Phoenix's last game had its own problem: Devin Booker. He scored 3 points in 34 minutes in the 125-114 loss at Oklahoma City, going 1-for-7 from the floor. Outside a 2022 game he left injured, it was his lowest total since his rookie season. He did lead the team with 7 assists. Jalen Green (20), Dillon Brooks (19) and Miles Bridges (17) carried the scoring, and that came against a Thunder team without Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace.
These two have more in common than the matching records. Each lost to Oklahoma City, and each has been on the other end of the Golden State game: Phoenix beat the Warriors 131-122 at home, and Denver lost to them by 20. The Suns also have an 83-124 loss in Portland on their record. That gap is wider than anything Denver has lost by this season, and it's a reminder that Phoenix's bad nights have been really bad.
The matchup to watch is Jokic against Phoenix's frontcourt. Mark Williams is out long-term after labrum surgery, and Oso Ighodaro missed the Thunder game with an oblique injury. If Ighodaro is still out Friday, the Suns don't have many bodies to throw at the best passing big in the league. On the other side, Denver is still missing Julian Strawther (knee, re-evaluation in 6 weeks), and Spencer Jones (hamstring) has been reported as close to returning. Tipoff is 7:00 PM MT.