Both were among the league's top-tier shooting guards, and each had a chance to become the best player in the league behind Chen Xi.
Tonight, though, they first had to settle who was better between the two of them.
One was pouring in points with his unreasonable mid-range shooting and the spacing created by a few Stretch Big Man teammates.
The other kept running Pick-and-Rolls up top with Jokic, using that one reliable weapon to effortlessly break down every Suns defense.
With the scoring swinging back and forth, the game soon entered its final stretch.
When the final buzzer sounded, the exciting game had finally come to an end.
In the end, the Denver Nuggets won thanks to their superior consistency.
After Booker regretfully missed a fadeaway mid-range jumper that could have tied the score, Teacher Jokic turned around and methodically muscled Ayton under the basket. He finished with his signature footwork in the paint, putting the game away.
The final score stood at 126–122.
After a furious game, Phoenix had still come up short, unable to take a bite out of the Nuggets.
Devin Booker finished with 34 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, but his effort went to waste.
After the Suns and Nuggets game ended, the next matchup tipped off at five that afternoon: the Milwaukee Bucks against the Philadelphia 76ers.
That game was just as intense.
Although the Bucks had a considerable advantage on paper, they failed to fully capitalize on it that night.
This was especially true with Tyrese Maxey and Seth Curry playing well for the 76ers.
But the Bucks were still the Bucks. As time went on, their greater depth began to show, and they gradually reclaimed the advantage.
By the end of the game, the Bucks had comfortably beaten the 76ers