Jaw-dropping record proves that no rest is no problem for the Denver Nuggets

| Denver Nuggets
January 10, 2025

Nuggets at their best in face of adversity

Phoenix Suns v Denver Nuggets

Phoenix Suns v Denver Nuggets | Dustin Bradford/GettyImages

In 2023-2024, the Denver Nuggets were a strong team on the 2nd night of a back-to-back (B2B), recording the 4th best record in such games. At 9-4 in games with no rest, only the Celtics (12-2), Bucks (10-4), and Suns (10-4) had better records than Denver. This season, the Nuggets have been perfect in these “schedule losses”, currently sitting at 8-0 in games with no rest.

The latest no-rest win came on Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Clippers in the Mile High City. Not only were the Nuggets coming off of a hard fought 118-106 loss against Boston, the defending NBA Champions, but Denver was playing once again without their MVP, Nikola Jokic, who was still out with a sickness. No Jokic, no rest, no problem.

The Nuggets controlled the entirety of the game, getting off to a hot 33-19 1st quarter start, and then protecting the lead for the remainder of the game, outscoring the Clippers in every quarter. Denver never trailed in the game and ultimately won 126-103, behind wonderful performances from Jamal Murray, Russell Westbrook, Michael Porter Jr. and frankly every other Nugget.

Not only are the Nuggets winning these no-rest games, they are blowing teams out

Now sitting at 8-0 in the 2nd night of B2B games, the Nuggets are just one of two teams in the entire NBA that has no losses in games which many teams struggle with. The other undefeated team is the Oklahoma City Thunder at an almost equally impressive 7-0 record. The difference is that the Nuggets are obliterating teams while playing with no rest.

After a somewhat suspect first B2B win over the Brooklyn Nets early in the season, where they played no defense but secured the 144-139 win, they have been lights out ever since. The next seven B2B 2nd night wins were all by double-digits and five of them were 20+ point victories:

Half of these wins have come on the road and five of the Ws have come against teams currently in the play-in or playoffs. While most teams play with tired legs on the 2nd night of a B2B, the Nuggets have averaged 130 points per contest and have shot an inspiring 44.5% from beyond the arc in these 8 wins.

Whether this 8-0 start in no-rest games is thanks to the addition of Russell Westbrook who brings endless energy, the younger rotation from Denver this season, or just a mindset to overcome the “schedule losses”, one thing is for certain: The Nuggets have been dominant when the going gets tough this season.

Denver’s next game will be on Friday, January 10th against the tanking Brooklyn Nets and their next B2B set of games will come Tuesday, January 14th, and Wednesday, January 15th, when they match up with the Dallas Mavericks on the front end and the Houston Rockets on the back end as they seek a 9-0 start in no-rest games this year.

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