After being left out of the Christmas Day games last year, the Denver Nuggets are slated to face off against the Phoenix Suns on December 25th in Denver. The Nuggets have had two Christmas Day games in the Nikola Jokić era, one versus the New Orleans Pelicans and one against the Los Angeles Clippers. Both games resulted in the Nuggets losing at home.
The Nuggets and Suns have developed a rivalry over the last few years, from Jamal Murray’s 46-point game to the second round of the 2021 NBA playoffs. This should be a good one for both sides. According to Mike Singer, the Nuggets organization has wondered if the 2021 playoffs would've gone differently with a healthy roster and he is certainly not alone in thinking that. This game could be huge for the Nuggets perception among mainstream media, there will be a ton of eyes on this game and if Denver shows how good of a team they can be when healthy, people will take note. But, the opposite effect could happen if the Nuggets lose. Either way, this is more than a normal regular season game for the Nuggets.
Nikola Jokić averages 23.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 7 assists on December 25th. As Bones Hyland stated, he is the reason the Nuggets have a Christmas Day game. I’m wishing for a Jokić triple-double for Christmas but a win would also be just as nice.
