The Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns play on Thursday at 7 p.m. MST at Footprint Center in Phoenix in Game 6 of their Western Conference semifinals NBA Playoffs series.
The Nuggets hold a 3-2 lead in the best-of-7 series, making the game a must-win for the Suns. Follow our score updates and analysis of the game.
Suns getting routed at home in Game 6 vs. Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are embarrassing the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 of their NBA Playoffs at Footprint Center in Phoenix.
The Nuggets scored 81 points in the first half, and have an 81-51 lead in the game.
That is not a typo.
The Suns are going to need a miraculous second half to even get close.
It is the largest halftime lead for the Nuggets in franchise playoff history.
Denver shot 61.7% from the field in the first half. It has three players with 18 points or more in the game already.
The Suns shot 40%. Kevin Durant was 2-for-11.
It couldn’t have gone much worse and the crowd in Phoenix is stunned, having gone through this last year in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Mavericks.
Score: Nuggets 81, Suns 51 (end of first half)
Nuggets extend lead against Suns in Game 6
This is getting ugly for the Suns.
The Nuggets have built a 71-45 lead with 3:03 left in the second quarter.
Yes, 71-45.
Kevin Durant is just 1-for-10 from the field for Phoenix.
The Suns are actually 7-for-12 from 3-point range, but just 16-for-39 from the field overall and frustration on the floor, and in the building, is mounting.
Score: Nuggets 71, Suns 45 (3:03 left in second quarter)
Where would Suns be without Cameron Payne in Game 6?
Yes, the Suns face a large deficit against the Nuggets.
But it could actually be worse.
Cameron Payne has 19 points on 7-for-8 shooting for Phoenix. He is 5-for-5 from 3-point range.
The rest of the Suns have nine field goals between them.
Score: Nuggets 64, Suns 45 (4:31 left in second quarter)
Staggering numbers in Suns vs. Nuggets Game 6
Some of the first-half numbers in Game 6 are just staggering.
The Nuggets have 32 points in the point. The Suns have 14.
The Nuggets have 17 rebounds. The Suns have 10.
The Nuggets are 21-for-33 from the field. The Suns are 12-for-31.
The Nuggets have zero turnovers. The Suns have five.
Is it any wonder that Denver has built a 21-point lead, its biggest lead of the game?
Kevin Durant and Devin Booker are a combined 3-for-16 from the field for the Suns as Phoenix fans are no doubt having flashbacks to the team’s abysmal Game 7 loss at home to the Dallas Mavericks in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals last season.
Score: Nuggets 54, Suns 33 (8;12 left in second quarter)
Nikola Jokic, Nuggets build big lead in first quarter vs. Suns
The first 12 minutes of Game 6 of the Suns vs. Nuggets series did not go Phoenix’s way.
At all.
The Nuggets, behind Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Nikola Jokic, have built a big lead after going on a big run at the end of the quarter.
Denver went on a 17-0 run to end the quarter.
Caldwell-Pope has 17 points for the Nuggets. Jokic has 14 points, four rebounds and five assists.
Denver is 17-for-27 from the field.
The Suns got a combined seven points from Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in the first quarter. That won’t get it done for the shorthanded Suns.
Phoenix is just 10-for-25 from the field.
The Suns better figure out something quick or this will be their last game of the season.
Score: Nuggets 44, Suns 26 (end of first quarter)
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope shining for Nuggets vs. Suns in Game 6
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is often the forgotten starter for the Nuggets.
Not tonight.
Caldwell-Pope is 6-for-7 from the field for 15 points in this game as the Nuggets have built a 10-point lead late in the first quarter.
Score: Nuggets 36, Suns 26 (1:26 left in first quarter)
Kevin Durant off to slow start for Suns in Game 6 vs. Nuggets
Kevin Durant is off to an 0-4-for start from the field for the Suns, his lone points coming on two free throws.
The Suns are going to need more from him to beat the Nuggets in Game 6.
Cameron Payne is 4-for-4 from the field with 10 points for the Suns. Nikola Jokic has eight points for the Nuggets.
Score: Nuggets 27, Suns 26 (2:50 left in first quarter)
Suns, Nuggets off to hot shooting starts in Game 6
We could see a lot of points in this game, if the start to this game is any indication.
Phoenix is 9-for-13 from the field. Denver is 10-for-17.
Jock Landale just picked up his second foul for Phoenix, which made coach Monty Williams bring in Bismack Biyombo with Phoenix missing Deandre Ayton in this game.
Score: Suns 24, Nuggets 21 (4:26 left in first quarter)
Cameron Payne giving Suns boost in first quarter vs. Nuggets
Cameron Payne has seven early points for the Suns, including Phoenix’s first five points of the game, as the Suns and Nuggets go back and forth in the first quarter.
Kevin Durant has yet to score for the Suns, but he was just fouled on his first shot attempt of the game. Devin Booker has two points for Phoenix.
Every starter for both teams has scored except for Durant and Michael Porter Jr. for the Nuggets.
There have already been five lead changes in this game.
Score: Nuggets 17, Suns 14 (6:34 left in first quarter)
Suns vs. Nuggets starting lineups for Game 6
The Suns have a couple of changes to their starting lineup for Game 6.
Monty Williams is going with Jock Landale in place of the injured Deandre Ayton, which isn’t much of a surprise, but he is starting Landry Shamet with Kevin Durant at the forward spots, which will mark Shamet’s first start of the postseason.
Devin Booker and Cameron Payne are the starting guards.
It appears that the Suns are going to have to try to outscore the Nuggets, and Shamet’s ability to shoot 3-pointers could help Phoenix, especially is he can replicate his Game 4 performance in Phoenix.
The Nuggets are going with their same starting 5: Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon at forward, Nikola Jokic at center and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jamal Murray at guard.
Murray had been questionable for the game with an illness.
The Suns vs. Nuggets game on Thursday can be seen on ESPN.
You can see the complete schedule for the Suns vs. Nuggets NBA Playoffs series here.
ESPN gives the Nuggets a 56.5% chance to close out the series against the Suns in Game 6 on Thursday night in Phoenix, with the Suns given a 43.5% shot.
You can see other picks and predictions for the contest here.
The Suns are a 3.5-point favorite over the Nuggets, according to Tipico Sportsbook.
Phoenix is -160 on the moneyline, while Denver is +140.
The over/under for the game is set at 226.5 points.
You can see more odds for the Suns vs. Nuggets NBA Playoffs series here.
Pregame reading for Nuggets vs. Suns Game 6
More:Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton out for Game 6 with rib contusion, sources say
More:Phoenix Suns vs. Denver Nuggets NBA playoffs news, notes
Phoenix Suns’ Nikola Jokic problem: Is more Jock Landale, less Deandre Ayton the answer?
What must Suns do to force Game 7 vs. Nuggets? The Republic’s writers have their say
Win or go home: Phoenix Suns facing elimination without answer for Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic
Kevin Durant: Exchange with Nuggets Nikola Jokic near Suns huddle was ‘absolutely nothing’
Deandre Ayton says Phoenix Suns home crowd will power him through rib injury vs. Nuggets in Game 6
Phoenix Suns couldn’t do anything right against Denver Nuggets
Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns ‘have all the answers’ facing elimination after Game 5 loss at Denver Nuggets
Suns, Nuggets players get into shoving match at end of 3rd quarter of Game 5 in Denver
Reach Jeremy Cluff at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
