Suns Nuggets Recap: Denver Wins Season Opener in Thrilling Fashion

The Denver Nuggets kicked off their season with a thrilling win over the Phoenix Suns, thanks to a last-second buzzer-beating three-pointer by Nikola Jokic that capped off a late flurry by the home team. The game was back and forth throughout, with the Nuggets taking an early lead before the Suns rallied to take control.

Aaron Gordon made a huge impact on the game for Denver, including a crucial chase-down block of Devin Booker's layup attempt in the third quarter. The Suns struggled to score in the fourth quarter, going nearly five minutes without a basket as the Nuggets took advantage and pulled away.

Mikal Bridges led Phoenix with 16 points, while Will Barton scored 20 points and Michael Porter Jr. added another 15 for Denver. Nikola Jokic was dominant for the Nuggets, finishing with 27 points and 13 rebounds.

The game marked a bit of a revenge win for Denver, who had been swept by the Suns in four games in last season's Western Conference playoffs. The Suns have returned much of their roster from that run, including All-Star backcourt duo Chris Paul and Devin Booker, and are looking to make another deep playoff push.

For Jokic, it was a strong start to the season, with coach Michael Malone pushing him to become a leader on the team and take more of a vocal role in the huddle during timeouts. The 26-year-old Serbian star showed no signs of slowing down from his MVP-caliber performance last season, when he averaged 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game.

'It's definitely one we wanted to get,' said Gordon after the game. 'Start off on the right foot and you know, a little payback.'

The Nuggets' win marked an impressive start to their season, as they recovered from a 16-point deficit late in the second quarter to hold the Suns to just 40 points in the second half. Jokic's buzzer-beating three-pointer was the perfect way to cap off the win.

'It's a hell of a way to start the season,' said Malone. 'In short, the reigning MVP still looks a lot like an MVP.

Suns nuggets recap