The Nuggets will not be confused with the 1985 Chicago Bears anytime soon.
That historic Super Bowl-winning team relied on its defense. Defense has not been a hallmark for Denver team that is in an advantageous position in the race for a postseason berth despite possessing an NBA-worst defensive rating of 110.7.
For much of this season, the Nuggets would settle for a cross-sport comparison to the middling defense of the 2016 Bears.
Since emerging from the all-star break, though, the Nuggets have shown incremental improvement at the defensive end. The Nuggets, who have won three of their last four games to take a 2½-game lead for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference entering Friday’s action, have a 107.