*THE SUNS DOMINATED THE START OF EACH QUARTER: 8-2 to start the game, 10-4 to begin the second quarter, 13-4 run immediately after halftime and 13-6 to start the fourth = 44-16.

        *CHRIS PAUL CONTROLLED EVERYTHING: He finished with 17 points, 15 assists, ZERO turnovers and the Suns were +26 in his 31 minutes.

        *DEANDRE AYTON FLIRTED WITH EARLY DISASTER: He was whistled for two fouls in the first 4:56. He did not commit another foul the rest of the way and finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

        *THE SUNS HAVE NOT NEEDED DEVIN BOOKER’S SCORING: Thru two games, he has attempted just 26 shots, making 14, while scoring 39 points. Most impressively, Booker had eight assists in Game One and 10 rebounds in Game Two.

        *DARIO SARIC RESEMBLED THE EFFECTIVE EARLY-SEASON VERSION: He more than held the fort after Ayton’s two fouls and finished with the game with eight points and four rebounds. The Suns were +15 in his 16:00.

        *THE MVP NEEDS SOME HELP: Nikola Jokic had 24 points, 13 rebounds and six assists before he sat out the fourth quarter for scoreboard reasons. The other four Denver starters totaled 26 points, 11 rebounds and four assists.