With the loss streak over, alertness was more likely to fade. That’s what concerned Michael Malone, the coach of the Nuggets, at least.

He came to the conclusion that “human nature” was the most intimidating factor in taking on the struggling Detroit Pistons prior to tip-off on Sunday night.

Malone remarked, “You look at their record, and they’ve won three games.”

On the other hand, since the Pistons ended a record-tying 28-game losing skid on December 30, the amount of public attention focused on that win-loss total has decreased. Detroit’s opponents are no longer threatened by the healthy, motivating dread that they will be the team to break the run or lose the unbeatable.

The Nuggets were briefly endangered by human nature, but they were able to escape the consequences with a 131-114 victory over the Pistons at Ball Arena. The Nuggets have improved their record against teams below.500 this season to 18-0 after head coach Mike Malone made a point of telling his players before to the game that seven of Detroit’s previous nine games have been decided by a single digit.

After having a rough game against Orlando, Jamal Murray rebounded to score a career-high 37 points, including 24 in the first half. Two days after Jalen Suggs matched up mercilessly against him and a thrilling loss concluded with Murray’s buzzer beater try rimming out, he went 14 of 24 from the field with five rebounds, four assists, and only one error.

It took Nikola Jokic more than eighteen minutes of playing time to attempt his first shot. He was occupied with stacking up his first 16 assists, five blocks. In the end, he finished with a season-low four points, which was the same amount he scored in 16 cut minutes in Chicago earlier this month. He was dismissed at the end of that game.

In November, when the Nuggets went to Detroit, he was also benched, which set up an exciting second half that Denver just managed to win in the midst of the Pistons’ losing run. In this rematch, Jokic was given a fourth technical foul shortly after receiving his third, sending him to the bench amid jeers from the Ball Arena.By then, the temperature had risen much further. The final 6:08 of the third quarter saw Peyton Watson score his first 13 points as the Nuggets (26–12) erupted for 43 points to take the lead. Nine of those thirteen came in the final 2:22 of the fight, following Watson’s eruption of temper that required restraint. After a replay analysis, Ausar Thompson’s blind-side shoulder bump in transition drove him tumbling to the baseline, earning Thompson a flagrant. Noteworthy was the Denver fast break that sparked the disturbance, which began when Watson forcefully stopped Kevin Knox near the hoop.

Malone was more concerned with the Nuggets’ 43 points than the fact that they had stopped the Pistons from playing in the third quarter. The prevailing theme of a back-to-back split heading into this weekend was poor defense after the half. After a day off, Denver started the first half behind before going on a 12-3 run to end the half. The score was 65-57, with the Pistons making 16 of their 23 made baskets (just four turnovers) and shooting 46.7% from three. The Nuggets poured it on after that.

Murray struggled with the second unit; DeAndre Jordan finished with nine points and seven rebounds in his role as backup center. Star player Cade Cunningham of Detroit was out with a left knee strain in the first half.