Teammates make Nuggets history in NBA Cup win over Suns

Murray scored 39 points, Braun added a career-high 31, and the Nuggets beat the Phoenix Suns 127-120 to open NBA Cup play in West Group A

BY JAKE SHAPIRO

Oct 31, 2026, 3:12 AM

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PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 30: Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets stands on the court before th...

Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images

The biggest news for the Denver Nuggets: Christian Braun’s 3-pointers are falling. Jamal Murray matched him shot for shot on Friday.

Murray scored 39 points, Braun added a career-high 31, and the Nuggets beat the Phoenix Suns 127-120 to open NBA Cup play in West Group A.

The two guards combined for 70 points on 21-of-34 shooting, including 14 of 18 from 3-point range. Each made seven 3s, the first time two Nuggets have done that in the same game.

Braun got going early. He made all six of his 3-point attempts in the first half and had 22 points at the break, giving Denver a 71-67 lead in a game with 11 lead changes before halftime. He finished 11 of 16 from the field and 7 of 9 from deep, with three steals.

“Obviously not the preseason I wanted, not the first few games I wanted,” Braun said. “But it’s a percentage for a reason. Tonight, they fell.”

Braun has now made 12 of his 30 shots from deep this year, 10 of which have been in his last five quarters of play.

Murray said that persistence has been Braun’s biggest step forward.

“Telling somebody to shoot it is one thing. Them shooting is another,” Murray said. “But them to keep shooting it through the misses … that’s why I’m happy.”

Murray took over after halftime. He scored 28 of his points in the second half, made 6 of 8 from deep, and went 12 of 15 at the free-throw line for the game. Phoenix’s Dillon Brooks, who had 22 points, was ejected with 8:05 left in the third quarter after a flagrant 2 foul for kicking Murray in a tough spot on a jump shot.

“I don’t think he’s really trying to kick me,” Murray said. “Maybe flopped a little bit.”

Nikola Jokic added 18 points and 10 assists. Cameron Johnson returned from his right ankle sprain with 12 points and nine rebounds. Denver made 20 of 37 3-pointers as a team.

The ending was closer than it needed to be. Denver led 123-110 with 1:17 left, then turned it over four times in the final minute. Phoenix cut the lead to five on a Jordan Goodwin 3 with 9.7 seconds left before Braun iced it at the line.

“To get a lead, take a lead, and then I guess try to blow it at the end,” coach David Adelman said. “You don’t need to throw a lob or shoot a layup. You just hold the ball and win the game.”

A week after Adelman pleaded with his role players to shoot when they’re open, one of them answered with a career night.