NBA · Regular season

Denver Nuggets vs Phoenix Suns: Preview and Stats

Tuesday 17 November 2026, 02:00 UTC Ball Arena, Denver

Our picks

Our picks for Denver Nuggets vs Phoenix Suns come out after the official NBA injury report, at most 48 hours before tip-off, and at the latest Monday 16 November 2026, 23:00 UTC (3 hours before tip-off).

We are waiting for the result of a team's previous game.

Our NBA model track record for this matchup

Our winner picks on these teams

Denver Nuggets 7 of 10 right (70%)
Phoenix Suns 7 of 11 right (64%)

Settled NBA winner picks since 22 Oct 2026.

Game details

Stage: NBA, Regular season
Tip-off: Tuesday 17 November 2026, 02:00 UTC
Arena: Ball Arena
City: Denver
Since last match: Denver Nuggets: New Orleans Pelicans Phoenix Suns: Los Angeles Lakers
Next match: Denver Nuggets: Boston Celtics Phoenix Suns: Sacramento Kings

Missing production & availability impact

Share of last 10 games' offensive creation (PTS + AST) and minutes sidelined.

Denver Nuggets

Official NBA injury report not yet filed for this matchup.

Phoenix Suns

Official NBA injury report not yet filed for this matchup.

Official NBA injury report

Denver Nuggets

Official NBA injury report not yet filed for this matchup.

Phoenix Suns

Official NBA injury report not yet filed for this matchup.

Expected 8-man core rotation

Projected starters and key bench from recent usage and the official injury report.

Denver Nuggets

Projected Starters

G Jamal Murray

36.3 MPG 26.2 PPG 5.0 RPG 5.9 APG
C Nikola Jokić

36.3 MPG 23.5 PPG 10.8 RPG 9.0 APG
G Christian Braun

34.3 MPG 12.4 PPG 4.1 RPG 2.4 APG
F Aaron Gordon

29.0 MPG 11.0 PPG 5.0 RPG 2.1 APG
F Cameron Johnson

28.4 MPG 12.1 PPG 3.9 RPG 1.9 APG

Key Bench

G-F DeMar DeRozan

23.6 MPG 10.0 PPG 2.0 RPG 3.0 APG
F Trevon Brazile

19.6 MPG 7.1 PPG 5.6 RPG 0.5 APG
F Spencer Jones

19.0 MPG 5.3 PPG 2.3 RPG 0.3 APG

Phoenix Suns

Projected Starters

G Devin Booker

34.4 MPG 25.8 PPG 2.4 RPG 5.3 APG
G-F Dillon Brooks

30.1 MPG 15.4 PPG 3.8 RPG 2.3 APG
F Miles Bridges

29.9 MPG 15.3 PPG 7.6 RPG 3.4 APG
G Jalen Green

27.4 MPG 12.0 PPG 3.5 RPG 3.1 APG
G Collin Gillespie

24.8 MPG 8.5 PPG 2.3 RPG 4.3 APG

Key Bench

F Oso Ighodaro

23.1 MPG 5.8 PPG 5.4 RPG 3.6 APG
C Khaman Maluach

19.8 MPG 8.3 PPG 6.0 RPG 1.4 APG
F Ryan Dunn

17.2 MPG 5.5 PPG 4.1 RPG 1.3 APG

OptimaGoal power & pace ratings

Full NBA power ratings

Neutral-court net point rating and 48-minute tempo rank across all 30 NBA franchises.

Denver Nuggets

#5 of 30

Net rating +5.4 30d: +3.6

Pace: -1.8 (#18 of 30)

Phoenix Suns

#18 of 30

Net rating -1.4 30d: +0.2

Pace: -2.0 (#19 of 30)

OptimaGoal tactical & efficiency profile (0–100)

Original 0–100 indices built from each team's last 10 played games before tip-off.

Denver Nuggets

Net 53

Shot quality (TS%) 59

3PT volume & accuracy 45

Ball security & passing 54

Rebounding control 39

Defensive disruption 52

ORtg 114.5 · DRtg 113.3 · Net +1.2 · TS 59.1%

Phoenix Suns

Net 48

Shot quality (TS%) 56

3PT volume & accuracy 62

Ball security & passing 53

Rebounding control 29

Defensive disruption 48

ORtg 113.0 · DRtg 113.7 · Net -0.7 · TS 58.7%

Denver Nuggets · Record vs point differential W-L record aligned with point differential 6W actual vs 5.4W expected (10 GP)

Phoenix Suns · Record vs point differential Outperforming point differential (close-game luck) 5W actual vs 4.1W expected (11 GP)

Halftime splits & clutch profile

Game-state outcomes and half-by-half scoring share over the last 15 games.

Denver Nuggets

Win rate when leading at HT 5/8 (62%)

Comeback wins when trailing at HT 2/6 (33%)

Scoring split (1H vs 2H)

1H: 57.0 (51.1%) 2H: 54.6 (48.9%)

Clutch (≤5 pts / OT): 2-1 10+ pt margins: 4-6

Phoenix Suns

Win rate when leading at HT 4/5 (80%)

Comeback wins when trailing at HT 0/9 (0%)

Scoring split (1H vs 2H)

1H: 55.2 (50.2%) 2H: 54.9 (49.8%)

Clutch (≤5 pts / OT): 2-1 10+ pt margins: 2-7

Pace & total-points trends

Scoring environment and threshold hit counts across the last 10 games.

