Opening Night of the 2026 NBA Cup: Denver Nuggets Take on the Phoenix Suns
The Denver Nuggets enter their fifth game of the 2026-27 season at a critical crossroads. Following a 2-2 start, they face elevated stakes against the Phoenix Suns on Friday night, not just for crucial momentum but as the opening game of the 2026 NBA Cup. As a reminder, since it is the opening night of the Cup, the Nuggets navigate a grueling four-team group alongside the Suns, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, and Utah Jazz. With the top team from each conference advancing to the Knockout Rounds, every Group Play match carries immense weight: players on the winning team will see just above $600,000. Even beyond the prize pool, a Cup victory acts as vital preparation for potential late-season scenarios.
An Offensive Explosion Is on the Horizon
The Nuggets possessed the NBA’s top-ranked offense last season, but they have struggled to replicate that success this year. Outside of a 141-point overtime win over the New Orleans Pelicans, the offense has been limited, rarely exceeding 114 points in a game. However, their defense cannot justify such a ceiling. Facing a Suns team that has given up 122 or more points in virtually every contest, Denver simply must find their rhythm offensively. This is the perfect window for Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic to prove their scoring mettle, with either or both potentially racking up 35 or more points on the night.
A Deep-Ball Shootout Awaits
Neither the Nuggets nor the Suns boasts elite defensive profiles, setting the stage for a high-scoring affair from beyond the arc. Currently, both teams have sluggish three-point percentages—the Suns at 31.9% and the Nuggets at 32.8%—placing them in the bottom half of the league. This state of affairs means both sides will aggressively pursue deep looks. While the Suns’ opponents already shoot 40.7% from deep this season (the highest mark in the league), Denver’s opponents have been slightly colder at 32.9%, but tonight promises to be a scoring duel in the air.
A Narrow Road Victory for Denver
For the Nuggets, picking up a much-needed road win in Phoenix is the ultimate objective, even if they cannot expect blowouts. Although the Suns have been shaky defensively over their initial three games, they will still come out and compete hard. This likely translates into a tight game, perhaps finishing around 132-125 in Denver’s favor. A close, competitive matchup would be highly beneficial, injecting a playoff-like atmosphere into the first five games of the season as Denver experiments with late-game adjustments.
The Nuggets and Suns are set to tip off at 8:00 p.m. MT in Phoenix. Sign up for our free Denver Nuggets On SI newsletter, and get breaking Nuggets news delivered to your inbox daily!
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