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PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns will put their improved defense on display Sunday afternoon when they seek to avenge an earlier high-scoring loss to the Denver Nuggets in a duel of struggling Western Conference teams.The Suns are coming off a 98-85 home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night, a game in which they blew a 10-point, fourth-quarter lead.Despite the loss, the Suns held a second consecutive opponent below 100 points after having allowed 14 of the first 15 to reach the figure.In the process, the Suns have gone from the bottom of the NBA rankings in points allowed to the fourth worst at 111.7 per game.The mindset we have to play with and understand how to win in this league, a lot of it is defensive, Suns coach Earl Watson explained to the media last week. There are great offensive teams, but the defense carries you throughout the season.The Phoenix defense failed to show up for the earlier meeting with the Nuggets in Denver. The Suns allowed the Nuggets to shoot 48.4 percent from the field and 47.1 percent (8 of 17) on 3-pointers in a 120-104 loss on Nov. 16.The Suns were led in that game by reserve Wilson Chandler, who made half of his 22 shots from the field and two of his three 3-pointers on a 28-point night.Chandler has since been promoted to the starting lineup as the Nuggets have had a hard time finding healthy bodies. They suited up only 10 players in Fridays 132-129 overtime loss at home to Oklahoma City.Chandler was even better against the Thunder than the Suns, posting a season-high 30 points. Jameer Nelson also had season highs for points (21) and assists (13) in the loss.Among the players missing for the Nuggets on Friday were Will Barton and Mike Miller, both of whom were excused from the team for personal reasons.It is unclear how long they will be out, as is the case with Danilo Gallinari, who is questionable for Sundays game with a strained thigh.The Suns also had a player away for personal reasons when Tyson Chandler missed eight of nine games after the death of his mother.The leagues sixth-leading rebounder returned for Fridays home loss to Minnesota but was limited to 11 minutes off the bench, during which he contributed six points and seven rebounds.Chandler and Len combined for 12 points and nine rebounds out of the center position in the earlier matchup with the Nuggets.Like the Suns (5-12), the Nuggets (6-10) let one get away Friday night when they squandered a late 13-point lead in regulation en route to their overtime loss to the Thunder.I thought we played well enough offensively for sure to win the game, Nelson noted to reporters afterward. We just couldnt get stops when we needed them.The Nuggets-Suns matchup pits two of the NBAs rising stars, University of Kentucky products Jamal Murray and Devin Booker.Phoenixs Booker, who turned 20 on Oct. 30, logged 1,078 NBA points as a teenager, the sixth most in league history behind LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant and Dwight Howard.Denvers Murray, meanwhile, is the active scoring leader among teens, averaging 10.6 points per game as a 19-year-old. The Suns Marquese Chriss, also 19, ranks third on that list at 6.2. Cheap Fernando Valenzuela Jersey . -- Gus Malzahn finally had his day in Fayetteville. Cheap MLB Jerseys . Fred Couples, captain of the U.S. side, put it all into perspective. "We know whos in charge," he said. http://www.cheapdodgersjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-kirk-gibson-jersey .com) - The Montreal Canadiens embark on their first road trip of the season as they head out west to battle the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. Cheap Los Angeles Dodgers Jerseys . Detroit and Boston are deadlocked, 1-1, and Tigers manager Jim Leyland could be forgiven if he was caught rationalizing instead of dissecting how his club could blow a 5-1 lead late in Game 2. Cheap MLB Jerseys Authentic . While hell be dialed in to that tournament on a course he loves, you can forgive him if his eyes glance down the calendar just a bit, towards April. Fremantle midfielder Michael Barlow has put his hand up to make a shock appearance in Saturday nights AFL clash with Melbourne in Darwin.Barlow was expected to be sidelined for at least two more weeks after undergoing surgery on a fractured finger last week.But the 28-year-old approached coach Ross Lyon earlier this week telling him of his eagerness to play against the Demons.Fremantle had the bye last week, meaning Barlow might not even miss a single game with the finger injury.He came into the office (on Tuesday), Lyon told the Seven Network.Hes really keen. Hes got really good movement in that finger. Hes optimistic.Well give him every chance. Its more likely than unlikely to be truthful.Lyon confirmed veteran Matthew Pavlich would make the trip to Darwin, but the 34-year-old could be rested for the round-18 trip to Gold Coast, and the round-22 clash with GWS at Spotless Stadium.Barlows earlier-than-expected recovery is a big boost to the Dockers, who have been forced to contend with a horror injury toll this year.The Dockers currently have 19 players featured on their official injury list.Although ruckman Jon Griffin (hamstring) and Barlow could return against the Demons, stars such as Nat Fyfe, Aaron Sandilands, Harleey Bennell, and Michael Johnson are nursing serious injuries.ddddddddddddGoalsneak Hayden Ballantyne has escaped the carnage so far.But he dismissed suggestions some players may opt to take their foot off the pedal in order to avoid becoming the latest casualty.My own philosophy is that if you worry about that too much, thats when you get really hurt, Ballantyne said.You take a backward step, and you get even more hurt.(We need to) still play the exact same way. Go as hard as you can.Surprisingly, Ballantyne has been able to avoid the teams injury carnage despite his history of soft tissue injuries.The 28-year-old has played every game this season, and he hopes that trend continues.I dont want to jinx myself here, but this is the longest period of footy Ive played in my career, Ballantyne said.The Dockers fledgling side showed much promise during recent wins against Essendon, Brisbane, and Port Adelaide.But they were given a harsh reality check in their last game - a 48-point thrashing at the hands of Collingwood at the MCG.Ballantyne said the players were keen to bounce back against Melbourne. ' ' '