The Nuggets have been skilled at finding ways to win recently, but their overall basketball hasn’t been consistently impressive.

However, they delivered a much stronger performance on Monday night with a 117-90 victory over the Phoenix Suns. Holding a rare halftime lead, albeit a slim one at 55-51, Denver improved to 5-0 in the second game of back-to-backs this season, pulling away with a dominant 45-28 third quarter at Ball Arena.

Phoenix’s 90 points marked the fewest the Nuggets (16-11) have allowed this season.

“I thought that was one of our best defensive efforts from beginning to end,” coach Michael Malone said.

Just a day earlier, they needed overtime to secure a win against New Orleans which lacked inspiration. Jamal Murray finished with 27 points but suffered a sprained right ankle, limiting his momentum. He was ruled out for Monday’s game without going through a warm-up routine, though he might return on Christmas Day in Phoenix.

“On the flight back, we were hoping it would improve and the swelling would go down,” Malone said. “(The ankle) received treatment all night and this morning, but it just didn’t respond as we had hoped.”

That left an assertive Michael Porter Jr. essential at home. He had struggled on the road, averaging just 11.7 points over three games. Against Phoenix, he scored 14 by the end of the first quarter, shooting 6 for 7, with his only miss coming at the end of the shot clock. He continued to assert himself during a productive stint with the second unit, showcasing his skill with a standout assist to DeAndre Jordan after blowing past Ryan Dunn, a solid defender.

Porter finished with 24 points on 12 shots, along with six rebounds and four assists. He and Nikola Jokić combined for an impressive 22-for-29 shooting night, with Jokić leading all scorers at 32 points. His 3-point shooting percentage climbed back to a league-leading 51.4% after going 4-for-6 from beyond the arc.

“Michael and Nikola carried us in that first half,” Malone said. “Then a lot of guys contributed in the second half.”

In a rare moment of concern, Jokić appeared to hurt his left ankle during the second quarter after a hard fall while being fouled by former teammate Jusuf Nurkić. He managed to get up, hit the free throws, and continue playing. Nurkić was in foul trouble, picking up his third foul before halftime due to an illegal screen that he unsuccessfully tried to challenge.

With Murray sidelined, Jalen Pickett took advantage of the opportunity to back up Russell Westbrook, scoring 11 points and dishing out eight assists. His calm demeanor and two-way energy helped extend the lead in the second quarter. He made a spectacular block against a center and sank a turnaround 3-pointer in the corner, igniting the Nuggets’ bench during garbage time. They had plenty to celebrate, as Jokić and his teammates enjoyed the luxury of resting in the fourth quarter while Hunter Tyson delivered some thunderous dunks.

“Just trying to maintain the lead during the non-Nikola minutes,” Pickett said. “We felt the starters got worn down last year, so we’re trying to lighten their load this year.”

The Nuggets have now won five of their last six games and are preparing to fly to Phoenix on Tuesday for a late-night rematch scheduled for Christmas Day.