Denver’s defense hasn’t just been bad since Aaron Gordon joined Christian Braun on the sideline with an injury. It’s been the worst.
In the seven games since Gordon strained his right hamstring, Denver’s defensive rating of 126.1 ranks 30th out of 30 teams. Allowing five 40-point quarters in the last five games hasn’t helped the cause.
In the first 17 games of the season, Denver allowed one 40-point quarter, Chicago’s 40-point third on Nov. 17, and had one 40-point offensive quarter, a 43-point burst in the third against the Clippers on Nov. 12.
Here’s what stands out from Denver’s worst defensive quarters in a forgettable stretch heading into Sunday’s game at Charlotte:
Friday, Nov. 28: San Antonio 139, Denver 136 (first quarter)
The Nuggets didn’t provide any resistance to start the game against a Spurs team that was without Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle, and the cost was Denver’s hopes of making the knockout stage of the NBA Cup. San Antonio went 13 for 14 inside the arc and scored 41 points in the first 12 minutes. It was far from Nikola Jokic’s finest defensive moment, and he was on the court for the entire opening quarter. Dylan Harper and Jeremy Sochan hit midrange jumpers with Jokic in drop coverage, and Luke Kornet got a couple of alley-oop dunks with Jokic on the court. When Jokic presented a hard hedge against De’Aaron Fox, the Spurs’ guard turned the corner and finished a three-point play, and things somehow managed to get worse.
San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet, front, looks to pass the ball under pressure from Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić in the second half of an NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Friday, Nov. 28: San Antonio 139, Denver 136 (third quarter)
Denver did its best to undo its poor defensive start by winning the second quarter 41-18. Then, the Nuggets undid all of that by allowing the most points of any quarter this season in a wildly different fashion from the opening quarter. The Spurs went 7 of 12 on 3-pointers, made all 13 of their free throws and took advantage of five Nuggets turnovers to drop 44 points in the third. Kornet and Julian Champagnie each went 4 of 4 on free throws, while Champagnie hit a couple of 3s in the quarter. If Jokic was the issue in the first quarter, Murray was the problem in the third. Champagnie hit a couple of 3s when Murray got caught on screens, and Devin Vassell caught Denver’s starting point guard sleeping early in another possession. The Nuggets were outscored by a combined 22 points in the first and third quarters of a game that ended up being decided by three points.
San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes, front, looks to pass the ball as Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray defends in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Monday: Dallas 131, Denver 121 (second quarter)
A guard on a two-way contract gave the Nuggets all sorts of trouble in the Mavericks’ 42-point second quarter. Rookie Ryan Nembhard made all five of the shots he attempted and dished out four assists without a turnover in the quarter. It started with four midrange jumpers and ended with a wide-open 3 in transition. Nembhard’s first two helpers set up Antony Davis, who went 4-4 in the quarter before he passed to Dwight Powell and Cooper Flagg later in the quarter. Denver scored 41 points in the first quarter but gave up one more point in the second. The Mavericks went 12 for 16 inside the arc and 4 for 7 from 3-point range in the quarter that shifted momentum at Ball Arena.
Dallas Mavericks guard Ryan Nembhard (9) and Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones (21) in the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Wednesday: Denver 135, Indiana 120 (fourth quarter)
The Pacers’ 41-point close was the least consequential of the 40-point quarters Denver has allowed thanks to the Nuggets’ 23-point advantage after three quarters. Had Jamal Murray not scored 18 of his 52 points in the quarter, Denver could’ve run into trouble late. The Pacers made 11 of 14 free throws with reserve center Tony Bradley getting to the line six times, making five. Indiana went 4 for 8 from deep with Pascal Siakam making both of his attempts and scoring nine points in the final 12 minutes. Peyton Watson was late to rotate on the first of the makes and slow to close out on the second. The end of Denver’s bench closed out the final 100 seconds and only allowed two points.
Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) and Denver Nuggets guard/forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) in the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Friday: Denver 134, Atlanta 133 (first quarter)
Denver’s defense was late to show up against the Hawks. Atlanta went 8 for 12 from beyond the arc in the first quarter. Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu made Jokic pay for not respecting the jumper a couple of times in the first 4 minutes and hit a corner 3 later in the first quarter to account for three of the Hawks’ 3s in the opening quarter without a miss. Denver only committed one turnover, and the Hawks only took one free throw in the opening quarter. Denver made up for the slow defensive start by scoring 40 points in each of the final two quarters to extend their road winning streak to nine games and improve to 3-3 when allowing 40-point quarters.
Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) shoots a 3-pointer against the Orlando Magic during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)