The Phoenix Suns opened NBA Cup group play with a 127-120 loss to the Denver Nuggets on October 30, a defeat compounded by the third-quarter ejection of forward Dillon Brooks. Playing before a sellout crowd at the Mortgage Matchup Center, the Suns saw their record fall to 1-3 after their second consecutive loss. Their recent form over the last four games is a troubling 1W-3L, with the sequence reading LLWL.
Jamal Murray torched the Suns for a game-high 39 points, while Christian Braun added a career-best 31. Both Nuggets guards were lethal from deep, each hitting 7-of-9 from three-point range. Denver finished an incredible 20-of-38 from beyond the arc as all five starters scored in double figures. The Suns' defense simply had no answer for the barrage.
Miles Bridges led Phoenix with 24 points. Dillon Brooks contributed 22 points before his night ended early. He was assessed a flagrant 2 foul and ejected during the third quarter. Devin Booker scored 20 points but needed 19 shots to get there, a slight improvement after his quiet three-point effort against Oklahoma City. Jalen Green struggled mightily, managing just two points on 1-of-6 shooting.
This result continues a rocky start to the season. The 127-120 loss to Denver follows a 125-114 defeat in Oklahoma City on October 26. Their only win in this stretch was a 131-122 victory over Golden State on October 24, preceded by a brutal 124-83 loss in Portland. Consistency is a major issue on both ends of the floor.
The ejection of Dillon Brooks removes a key defensive presence and scorer during a critical moment. His 22 points were needed, and his absence left a hole in the rotation. The Suns' perimeter defense was exploited all night, allowing Denver to shoot over 52% from three. That's not a sustainable formula for winning games, especially in the high-stakes NBA Cup tournament.
The schedule offers little respite. Phoenix must quickly regroup for a road game against the Golden State Warriors on November 2. It's a quick turnaround and a chance to stop the two-game skid. The previous meeting with Golden State resulted in a win, so the Suns will look to replicate that offensive performance.
Finding defensive solutions is the immediate task for the coaching staff. The team's full upcoming schedule can be viewed on our schedule page. With the season still young, there's time to correct course. But performances like the one against Denver, where defensive effort and composure faltered, need to become rare exceptions.
