Rookies take center stage in Nuggets' win over Suns

As two rebuilding teams took the court on Thursday, their respective first-round picks showed a glimpse of what may be in store in the future.

Denver Nuggets point guard Emmanuel Mudiay and Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker absolutely lit it up, both going for career highs and leading their teams in scoring in the Nuggets' 116-98 win.

Denver pulled away late, but for much of the game, Booker almost single-handedly kept his team close. He got into the lane at will, leaving Nuggets guards in the dust with bamboozling hesitation dribbles. He hit running floaters and kissed layups high off the window. He drilled step-backs and fadeaways with defenders draped all over him. He caught the Nuggets flat-footed in transition.

All told, he scored 35 points, and he did it while hitting just one shot from beyond the arc, which is where he's been making his bones in his young career.

It's just the latest in a string of huge scoring outbursts for the 19-year-old, who in his last five games alone has now scored 35, 34, 32, and 27 points.

It might even have been enough to lead his woebegone Suns to a win if it hadn't been for Mudiay, who worked his own sorcery on this night.

Unlike Booker, Mudiay had it going from outside, hitting 4-of-7 from 3-point range and 13-of-20 overall in his best shooting night as a pro. Mudiay, who turned 20 less than a week ago, helped close Phoenix out with nine points in the final eight minutes, finishing with a round 30.

It may have been a meaningless game between a couple of likely lottery teams. But to two of the league's youngest players, it meant an awful lot.