Stephen Nover's NBA Western Conference Game of the Month
(NBA) Phoenix vs. Denver, 06/13/2021 8:00 PM, Score: 125 - 118
Point Spread: -3.00 | -110.00 Phoenix (Away)
Result: Win
The oddsmaker has adjusted 4 1/2 points from Game 3 when the Suns were road underdogs. It still isn't enough. The Suns are vastly superior to the Jamal Murray-less Nuggets. Phoenix has won by 17, 25 and 14 points at Denver during Friday's Game 3.

The Suns still won by double-digits on Friday despite the Nuggets playing the hardest they have all series and their superstar, Nikola Jokic, scoring 32 points, pulling down 20 rebounds and dishing off 10 assists.

It didn't matter. The Nuggets don't have the starters to match the Suns and their bench isn't nearly good enough to compensate. The loss of Murray is huge.

This is what I wrote for Game 3 when I also had the Suns:

"No NBA team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series. I have no doubt that the Nuggets will go all out, mustering all of their intensity.

But it won't be enough.

This series is a mismatch. Phoenix is playing too well and is two levels - not just one level - above the Nuggets right now."

None of that has changed. Devin Booker remains a huge force and Chris Paul is playing great with a 34-to-3 assist-to-turnover ratio in the series. The only change could be Denver's morale and confidence.

The Nuggets know no team has come back from a 3-0 series deficit. Their best shot two days ago wasn't nearly enough. That has to be depressing.