Despite their opening-night lineup playing just 93 minutes together this season, the Nuggets boast the Western Conference’s second-best record and the NBA’s fourth-best net rating. They’ve found different ways to overcome injuries to their starters, from Nikola Jokic’s tide-raising play to Monte Morris’ steady hand to Malik Beasley’s sudden emergence as a scorer on the brink of a 40/50/90 campaign. But an unheralded part of Denver’s formula has been a trend-bucking move that could have consequences for the rest of the league.



By today’s pace-and-space standards, Jokic and Mason Plumlee are both centers. Yet in an era where teams are more likely to use a wing at the 4 spot over a second big man, Jokic and Plumlee have played 413 minutes together. During that time, the Nuggets have outscored opponents by 11.9 points per 100 possessions, a mark that would easily lead the league over a full season. That jaw-dropping production raises...