The Suns are still looking for their early-season rhythm, while the Nuggets arrive with a fresh reminder of what their defense can do. Denver held New Orleans to 91 points on Wednesday, and Phoenix is coming off a tough loss to Oklahoma City. As of Oct. 28, the Suns are 1-2 and the Nuggets are 2-2, so Friday night offers both teams a chance to turn a wobbly opening week into a stronger chapter.

The brightest spotlight may land in the paint, the area closest to the basket. Nikola Jokic is Denver’s great conductor there. The Nuggets center averages 22 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 9 assists through four games. His nine assists show why defenders cannot focus only on stopping his own shot. Jokic can score inside, then fire a sharp pass to a cutter or an open teammate when help arrives.

Phoenix’s answer is 7-foot-1 Khaman Maluach, who has a major opening with Mark Williams sidelined. Maluach has collected 7.3 rebounds and blocked 1.3 shots per game in only 23.4 minutes. His length can make the rim feel crowded, and his work on missed shots will matter against a Denver team that grabs nearly 45 rebounds per game. Still, Jokic brings a difficult kind of challenge: he can pull a young center away from the basket with his passing and patient footwork.

That pressure makes Devin Booker even more important. Booker has scored 23 points per game while making 55.6 percent of his shots, a strong sign that Phoenix can rely on him to create good looks. He can rise for a midrange jumper, drive to the rim, or run a pick-and-roll, a play where a teammate sets a screen to free the ball-handler. Booker’s 5.3 assists show that he is creating for others, not simply hunting shots.

Dillon Brooks can help give Phoenix a tougher edge on the wing. He often takes the hardest guard job, and he will likely spend important moments making Denver’s guards work for every move. That could mean long stretches chasing Jamal Murray, who leads the Nuggets with 22.5 points per game and has hit 47.1 percent of his three-point shots. Murray and Jokic form Denver’s central connection, using screens, cuts, and quick passes to make defenses choose whom to cover.

The Suns need cleaner possessions after averaging 15.3 turnovers, or lost possessions, per game. Denver has been loose with the ball too, averaging 16 turnovers, but its 10 steals per game can turn mistakes into fast breaks. Aaron Gordon adds power to those moments with hard cuts and strong finishes near the rim.

Denver may also be without forward Cameron Johnson, who is listed as doubtful with an ankle injury. That could shrink the Nuggets’ wing depth, but Denver’s rebounding, defense, and Jokic-Murray partnership give it a sturdy foundation. Phoenix has the home floor and Booker’s scoring craft, yet Maluach faces an enormous assignment. Prediction: The Nuggets win by using their size and passing to control the key moments.

Khaman Maluach Steps Into Nikola Jokic’s Spotlight in Phoenix