DENVER – The student became the master Monday at Ball Arena.

With the game tied in the final minute, Ish Smith walked his man down before hitting a pull-up jumper from 20 feet that gave the Nuggets a 107-105 win, their first of the preseason, over the Suns. It’s a move learned from Suns guard Chris Paul who used to come back to Wake Forest, where Smith and Paul both played in college, and use the move against the younger guard.

“Chris does it all the time now,” Smith said. “He walks you down, so people just keep retreating, keep retreating. I’m confident to shoot that mid-range. I know analytically it’s not the prettiest shot, but I don’t care.”

Now, Smith is using that move against opponents.

“Ish is just so fast, so you’ve got to give him space or he’s going to go right by you,” Bruce Brown said.

“He knows his spots, so he’s going to get to his spot and score every time.”

Smith finished with 17 points, seven assists and three rebounds in 24 minutes and 34 seconds of playing time. The minutes were boosted with Jamal Murray sidelined and Bones Hyland missing most of the second half with what the team hopes is a minor injury. Should the Nuggets need Smith to play regular minutes during the regular season, Malone said he has no shortage of faith in his veteran guard.

“He can score. He can get anywhere he wants to go,” Malone said. “He’s fun to play with. If you move and get open, he’s going to find you. He’s not a selfish player. We don’t win the game without him tonight. If we have injuries or we’re resting somebody … I have all the confidence in the world Ish can go out and get the job done. He’s proven it year in and year out.”

Porter struggles as lone starter

A night in the spotlight didn’t go as Michael Porter Jr. would’ve hoped.

Porter was the only presumed member of Denver’s starting five to play against Phoenix.

Nikola Jokic (wrist) and Murray (hamstring) were held out with minor injuries, while Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope were held out for precautionary reasons, Nuggets coach Michael Malone said pregame.

Porter started alongside Hyland, Brown, Jeff Green and DeAndre Jordan. Malone said he was hoping to see Porter do the little things in his start alongside a majority of Denver’s expected second unit.

“His return to play has gone very well,” Malone said of Porter pregame. “Just stay in rhythm and find a way to push himself to become the best player he can be, and to do it within the team concept. I think we have to get back to, as a team, to playing not just with each other but for each other, doing all the little things.”

Porter took a couple of contested shots early – one he claimed was a pass to DeAndre Jordan, who ended up with an uncontested dunk – before hitting his first shot, a 3-pointer late in the first quarter. He followed with a driving dunk, but those were his only two makes from nine attempts in the first half.

Porter started the second half with a couple of turnovers and had a 3-point shot blocked. He finished 2 of 11 from the field with nine points, five rebounds, two steals and an assist in 23 minutes of playing time.

“He knows it. He didn’t have his greatest game tonight,” Malone said. “

“Most importantly, I’m just happy that he’s healthy. Make or miss a shot, whatever. He’s moving well. I think his body feels (good).”

Nuggets add Randle

The Nuggets added Chasson Randle on an exhibit-10 contract prior to Monday’s game.

The 6-foot-2 guard has played in 119 games across four seasons. In his most recent NBA action, Randel averaged 6.5 points, 2 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 41 games, five of which he started, for the Magic in the 2020-21 season. He spent last season with the New Zealand Breakers, of the National Basketball League.

As a senior at Stanford, Randle posted 19.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3 assists before being undrafted in the 2015. He started 142 of 144 career games with the Cardinal. He started his NBA career with Philadelphia in 2016 and also played for the Knicks, Wizards and Warriors.

Randle was in uniform against the Suns but did not get any playing time.

NUGGETS 107, SUNS 105

What happened: The Suns made 7 of their first 11 3-pointers and led by five after the first quarter. The Nuggets briefly took a lead in the second quarter but trailed by five at halftime. Denver closed within three to start the fourth quarter, and Davon Reed hit a 3 to give the Nuggets a lead midway through the fourth. Ish Smith’s pull-up jumper with 8.4 seconds and one last stop gave the Nuggets their first win of the preseason. Smith led the Nuggets with 17 points, seven assists and three rebounds. Devin Booker led the Suns with 20 points.

What went right: The effort and intensity Malone hoped to see appeared to be there against a Suns team that played Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges and Deandre Ayton 27 or more minutes. The Nuggets only committed 12 turnovers and allowed just 13 fast-break points, two points of emphasis going into the game.

What went wrong: Shots still aren’t falling for the Nuggets. Denver won despite finishing the game 11-33 from 3-point range and 22-36 on free throws.

Highlight of the Night: In the middle of the second quarter, Hyland picked off a Devin Booker pass and advanced the ball to the frontcourt before passing to Michael Porter Jr. on the left wing. Porter took a couple of doubles to his left, bumped Damion Lee to the court and finished with a two-handed dunk that had to feel good. Honorable mention to the kid who solved a Rubik’s Cube on the video board at halftime and celebrated with a dab and Smith’s go-ahead jumper.

On Deck: The Nuggets head to Ontario, Calif. to take on the Clippers on Wednesday for the fourth of five preseason games.