Nuggets get Will Barton back from injury but burn out in Phoenix

Kelly Oubre Jr. planted the ceremonial dagger in the Denver Nuggets’ chest at the third quarter buzzer.

Oubre banked in a three as the third quarter wound to a close, giving the Suns an 81-69 advantage heading to the fourth, one which Phoenix dominated as it breezed past Denver to a 102-93 win. Oubre finished with a game-high 26 points on 9-17 shooting. He also hit 4 of his 7 three-point attempts and also collected 11 rebounds.

The 93 points were the fewest scored by the Nuggets since Denver fell 89-87 in Memphis back on Nov. 7. Denver shot just 38.6 percent from the field and 10-31 (32.3 percent from three). The Nuggets also shot just 15-22 from the line and committed 17 turnovers, leading to 26 Suns points. Phoenix’s bench outscored Denver’s 49-25.

The Suns outhustled and outclassed the top team in the Western Conference.

“That team outplayed us tonight,” Michael Malone said on Altitude TV. “They played harder than us tonight. And it was apparent throughout the game. Loose balls, 50-50 balls.”

The silver lining to arguably the Nuggets’ worst loss of the season? Denver got Will Barton back from a 38-game absence. Barton, who hadn’t played since sustaining hip/core injury in the Nuggets’ second regular-season matchup of the season, also against the Suns, played 16 minutes off Denver’s bench. He was rusty, as expected, and shot just 2-10 from the field for six points. The 28-year-old will likely return to Denver’s starting lineup over the next couple of games.

Elsewhere for the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic added 23 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. Malik Beasley finished with 21 points on 8-14 shooting, including 5-9 from three in his third-straight start at shooting guard for Gary Harris, who is sidelined with a sore hamstring. Harris could return for Denver’s matchup Sunday at home against Portland.

“Those guys had pride and they played harder than us tonight,” Malone said. “And I never want to lose a game saying someone outworked us and I think that was the case tonight.”