DEN

PHX

Points scored / game 114.5 114.6

Points allowed / game 113.3 115.3

Average game total 227.8 229.9

Average 1st-half total 114.9 113.9

Possessions / 48 min 99.0 101.4

Games with 220+ pts 6/10 7/10

Games with 230+ pts 5/10 5/10

Games with 240+ pts 4/10 4/10

Scored 115+ pts 4/10 5/10

Schedule density & travel spot

Rest days, multi-game compression and current home/road stretch entering tip-off.

Denver Nuggets

1 day rest

1 in 4 nights 2 in 6 nights Homestand · Game 1

Phoenix Suns

0 days (Back-to-back)

1 in 4 nights 2 in 6 nights Road trip · Game 1

Primary offensive threats

Available rotation leaders by scoring and shot share over the last 10 games.

Denver Nuggets

#1 Nikola Jokić C 20.5% pts share

23.5 PPG · 10.8 RPG · 9.0 APG · 1.0 3PM 21.5% FGA
#2 Jamal Murray G 22.9% pts share

26.2 PPG · 5.0 RPG · 5.9 APG · 4.0 3PM 20.0% FGA
#3 Christian Braun G 10.8% pts share

12.4 PPG · 4.1 RPG · 2.4 APG · 1.6 3PM 11.6% FGA

Phoenix Suns

#1 Devin Booker G 22.5% pts share

25.8 PPG · 2.4 RPG · 5.3 APG · 2.4 3PM 20.8% FGA
#2 Miles Bridges F 13.4% pts share

15.3 PPG · 7.6 RPG · 3.4 APG · 1.9 3PM 13.7% FGA
#3 Dillon Brooks G-F 13.4% pts share

15.4 PPG · 3.8 RPG · 2.3 APG · 2.1 3PM 14.2% FGA

Last five games

Denver Nuggets

W 123-118 at Memphis Grizzlies (A) 12 Nov
L 100-110 at Houston Rockets (A) 10 Nov
W 114-102 vs Indiana Pacers (H) 7 Nov
W 128-109 vs Toronto Raptors (H) 5 Nov
L 110-118 vs Portland Trail Blazers (H) 3 Nov

Phoenix Suns

W 101-96 vs Charlotte Hornets (H) 13 Nov
W 133-110 vs LA Clippers (H) 11 Nov
L 96-122 vs San Antonio Spurs (H) 10 Nov
W 102-99 vs Houston Rockets (H) 8 Nov
W 117-104 vs Orlando Magic (H) 6 Nov

Most recent first, all games of the season, overtime included.

Last 10 head-to-head meetings

DEN · 7W PHX · 3W

Avg total pts: 234.0 DEN avg: 120.7 PHX avg: 113.3 225+ pt games: 6/10 DEN at home: 3-2

30 Oct 2026 PHX 120‑127 DEN
24 Mar 2026 PHX 123‑125 DEN
29 Nov 2025 PHX 112‑130 DEN
25 Oct 2025 DEN 133‑111 PHX
7 Mar 2025 DEN 149‑141 (OT) PHX
8 Feb 2025 PHX 105‑122 DEN
25 Dec 2024 PHX 110‑100 DEN
23 Dec 2024 DEN 117‑90 PHX
27 Mar 2024 DEN 97‑104 PHX
5 Mar 2024 DEN 107‑117 (OT) PHX

Season profile comparison

DEN

PHX

Record 6-4 5-6

At home 3-2 5-3

On the road 3-2 0-3

Conference 9 of 15, Western Conference 11 of 15, Western Conference

Streak – Won 2 in a row

Days of rest 1 0 (second night of a back-to-back)

Our team rating #5 of 30 #17 of 30

Pace #18 of 30 #20 of 30

Western Conference standings

Full NBA standings

#	Team	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	L10	Streak
1	Los Angeles Lakers	11	2	.846	–	5-1	6-1	8-2	W7
2	San Antonio Spurs	10	2	.833	0.5	4-2	6-0	10-0	W10
3	Houston Rockets	9	3	.750	1.5	6-1	3-2	7-3	W2
4	Minnesota Timberwolves	9	3	.750	1.5	5-1	4-2	7-3	W5
5	Portland Trail Blazers	8	3	.727	2.0	3-2	5-1	7-3	W2
6	Golden State Warriors	8	4	.667	2.5	6-1	2-3	8-2	L1
7	Oklahoma City Thunder	8	4	.667	2.5	5-0	3-4	6-4	L2
8	Memphis Grizzlies	7	4	.636	3.0	2-4	5-0	6-4	L1
9	Denver Nuggets	6	4	.600	3.5	3-2	3-2	6-4	W1
10	Dallas Mavericks	7	5	.583	3.5	5-2	2-3	6-4	L1
11	Phoenix Suns	5	6	.455	5.0	5-3	0-3	5-5	W2
12	New Orleans Pelicans	4	8	.333	6.5	3-4	1-4	4-6	L4
13	LA Clippers	2	8	.200	7.5	2-3	0-5	2-8	L1
14	Sacramento Kings	1	10	.091	9.0	0-6	1-4	1-9	L4
15	Utah Jazz	1	11	.083	9.5	1-6	0-5	0-10	L10

Solid cut lines mark Top 6 (direct Play-offs) and Top 10 (Play-in Tournament).

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