Denver @ Phoenix preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 24, 2019 ) Phoenix 104, Denver 116

The Denver Nuggets are enjoying their second six-game winning streak in just over a month and they'll attempt to push the run to a season-high seven in a row at the Phoenix Suns on Monday. The Nuggets took advantage of a Los Angeles Lakers team playing without superstar LeBron James in Sunday's 128-104 victory.

Paul Millsap led a balanced attack with 21 points as Denver poured it on in the second half to improve to 7-3 on the road. "We just came out aggressive," guard Gary Harris told Altitude TV of the team's dominant play after halftime. "We wanted to be aggressive to start the second half. We did that. Want to keep rolling." The Suns are suffering through a season-high six-game losing streak and they've given up at least 120 points four times in that span. The worst of those lackluster defensive efforts came Saturday against Houston in the opener of a two-game homestand, as the Rockets received 47 points from superstar James Harden en route to a 139-125 win.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Altitude2 (Denver), FS Arizona (Phoenix)

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (20-8): The first five wins of Denver's streak came at home before it coasted at Los Angeles to begin a two-game road trip. It was able to limit some minutes on the front end of the back-to-back by pulling away from the Lakers as star center Nikola Jokic (18 points) played 27 minutes and Millsap did all his damage in 21 minutes. Millsap scored 23 points and Jamal Murray and Will Barton each had 22 in the last meeting with the Suns, a 116-104 victory Nov. 24.

ABOUT THE SUNS (11-18): Center Deandre Ayton missed his second straight game Saturday with a sprained ankle and point guard Ricky Rubio was out with an illness, adding to a season marked by players missing games for one reason or another. "You can boo-hoo and whine about it, but it does no good," coach Monty Williams told reporters Saturday. ". ... It's happening to everyone. I don't know if anyone's dealt with what we've dealt with, but I like my team, I like the fight and the way they show up every day." Small forward Elie Okobo made his first start of the season Saturday and finished with 17 points for his third straight double-digit effort.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Suns SF Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting Saturday but failed to hit a 3-pointer for the first time since Nov. 24.

2. Barton on Sunday tied a career high with 13 rebounds.

3. Denver took the first two meetings this season - both at home - and have won 13 of the last 15.

PREDICTION: Nuggets 111, Suns 109