Suns vs. Nuggets odds and predictions: Who is the favorite in the round 2 playoff matchup?

Between these two teams, they have earned three MVP trophies and an abundance of skilled players who can make crucial shots that will leave you in awe. The Nuggets have meticulously built their team towards this moment, where failure would lead to significant changes.

On the other hand, the Suns are still adapting to life with Kevin Durant, but their results have been impressive so far. They haven’t faced much challenging competition and benefited from their opponents’ injuries in the first round. Still, they possess perhaps the most dominant 1-2 punch of any team in the playoffs with Durant and Devin Booker.

NBA:

The Nuggets eliminated the Timberwolves in five games, while the Suns took care of the Clippers in five, setting up an intense and much-awaited showdown. Although the Nuggets won the first two regular-season games, Durant was absent from both games for the Suns. The Suns took home the last two games, but the Nuggets did not have Jokic and Jamal Murray playing in those matches.

Denver Nuggets

Jamal Murray, the Nuggets’ guard, is a natural and proficient scorer who can quickly heat up and is also an excellent passer with remarkable vision. In the playoffs, Murray leads his team in scoring with an average of 27.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game, shooting an impressive 42% from beyond the arc. In Game 5 against the Timberwolves, he scored 35 points and had five assists.

Nikola Jokic, the team’s center, significantly impacts various aspects of the game. Jokic excels as a facilitator and rebounder, with an impressive touch as a shooter and a 50% three-point shooting average. He leads the Nuggets in rebounds (12.4), assists (9), and averages 26.2 points per game. On April 25th, Jokic recorded a triple-double with 28 points, 17 rebounds, and 12 assists.

However, the Nuggets’ biggest weakness is their struggle with pick-and-roll defense, especially against top shooters in the mid-range area who can also pass, which happens to be the Suns’ strengths with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. On the other hand, the Suns are decent at creating turnovers but not remarkably so. They take the least shots at the rim among playoff teams, but the Nuggets have been the worst team defending the rim this season.

Phoenix Suns

With Durant in the lineup, the Phoenix Suns have an impressive 12-1. Denver had historically had the upper hand against Phoenix when both teams had their star players, but with Durant on the court, the game changes entirely.

Kevin Durant is a versatile scorer, capable of sinking shots from all three levels while effortlessly handling double teams. He is a 13-time All-Star averaging 28.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game, with an impressive shooting percentage of 45% from beyond the arc and 95% from the free-throw line. In his most recent game, Durant scored 31 points, grabbed six rebounds, and provided four assists.

Meanwhile, Chris Paul is the Suns’ primary playmaker and an exceptional decision-maker, especially in the pick-and-roll. He is a mid-range specialist and a master of getting into passing lanes. With a team-high of 8.2 assists per game, he also averages 13.6 points and 2.2 steals. In a recent game against the Clippers, he finished with 19 points and nine assists.

During the playoffs’ first round, the Suns had the highest number of isolation plays. The Nuggets, on the other hand, have been a subpar isolation defensive team, ranking eighth-worst during the regular season and seventh-worst during the playoffs.

While the Suns gave up the 10th-most second-chance points per 100 possessions this season, the Denver Nuggets offense is already so efficient that they did not need to create many second-chance points during the regular season, ranking 11th in the league in the percentage of times they scored on offensive rebounds.

Suns vs. Nuggets predictions

While the Suns possess superior individual talent, the Nuggets have the advantage in team cohesion, overall weapons, a home-court advantage, and a mathematical edge.

In the playoffs, the Suns lead the league in free throw attempts per game, drawing both fouls and shooting fouls. Conversely, the Nuggets led all teams in the first round in fouls per game.

Denver’s advantages, however, disappear when they have to rely on their bench. While their perimeter players, including Bruce Brown and Christian Braun, can handle the minutes, the frontcourt players pose a challenge. If Jokic gets into foul trouble, the Nuggets are in trouble.