The Denver Nuggets arrived in Phoenix for Game 3 with a 2-0 series lead and looking to be firmly in control of the series over the Phoenix Suns. Not to mention, the Suns would be without Chris Paul for at leasts the contests in Arizona, so the Nuggets had a great opportunity to at least take one game and put this series on ice. Nevertheless, Devin Booker refused to let that happen, scorching the Suns for two straight games and thus evening the series. Across Game 3 and Game 4, Booker shot 34/43 from the field on his way to 83 total points and arguably the greatest two game run in playoff history. He is undoubtedly the best player in the 2023 NBA Playoffs right now, and he is the primary reason the Nuggets and Suns are tied heading back to Denver.
The Nuggets can't do much about Booker being the hottest player on the planet, as it looks like even triple-teams would not be able to slow him down. However, there are obviously some adjustments that need to be made in order for them to see results akin to the first two games of this series. They still got great production from their stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray in Phoenix, ultimately not enough to win however. As the series shifts back to Denver, there are multiple areas of the game that Denver needs to fix if they want to still win this series. In particular, there are three key adjustments the Nuggets need to make after giving up their 2-0 lead to the Suns. Here are those three adjustments.
Help out Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic might have taken his NBA MVP snub to heart, as he went absolutely nuclear in Game 4. Despite the loss, Jokic had 53 points and 11 assists, all the while doing so on an incredible 20/30 shooting from the field. He was going shot-for-shot with Suns star Devin Booker, making Game 4 one of the more exhilarating offensive displays of the 2023 NBA Playoffs so far. The fact that Jokic scored 53 points and the Nuggets still lost is something to behold, and directly places blame on the rest of his teammates, sans Jamal Murray.
Murray had 28 points in Game 4, doing so on 13/25 shooting with 7 assists along the way. Besides Murray and Jokic, the Nuggets got 43 points from the other 6 players that saw playing time. That is 7.16 points per player besides the two Nuggets stars, which simply will not cut it in the 2023 NBA Playoffs. A championship winning team usually will survive on the backs of their superstars, but production from role players is a must. If the Nuggets want to make it out of this series, guys like Aaron Gordon, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Michael Porter Jr. are going to have contribute more to the stat sheet.
Keep the ball out of Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker's hands
Devin Booker is playing like an immortal right now. His two game stretch in Phoenix was something out of a fairytale, as 34/43 shooting simply does not make sense. After 47 points on 20/25 shooting in Game 3, he followed up that performance with 36 points on 14/18 shooting; these are two stat-lines that are quite literally unheard of. Whatever the Nuggets did, Booker found an answer, routinely getting his shot up and in over multiple defenders. It has come to the point where the Nuggets have to deny him the ball if they want to keep him off the scoreboard.
Keeping the ball out of Booker's hands will not be an easy task given that the Suns run the offense through him. However, he does not bring the ball up, so the Nuggets already have a head start there. Whenever Denver has the chance, they need to deny him the ball for the rest of this series, even using multiple defenders if they have to. Between Booker and Kevin Durant, Booker has proven to be the man that is going to beat the Nuggets. Although Durant is a generational scorer, he hasn't led the charge yet. The Nuggets should make Durant lead the Suns in scoring, and see if this gives them a better chance.
Slow the game down
The Nuggets obviously play their best running through Nikola Jokic. However, running through Nikola Jokic in a track meet suits the Suns just as well, and that is what happened over the last two games. Denver needs to find a way to make the game more of a half-court style contest, as the Suns thrive by getting out and running. Kevin Durant and Devin Booker want to put up as many shots as possible, and forcing the Nuggets to play fast benefits their styles. The Nuggets can thrive just as easily through Jokic by draining the shot clock and building long possessions, and doing this will limit the Suns offensive opportunities.
If the Nuggets can slow down the tempo of the game once the series returns to Denver, they will have a much better chance of coming back out on top. In Game 1 and Game 2, the Suns scored 107 and 97 points respectively. Then in Game 3 and Game 4, the Suns scored 121 and 129 points respectively. If the Nuggets can return to the tempo the first two games played at, they will limit the Suns scoring and should have a better chance of winning. It will be key for Denver to slow the game down for the rest of this series.
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