Takeaways From Suns' Preseason Victory vs. Nuggets

The Suns' reserves put on a showcase in Sunday night's victory - and gave fans much to be enthused about.

Oct 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) catches a pass against Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) in the second quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns are just over a week away from the much anticipated 2024-25 regular season opener.

Until then, preseason play will suffice - and fans were treated to a pleasantly surprising viewing experience spearheaded by a rotation that was solely represented by projected bench players against the starting unit of the Denver Nuggets.

The Suns battled the entire game nonetheless and eventually came out on top by a score of 118-114 after outscoring the Nuggets in 67-54 fashion in the second half.

Three takeaways from this unexpected comeback ahead of the preseason finale on Thursday:

Ryan Dunn Continues to Shine

The 28th pick in the 2024 NBA draft came in as a prospect that was perceived as tale of two sides of the ball.

The former University of Virginia forward was widely lauded as one of the premier defenders of the draft - if not the best. He was seen as a phenomenal athlete with great instincts along with possessing versatility to play in multiple spots.

Ryan Dunn made 6 threes tonight in the Suns preseason game against the Nuggets.

Dunn only made 7 threes TOTAL in 34 games for Virginia last season. pic.twitter.com/EEgBbi8uon

— Dan Olinger (@dan_olinger) October 14, 2024

The jump shot was a concern in lieu of the stout defense - he shot just 23.5% in two years of college.

Some - including this site - have pointed out that Dunn's shooting mechanics have been consistently sound, even throughout college - and that he could become a threat as a floor-spacer with lots of work.

That work has seemingly paid dividends thus far, as Dunn has shot an absurd 12-27 (44.4%) from behind the arc in four games while simultaneously making a significant impact on the defensive side of the ball - whether it shows up on the stat sheet or not.

Sure, four games is a small sample. But the rookie standout looks confident, poised, and ready to make a consistent impact for a championship hopeful.

Three-Point Barrage Continues

A game after shooting an abysmal 10-44 from three-point range on Friday against the Detroit Pistons, they rebounded in a major way by going 23-51 (45.1%).

Outside of Dunn, the remainder of the starting five were connecting on all cylinders as well. Royce O'Neale went 3-for-6 from deep, Bol Bol went 4-for-6, and Monte Morris went 4-for-7.

The Suns just took 50 threes, which was 55% of their shot distribution.

I have ascended to heaven. Mazzulla Ball has influenced the Valley and it is beautiful.

— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) October 14, 2024

The most important things to take out of this showing were the continued emphasis on getting up as many looks from deep as possible - the analytics simply back it up in terms of being the most efficient offense, and the Suns' plethora of shooting talent can arguably only be maximized under this arrangement.

The other factor that is crucially important is players such as Morris and Bol look ready to contribute on a nightly basis for this team - that couldn't be any further from what the depth was this time last year.

Mike Budenholzer has a bench full of players in which he knows exactly what he will get in a general sense - even with shooting variance included. This team simply looks like one that has found new life after making a few simple moves.

Defense Answers Call When Needed

The Suns' defense looked a bit porous in the first half of action, ceding 60 points in 24 minutes of action - and allowing Nikola Jokic/Michael Porter Jr. to have their way.

The third quarter is truly where the defense made their mark. The rim protection looked fantastic - to the point of forcing five misses in the lane during the quarter of action and largely neutralizing Jokic after a great first half showing.

Defense ➡️ Offense pic.twitter.com/D5ttxDZffj

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) October 14, 2024

Denver did finish the period hitting a fair 8-of-18 from the floor - but the timely stops and neutralization of the top-end talent were vital in regaining a grip of the contest (Russell Westbrook lead Denver with three buckets in the quarter).

Dunn, Ighodaro, O'Neale - and even Collin Gilleslpie made their marks on the defensive side of the ball. This could once again be a chippy unit that can overachieve in the regular season.

The main difference is the addition of better athletes and more youth - which makes them all the more dangerous.

The Suns will close out the preseason on Thursday night at home against the Los Angeles Lakers.