SALT LAKE CITY — If you were to dissect only the final 80 seconds of Denver’s riveting 98-95 win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, you’d find close to a dozen examples of guys rising in their roles to aid their irrepressible effort.
That was the only way the Nuggets were going to survive Wednesday night, on the second night of a back-to-back, with only seven players, on the road against a playoff-caliber team, following the emotional toll of Tuesday’s blockbuster trade. No matter how you frame it, that recipe should’ve foretold a loss.