These Denver Nuggets know how to win ugly

Two nights ago in San Antonio, the Nuggets walked into an arena where they’ve only won twice in their last 14 games, turned the ball over 20 times, and found a way to beat the Spurs. Behind a fourth-quarter defense that held San Antonio to 20 points over the last 12 minutes of regulation, Denver got its third-straight win.

Wednesday in Indiana, the Nuggets again just found a way. Nikola Jokic only played 21 minutes due to foul trouble and sat on the bench for the entire third quarter where Denver trailed by as many as 18 points. But the Nuggets fought. They battled. They scrapped and clawed. They found a way.

The Nuggets’ 122-119 win was their fourth straight victory.

It’s become a characteristic of this team at this point in the season. The Nuggets aren’t a group that’s going to give in when a game isn’t going their way. Denver could have packed it in during the third quarter with Jokic in foul trouble, blame the officials — they wouldn’t have been completely in the wrong — and rest up for the final two games of this road trip. But something is different about this team this year. The Nuggets’ will and spirit are discernably different than in seasons past.

Denver’s role players stepped up big-time Wednesday. They got the Nuggets back into a game they shouldn’t have been in. Then, Jokic took care of the rest. He scored 11 of his 24 points in the fourth after checking into the game with 9:08 left in regulation and Denver trailing 103-98.

Aaron Gordon hauled in 16 rebounds. How on earth did the Nuggets outrebound the Pacers 47-44 with Jokic glued to the bench? Gordon’s effort and tenacity. Jamal Murray had eight as well. This was a clutch offensive rebound from Gordon who came from the other side of the lane to grab this loose ball late in the fourth. This possession led to two free throws for Jokic.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who’s been the unsung hero of this season, registered eight rebounds too. He went 5-7 from 3 and drained two momentum-turning triples as Denver began to mount its comeback late in the third. He’s now shooting 25-46 (54.3%) from 3-point range this season. Caldwell-Pope also tallied two steals and has nine takeaways over his last three games. The dude is a winner and makes winning plays all over the floor. Here were his two steals from tonight.

Here’s another factor that the Nuggets can always fall back on when things aren’t going their way: Denver’s starting lineup is unstoppable. Jokic, Gordon, Caldwell-Pope, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. only played nine minutes together against Indiana due to Jokic’s foul trouble, but the Nuggets outscored the Pacers 26-17 in those minutes.

On the season, the Nuggets’ starters have a 117.7 Offensive Rating, a 99.3 Defensive Rating, and an 18.4 Net Rating. They have the best Defensive Rating and the No. 2 ranked Offensive and Net Rating (both behind Golden State’s starters) out of the 11 lineups in the NBA that have logged at least 100 minutes together this season.

When the Nuggets’ starters are on the floor, Denver shoots 53.5% from the field and 42% from 3. They have a +51 point differential in 126 minutes. They’re holding opponents to a 45.3 FG% and a 31.8 3P%. They’re out-rebounding their opposition 121-107.

The speed. The ball movement. The unselfishness. The confidence. The talent. It’s overwhelming.

This five makes it look so easy.

The Nuggets are 8-3 and on a four-game winning streak. Denver’s three losses are to the Western Conference-leading Jazz on opening night in Utah, to the Blazers in Portland in a game where Anfernee Simons got hotter than I’ve ever seen anyone get and Jokic battled foul trouble, and on the road to the Lakers. That one still stings.

On the season, Denver has the No. 5 offense and No. 20 defense. With the amount of defensive talent on this roster, that mark should improve gradually throughout the year, although six of the Nuggets’ next eight games are away from Ball Arena. If it doesn’t, it’s a massive red flag and the Nuggets won’t do anything in the playoffs.

After 11 games and an 8-3 record, the Nuggets are in a great place. Everyone is in rhythm and has confidence in their game. The second unit will naturally have its ups and downs, but I’m confident in that group led by Porter and Bones Hyland. There’s been much consternation about how aggressive Jokic has been to start the season and how he needs to attempt more shots. My take is that it’s been the right approach. He’s getting everyone else comfortable, and then will get his eventually when the time and situation calls for it. Trust the back-to-back MVP.

What’s the biggest difference between last year’s team and this group? Sure Murray and Porter are back. Calvin Booth’s newly-acquired defenders are exactly what this team needed. But this team at this mark in the season has a different spirit to it. They don’t stop fighting. They don’t give up. They can win in a variety of ways.

It’s a required mindset if the Nuggets want to be the last team standing.