The Denver Nuggets have now beaten the Miami Heat 11 in straight regular-season games, with their most recent win coming on Wednesday night.
So far this season, Denver is averaging 124.6 points per game, which is second only to the Houston Rockets’ 124.7. The Nuggets are also leading the league in being the most unselfish offense with 30.3 assists per game. They’re currently in the top five for rebounds per game and could realistically lead the league in all three major categories by season’s end.
This is a team with a gritty identity and a penchant for grinding.
It’s almost impossible to describe Nikola Jokic’s greatness and ability to chug. The man already has five triple-doubles in seven games. He just keeps producing. He has the highest basketball IQ in the NBA, and we haven’t seen passing like his since Magic Johnson. He’s the most unselfish player in the league, he’s the most dominant rebounder in the league, and he’s the most valued teammate in the league. He’s the best player in basketball. Period.
But you know what is exciting me most this season? Denver’s bench. When bench players come in, my natural reaction from the last two seasons is to wince. Let’s be honest, it’s a gag reflex. But when the likes of Bruce Brown, Jonas Valanciunas, and Tim Hardaway Jr. hit the floor, I’m actually excited—and I don’t feel like I’m about to lose my lunch.
Oct 29, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) comes off the court in the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
I’ve been particularly hyped when the steady, confident presence of Tim Hardaway Jr. coats all of Ball Arena’s stomachs like Pepto-Bismol. Everyone can rest easy. Hardaway Jr., son of Hall of Famer Tim Hardaway Sr., has become one of the Nuggets’ most impactful and soothing players of the early season.
Hardaway Jr. has opened the year with a level of consistency that Denver has desperately needed from its second unit. Averaging 11.3 points per game in just 23.3 minutes, Hardaway has scored in double digits in all but two contests this season.
His performance against Miami was another example of his increasing reliability—timely shooting, a tough veteran presence, flames from behind the arc, and an understanding of where to be on the floor in Denver’s read-and-react offense. These are the kinds of contributions that rarely go viral, but absolutely swing the rhythm of close games.
THAT’S REAL TALK pic.twitter.com/FbjRwnO7eq
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) November 6, 2025
Hardaway Jr is even outplaying some starters. For comparison, look at the performance of Denver’s Cam Johnson. He’s a starter. He’s a shooter. He’s a ghost. Johnson has logged 26.7 minutes per game (just three more minutes than Hardaway Jr.) but is averaging only 8.6 points per night (three points less than THJ).
Johnson has only reached double digits twice in seven games, with his high of 15 coming against Phoenix. Every other night has found him settling into single digits, missing open threes, and still searching for rhythm and role definition.
Hardaway, meanwhile, has embraced his place in Denver’s offensive flow. Rather than forcing shots—or in Cam Johnson’s case, trying not to mess things up—Tim lets the game come to him. His three-point shooting has opened spacing for the second unit, and his ability to slide into impact roles has become increasingly valuable.
In today’s Association, bench production often determines the difference between playoff teams and championship teams. Hardaway Jr.’s early-season steadiness is no small role on a Denver team that is aiming a Mile High this year. Denver has grind. Denver has grit. And now they have depth.
If Hardaway Jr. continues on this trajectory, and if others like Cam Johnson can follow, Denver becomes even more dangerous than ever.
