Nuggets get welcome boost from returning pieces in Mexico City win

The Nuggets are getting some players back. Saturday offered a pretty good reminder of what they’d been missing.

Eight players scored in double figures in a 114-102 win over the Pacers in Mexico City, pushing the Nuggets to 5-3 with their second straight victory.

They led by as many as 27. More encouraging than the margin was the number of players helping build it.

Spencer Jones made his season debut after missing the first seven games and delivered 13 points and six rebounds. He shot 5-of-6, including 3-of-3 from beyond the arc.

On a night when the Nuggets went 10-of-35 from deep, those makes were especially useful.

As Logan Struck of Nuggets On SI noted⁠, Jones also fit comfortably alongside rookie Trevon Brazile. That gives the Nuggets another combination to explore as their bench takes shape.

DeMar DeRozan returned after missing the previous game, adding 11 points and five assists. His scoring gets plenty of attention, but his ability to organize the second unit could be just as valuable.

Cameron Johnson supplied 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting, an encouraging step after injuries and uneven shooting interrupted his start.

The Pacers made a fourth-quarter push, so the Nuggets still had some work to finish. But getting healthier and finding production throughout the rotation made this a worthwhile trip.

Denver doesn’t need every returning player to have a huge night. Several useful ones will do just fine.