The Denver Nuggets opened their NBA Cup group-stage campaign with a 127-120 win over the Phoenix Suns in Phoenix on Friday, 30 October 2026. Jamal Murray led all scorers with 39 points, while Christian Braun added a career-high 31 points in a high-scoring night built on three-point shooting.
Denver made 20 three-pointers and shot 52.6 percent from beyond the arc, according to the Associated Press report carried by theScore. Murray hit seven three-pointers, and Braun matched him with a career-high seven from deep. The win moved Denver above .500 for the first time this season and gave the Nuggets a 1-0 start in NBA Cup group play.
Quick Reference Summary Table
| Final score | Denver Nuggets 127, Phoenix Suns 120 |
| Competition | NBA Cup group stage |
| Venue | Phoenix, Arizona |
| Denver top scorer | Jamal Murray, 39 points, seven three-pointers |
| Second scorer | Christian Braun, 31 points, career-high seven three-pointers |
| Denver playmaker | Nikola Jokic, 18 points, 10 assists |
| Phoenix top scorers | Dillon Brooks 22 points before ejection; Devin Booker 20 points |
| Turning point | Brooks ejected with a Flagrant 2 foul in the third quarter |
| Team three-pointers | Denver 20 of 38; 38 combined by both teams |
| Head-to-head run | Six straight wins for Denver over Phoenix |
Murray and Braun combine for 70 points in Phoenix
Murray scored 28 of his 39 points in the second half, finishing 10 of 18 from the floor and 7 of 9 from three-point range. Braun started fast, hitting his first six three-point attempts on his way to 22 points in the first half, and finished 11 of 16 from the floor.
Together, the pair scored 70 of Denver’s 127 points and hit 14 three-pointers between them. Nikola Jokic added 18 points and 10 assists, and all five Denver starters scored in double figures. That balance mattered late, when Phoenix kept cutting into the lead but could never get within one possession in the fourth quarter.
Denver led 71-67 at half-time and 103-93 after three quarters. Braun’s seventh three-pointer pushed the lead to 121-110 with 2:20 remaining, and Murray’s late free throws closed out the win at 125-117 with 13.4 seconds left before the final margin settled at seven points.
Brooks ejection shifts the third quarter
Phoenix stayed in the game through Dillon Brooks, who scored a season-high 22 points before being assessed a Flagrant 2 foul and ejected with 8:05 remaining in the third quarter. Denver led 84-76 at that point, and the ejection removed one of Phoenix’s hottest scorers just as the Nuggets were building their lead.
Devin Booker scored 20 points on his 30th birthday, and Collin Gillespie added 16 points and 10 assists off the bench for Phoenix. The Suns used a 7-0 run to pull within 123-117 with 35.4 seconds remaining, but got no closer as Denver held firm from the free-throw line.
The result extended Denver’s winning run over Phoenix to six straight games, dating back to Christmas Day in 2024. It also gave Denver consecutive wins for the first time this season after the Nuggets swept their two-game road trip.
What the NBA Cup opener means for both teams
The NBA Cup group stage rewards early wins, because group results decide who advances to the knockout rounds. Denver’s 1-0 start, combined with a loss for the Houston Rockets to the Dallas Mavericks on the same night, moved the Nuggets closer to winning their group for the first time since the tournament began.
For Phoenix, the defeat showed both promise and a warning. The Suns scored 120 points and stayed close late, but losing Brooks to ejection in the third quarter cost them a key scorer at a decisive moment. Discipline in big moments will matter as much as shooting in their remaining group games.
Denver next hosts Portland on Monday night, while Phoenix travels to Golden State on Monday night. Both teams will carry lessons from this opener into the next round of group fixtures, with Denver aiming to protect its unbeaten group record and Phoenix looking to bounce back quickly. Readers following the NBA Cup can also catch up on the other Friday result covered here, as the Warriors beat the Lakers 112-95 in NBA Cup play.
Frequently asked questions
What was the final score of Nuggets vs Suns? Denver won 127-120 in Phoenix on Friday, 30 October 2026, in an NBA Cup group-stage game.
Who scored the most points in the game? Jamal Murray led all scorers with 39 points for Denver, including seven three-pointers and 28 points in the second half.
How many points did Christian Braun score? Braun scored a career-high 31 points and made a career-high seven three-pointers for Denver.
Why was Dillon Brooks ejected? Brooks was assessed a Flagrant 2 foul and ejected with 8:05 remaining in the third quarter, after scoring a season-high 22 points for Phoenix.
What does the result mean for the NBA Cup group? Denver moved to 1-0 in group play, strengthening its position in the race for a knockout-round place, while Phoenix must win upcoming group games to stay in contention.
