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The Denver Nuggets want a better playoff position, as does their opponent on Tuesday night, the Phoenix Suns. Both want one of the coveted first-round home-field privileges, yet only one is available for the two to fight for.

Both teams met Tuesday in a game that, as it would turn out, not be one in which both Phoenix and Denver would fight tooth-and-nail; as a matter of fact, it was not even close as the Suns dominated from the opening tip and leading by as many as 28, easily routing the Nuggets 123-101 at US Airways Center.

Phoenix, with the win, could do no worse than being the #4 seed and can possibly grab the #3 seed if they can win  at Utah on Wednesday night while Denver could grab the fourth seed should the Suns beat the Jazz.

To illustrate just how bad things were for the Nuggets, after Carmelo Anthony had a pair of baskets blocked under the basket, Denver’s coach Adrian Dantley and Chauncey Billups got whistled for technical fouls; Steve Nash made both free throws to make it 65-45 roughly 90 seconds before halftime. Jared Dudley would follow with his third three-pointer. Anthony’s three-point play cut the Suns’ lead to 68-49, then Nash made a slick layup to give Phoenix a 70-49 lead.

The Suns briefly went cold, going 1-for-5 as the Nuggets went on a 10-2 run to pull to within 72-59 with 7:51 left in the third quarter; Phoenix, however, would score the next nine and it was 81-59 with 5:35 remaining in the period. The run reached 17-4 on another trey by Channing Frye to put the Suns up 90-63 with 2:47 left in the third. The Nuggets would not cut further into the Suns’ double-digit lead for the remainder of the contest.

Amare Stoudemire led the Suns with 26 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and a block while Nash added 18 with 3 rebounds and 10 assists; Jason Richardson chipped in 14 with 7 rebounds, an assist and a block.

The Nuggets were led by Anthony with 29 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals while Billups added 16 with 3 rebounds; Ty Lawson poured in 13 with a rebound, 5 assists and a steal.

Phoenix (53-28) finishes its regular season on Wednesday when they journey to Salt Lake City to take on the Jazz while Denver (53-29) rests and waits to find out who its first-round playoff opponent will be.