How the Shorthanded Nuggets Pulled off a Miracle in Philadelphia

When you think of the Nuggets, you think of Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon. They were all in street clothes on Monday, along with Christian Braun, Cam Johnson, Tim Hardaway Jr, and Jonas Valanciunas.

Only nine active Nuggets suited up to play Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and the 76ers. None of them were in the starting lineup on opening night. All of them had a hand in one of the best wins in team history.

The nine included multiple players hand-picked or handsomely paid by former Nuggets executive Calvin Booth. Some of them have struggled to see the floor.

Jalen Pickett and Hunter Tyson have spent the early stage of their careers on the bubble of the rotation or glued to the bench. Peyton Watson’s future got tangled up in the civil war amongst Denver’s old brass. Zeke Nnaji inked a four-year, $32 million contract extension in 2023, but hasn’t earned a secure spot in the rotation since.

Remarkably, the Booth boys banded together in Philadelphia to do something special.

Pickett led the way for what was left of the Nuggets, scoring 29 points—a career-high—and dishing out seven assists. He knocked down seven three-pointers on 11 attempts. His confidence grew as the game went on.

Confidence is everything to a role player trying to carve out a career. He seemed to have lost it entirely after a disappointing return to Summer League in 2024. But by the end of the overtime win in Philly, he was moving like a new man.

Pickett was electric, a word not commonly used to describe his game. He’s a slow-paced, traditional point guard with a tremendous basketball IQ. But in the best game of his NBA career, he moved like a natural scorer, absolutely cooking the Sixers. He knocked down multiple step-back threes over Embiid after dragging him out in isolation. He gave them a little bit of everything in his bag.

Nnaji also played the best game of his career, sporting a look in his eye not yet seen since he joined the Nuggets. He finished with 21 points, eight rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. In another case of snowballing confidence, Nnaji was trying things we’d never seen him do, and doing them in pivotal moments of a tight game.

Nnaji isn’t known for his impressive finishes at the rim. But twice in the fourth quarter, he showed off his athleticism, finishing through contact with a tough angle and hitting a reverse layup with his left hand. He played some terrific defense as well.

In a callback to his first emergent skill at the professional level, a skill that’s since disappeared, Nnaji rediscovered his three-point shot. He was 4-of-5 from distance, including some crucial makes. He and Pickett stole the show.

REPLAY THIS ONE IN YOUR DREAMS pic.twitter.com/GtF1WfwylA

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 6, 2026

After a series of battlefield promotions, Peyton Watson has risen from the second unit to a top option with the starters. Of the men still standing, he’s next in the chain of command, and he hasn’t shied away from the opportunity to prove himself. Against the Sixers, he took it upon himself to drive into the teeth of the defense, drawing fouls and earning 10 trips to the line — a game high.

Watson finished with 27 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. It was his fourth straight game with at least 20. This uptick in production is timely, to say the least, as he approaches restricted free agency. After a prolonged stint with the makeshift starting lineups, he looks more confident than ever.

It was all hands on deck for Denver, and Hunter Tyson, who rarely plays outside of garbage time, logged nearly 20 minutes in the win. He got hot off the bench, looking like a microwave scorer, scoring 14 points and knocking down two three-pointers, one of which he converted into a 4-point play.

Tyson is an impressive shooter in practice, pickup games, and open gyms. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen many makes in a Nuggets uniform. Shooters need to see a few go down, but with such limited opportunities, and by failing to make the most of what he got, he hasn’t seen too many drop. He did in Philly, and the Monroe Menace put his stamp on the victory.

4-POINT PLAY HUNTER TYSON pic.twitter.com/UiusjSW1m2

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 6, 2026

Multiple Nuggets played one of, if not the best, games of their careers, and they got a chance to shine individually. But it was a team-win in nature, with nine players rotating like madmen on defense, and swarming on rebounding opportunities. The group effort on the glass was a key factor in the win.

The Nuggets played without either of their centers, which came back to bite them last week. The Cleveland Cavaliers, playing two giants in their starting lineup, outrebounded the Nuggets by 23. The Brooklyn Nets, who rank last in rebounds per game, pulled down 44, outrebounding Denver by 11. But in Philadelphia, the Nuggets somehow won the rebounding battle 52-51 — a truly remarkable statistic.

The game evoked memories of another classic result in the Jokić-era of Nuggets basketball. Fans remember well when they went into Utah with only seven active players and walked out with the win. We call it ‘The Seven’ in Denver, and it’s a landmark in their journey from the upstart Nuggs to NBA champions.

That win is the poster victory for the belief, excitement, and joy that swelled around a young core with big aspirations. Perhaps this win over the Sixers, which will be known for the seven who didn’t play, will hold a similar place in our hearts. A poster victory for a season when belief, excitement, and joy worked their way back into Nuggets basketball.