Phoenix Suns lose to Denver Nuggets as Kevin Durant shooting goes cold

The Phoenix Suns (11-8) lost 119-111 to the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets (14-6) at home on Friday.

This is Phoenix's second straight loss, and Denver extended its win streak to four games.

In Devin Booker's absence from his right ankle sprain, Kevin Durant had 30 points in the losing effort, but had a shooting slump. Durant missed all 10 of his second-half attempts and finished 8-for-25 overall.

Yusuf Nurkic had a game-high and his own season-best 31 points (13-of-22 FG) in the losing effort.

Denver led for most of the game until Phoenix went on a 3rd quarter run to cut the lead to three entering the final period.

In a slim margin down the stretch, the pivotal moment in Denver's favor came at 45 seconds left to play. As the score was 114-111, Nurkic was called for an offensive foul as Nikola Jokic (team-high 21 points, 16 assists) was hit in the face and fell in the paint. Then, the play was upgraded to a Flagrant 1 foul for unnecessary contact. Jokic made one of the ensuing two technical foul free throws, and was given an extra possession. Jokic scored again, and Michael Porter Jr. (19 points) hit two more FTs with five seconds left to seal the victory.

Phoenix plays its next game on Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies, the second of back-to-back home games.

Nurkic leads Suns' big run to end 3rd quarter

Phoenix has shaved Denver's lead to single digits at 94-91 after Yusuf "Nurk" Nurkic went to work in a major way during the third.

Phoenix's starting center scored 13 of his season-high 26 points, and helped spark a 14-5 run between 6:37 and 0:48 left in the period after the team was down by 12.

Durant in NBA's top 10 all-time scoring list before halftime

Phoenix is down 70-63, and had trailed Denver for most of the first half.

As Phoenix cut Denver's biggest lead of 17 after the second quarter's midpoint, Kevin Durant (game-high 22 points) made history for the second time within 10 days. He did so by getting onboard the NBA's top 10 all-time scoring list; by passing the Chairman of the Boards, Moses Malone.

As Durant scored a layup at 50.3 seconds left in the half, Durant surpassed Malone's career mark of 27,409 points. On Nov. 21, Durant passed Elvin Hayes for 11th all-time in Phoenix's home win over Portland.

Suns trail by 11 at end of 1st quarter

Phoenix is down 41-30 entering the second period.

Kevin Durant began the game with a hot hand, shooting 4-of-7 for 12 points, and Phoenix shot a solid 12-for-23. But Denver came out the game stronger on 19-of 24 from the field, and is moving the ball better on 13 assists to Phoenix's six.

Denver's Michael Porter Jr. has a team-high 10 points on 5-of-6 FG, including a vicious left-handed dunk from a drive at the start of the contest.

Starting lineups

The Suns are starting Grayson Allen and Eric Gordon at guard, Keita Bates-Diop and Kevin Durant at forward, and Jusuf Nurkic in the middle.

The Nuggets are opening with Reggie Jackson and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the backcourt, forwards Michael Porter Jr. and Justin Holiday, and two-time MVP Nikola Jokic at the pivot.

Booker ruled out

Devin Booker (ankle) was downgraded from questionable to out at the Suns pregame shootaround on Friday.

Booker suffered a sprained right after he rolled on it early in the third quarter of Phoenix's loss at Toronto. He finished the game after he returned later that period. This will be the ninth game he's missed this season, and he initially missed four of Phoenix's first five after he had suffered a left ankle sprain in the season-opening win at Golden State.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Suns lose to Nuggets as Kevin Durant's shooting goes cold in 2nd half