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Suns 112, Nuggets 107 (OT)
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
DENVER — Guard Gerald Green scored eight of his career-high 36 points in overtime, and the Phoenix Suns beat the Denver Nuggets 112-107 Tuesday night.
Guard Goran Dragic had 21 points and 14 assists, and forward P.J. Tucker had 13 points and 11 rebounds for Phoenix (31-21).
The Suns, a surprise playoff contender in a year that many thought was going to land them in the lottery, swept the season series from the Nuggets (24-28).
It looked as if the Suns would win easily Tuesday until they faltered in the second half. They recovered to send the game into overtime, where they pulled away late to win it.
Guard Evan Fournier had career highs with 25 points and eight rebounds, and forward Kenneth Faried added 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Nuggets, who lost their fifth straight when they ran out of steam in overtime.
After a cold start to the extra period, Green scored four straight, and Dragic’s dunk gave Phoenix a 105-103 lead. After Denver forward Wilson Chandler missed 3-pointer with 20 seconds left, Green hit two free throws to make it a four-point game.
A three-point play by Fournier made it 107-106, but the Suns sank five free throws to seal it.
The Nuggets’ lack of depth has shown the past five games. Without a true point guard due to an injury to speedy Ty Lawson, the offense has sputtered. On Tuesday, Denver trailed by as many as 14 early, hurt by a 3-for-17 start from 3-point range.
However, Fournier hit two straight from long range and scored 14 points over a 10-minute stretch that gave the Nuggets a much-needed spark after they fell behind by 11 with 3:29 left in the third quarter.
The Suns missed 11 straight shots spanning the third and fourth quarters, and Denver took advantage, scoring 16 straight to take an 81-76 lead.
Denver led 85-78 when Green got hot. He hit two free throws and two 3-pointers to get the Suns within 87-86 with 7:05 left.
The teams went back and forth, with Denver scoring seven straight to take a 94-90 lead with 3:03 left.
Fournier hit a free throw with 50.5 seconds left to make it 99-94, but forward Channing Frye’s 3-pointer with 35.8 seconds remaining gave Phoenix hope.
After Fournier missed a runner in the lane, Suns forward Markieff Morris, who had 13 points and 12 rebounds, hit a put-back with 5.7 seconds left to tie it.
Chandler’s turnaround baseline jumper at the end of regulation was off, sending the game into overtime.
Dragic led Phoenix with 16 first-half points to help Phoenix lead 52-51 at intermission.
NOTES: Nuggets G Ty Lawson missed his third straight game with a fractured left rib. Coach Brian Shaw said Lawson is starting to feel better but is still unable to absorb any contact. Shaw said there is no timetable for his return. … Phoenix F Markieff Morris averaged 23 points in the first three games against Denver this season. He posted a career-high 28 in a win over the Nuggets in November. … The Nuggets had only 10 players available for the game. Four were out because of injury and the other, G Andre Miller, has been away from the team since Jan. 1 after a sideline outburst directed toward Shaw. … The last time the Suns swept the season series from the Nuggets was during the 2004-05 campaign.
