DENVER — Emmanuel Mudiay scored 30 points, Nikola Jokic had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Phoenix Suns 116-98 on Thursday night.
Will Barton had 17 points and eight rebounds, for the Nuggets, who overcame a big night from Suns guard Devin Booker.
Booker scored a season-high 35 points to keep up his strong rookie campaign. He had 25 points in the second half when the Suns made a game of it.
The Nuggets (27-38) have won four of their first six games on this seven-game homestand that concludes Saturday against Washington.
Denver’s three-game winning streak was its first since mid-December and only its second of the season. It is also marks just the second time the Nuggets have won three straight at home.
It is similar to the way Phoenix’s season has played out. The Suns (17-48) have lost two straight since winning two in a row. It was their first winning streak since early December.
Brandon Knight had 10 points in his return to the lineup. He missed nearly two months with a left adductor strain.
Injuries played a part in Phoenix’s struggles this season, but it also created an opportunity for Booker. Since the loss of guard Eric Bledsoe, Booker has picked up the slack. He averaged 17.3 points a game in January and came into Thursday scoring 24 points a game in March.
He sparked a comeback in the third that wiped out Denver’s 15-point lead. Booker scored six points in the quarter from the line to bring Phoenix back. The Suns got their first lead when Mirza Teletovic hit a 3-pointer with 3:54 left in the period to make it 70-69.
Barton and D.J. Augustin hit 3-pointers to cap a 13-4 run that gave the Nuggets an 82-74 lead after three.
Barton’s steal and dunk to start the fourth made it a 10-point game but the Suns hung around until the Nuggets pulled away in the end. Mudiay scored nine points after Phoenix cut it to seven midway through the fourth quarter.
NOTES: Suns G Brandon Knight (sports hernia) went through a warmup before the game and was active. He was active Wednesday against New York but did not play. He has been out of the lineup since Jan. 19. “It’s Brandon’s choice,” interim coach Earl Watson said. “Whenever he’s ready to step on the court, he’s going to have the opportunity.” … The Nuggets finish up their seven-game homestand against the Washington Wizards on Saturday. After that, they will play nine of their next 11 on the road. … Watson, who still owns a house in Denver nine years after he played for the Nuggets, is leasing it to Denver G Will Barton.