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. Tigers Jerseys Outlet . 10 VCU 85-67 on Thursday night at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. The Seminoles (4-0) have scored at least 80 points in each of their games. Tigers Jerseys From China . A forerunning sled crashed into the worker Thursday at the Sanki Sliding Center. The unidentified worker broke both legs and was airlifted to a nearby hospital. http://www.cheaptigersjerseyschina.com/michael-fulmer-jersey/ .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. Denny McLain Jersey . The 28-year-old from Calgary matched his career best after missing just one shot in his two rounds of shooting in the mens 10-kilometre sprint competition. Smith finished in 23 minutes 15. Willie Horton Jersey . -- Mike Smith never saw his first NHL goal go in. PITTSBURGH --?Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger absolutely expects Andrew Luck to take the field for the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday night, but he cautions the star quarterback to be smart while in concussion protocol.Roethlisberger is drawing from experience after 12-plus years in the league and multiple concussion-related issues.The brain is nothing to mess with, Roethlisberger told Indianapolis reporters on a conference call. He is young and has a long career ahead of himself.Roethlisberger, 34, said he has to expect Luck, 27, to play because Lucks a tough competitor and one of the best in the game. But he wouldnt knock Luck for sitting if necessary.The Tennessee Titans sacked Luck twice and hit him eight times in the Colts win Sunday, with defensive tackle Austin Johnsons fourth-quarter hit likely forcing Luck into the concussion protocol.Luck must be cleared before playing. Scott Tolzien is the backup. On the season, Luck is averaging 3.5 sacks per game.Roethlisberger was in the protocol last season after taking a hit from Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Michael Bennett in a Week 12 loss. He played the next game, with six full days to recover compared to Lucks three days this week. Roethlisberger said after that game that he didnt have a concussion. Roethlisbergger has taken 453 sacks in his career, 34 in the past two seasons.dddddddddddd Roethlisbergers concussion history dates to at least 2006, when he was questionable for a game with the Oakland Raiders while coming off a head injury.When asked by Indianapolis media whether hes kept track of his concussions, Roethlisberger said, I have no idea. Maybe too many.I have played this game a long time and younger days in my career when I wouldnt have [missed time], and there were many times that Ive said that I havent told anybody that I had been dinged or had a concussion, Roethlisberger said. Looking back on it, I wish I wouldnt have. You have to be smart when it comes to your brain because you only play football for such a short period of your life. When you have a family and people that you are going to be with for the long term, you have to really make sure your health is taken care of.Roethlisberger has played through several injuries as part of what he calls a violent sport. One injury cant be played through, he says.You can rub dirt on a lot of things, but you cant rub dirt on the brain, Roethlisberger said.ESPNs Mike Wells contributed to this report. Cheap Jerseys [url=http://www.cherm, you have to really make sure your health itp://www.cheapjerseysauthenticmlb.com/]Wholesale Baseball Jerseys[/url] ' ' '