PHOENIX — Four down, 12 to go. After beating the Los Angeles Clippers in five games during the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs, the Phoenix Suns are moving on to the next round.
The Suns were able to close out a playoff series at home for the first time since 2007 and the atmosphere was electric. You can expect the energy to ramp up even more when the Suns take on the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Semifinals.
This is shaping up to be a blockbuster matchup between two top teams. Denver is the number one seed in the Western Conference, dominating the conference with the best record during the regular season. Phoenix has been picked by many prognosticators to win in it all this season with the addition of forward Kevin Durant.
Before the series gets underway, here are some things to look out for:
When are the Suns and Nuggets playing?
Game 1 of the series is set to tip-off on Saturday, April 29 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. Here's a breakdown for the rest of the games
- Game 2: May 1 at Ball Arena, Time, 5:30 p.m. on TNT
- Game 3: May 5 at the Footprint Center, Time, TBD
- Game 4: May 7 at the Footprint Center, Time, TBD
- Games 5-7: *If necessary
Are tickets for games 3 and 4 in Phoenix already for sale?
Tickets for games three and four of the Suns and Nuggets series are already on sale on the Phoenix Suns website.
Who should I watch for on the Suns?
This is going to be a very interesting series. There will be plenty of playmakers on both teams but here are a couple of players who could be the difference.
Cam Payne
Payne's presence was certainly missed during the Clippers series. His scoring ability off the bench should help jump start the bench production that will need to improve for the Suns to come away on top.
Torrey Craig
Phoenix will need Craig's hustle and energy this series. He put up some good performances on both ends of the court against the Clippers, so that will need to continue in Denver.
Deandre Ayton
This could easily be the difference in the series. Ayton is the Suns' anchor in the middle and will need to play huge on the offensive and defensive boards. His play against Nikola Jokić will be important to the Suns' success in this series.
What are your predictions for the series? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #BeOn12.
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