On Friday, the Phoenix Suns (11-7) visit the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets (13-6).
This is the first of two home games for Phoenix.
Phoenix is seventh in the Western Conference standings after a loss to Toronto on Wednesday, which ended the team’s seven-game winning streak. Denver has won three straight games and is second in the West.
Lineups for the first game
Grayson Allen and Eric Gordon will start at guard, Keita Bates-Diop and Kevin Durant at forward, and Jusuf Nurkic in the middle for the Suns.
The Nuggets will begin with backcourt players Reggie Jackson and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, forwards Michael Porter Jr. and Justin Holiday, and two-time MVP Nikola Jokic at the pivot.
Booker dismissed
At the Suns’ pregame shootaround on Friday, Devin Booker (ankle) was upgraded from questionable to out.
Booker hurt his ankle after rolling on it early in the third quarter of Phoenix’s loss to Toronto. He completed the game when he returned later that day. This will be his ninth game missed this season, after missing four of Phoenix’s first five due to a left ankle strain suffered in the season opener against Golden State.