong performance from the second unit will not only benefit the Suns this specific game but will give them more confidence and momentum leading into the playoffs.