The question of whether or not the Nuggets are playing their best basketball of the season produced a quick answer from coach Michael Malone after Denver’s 109-82 win Wednesday at Miami.

“Oh, no doubt,” Malone said. “Obviously, it’s still very young in the season. December, we were not very good. We were 1-4 to start the year.”

After beating a short-handed Heat squad, the Nuggets are 11-7 and winners of five straight. The reason behind the turnaround isn’t sexy or surprising, but the hope is it’s sustainable.

“Our defense has been terrific. We’re the best rebounding team in the league. We’re a top-five defense in that stretch,” Malone said. “Even though we didn’t play great at all times tonight, to hold them to 37 (percent) from the field, 29 (percent) from 3 and to win the rebound battle by 11, good things happen when we defend and rebound.”

Denver’s defense started on a high. Miami scored just 12 points in the first quarter, and the Heat missed 15 of their first 16 3-point attempts.

“Honestly, I just feel like we’re helping each other out,” said Gary Harris, whose efforts defending Heat sharpshooter Duncan Robinson was celebrated by Malone and teammates after the win. “We’re flying around. It’s not perfect, but, you know, we’re giving that effort, the second effort, third effort, gang rebounding.”

The Nuggets would lead by 25 at halftime after holding Miami to 33 points in the first half. The Heat cut the deficit to nine points after scoring 32 points in the third quarter, but the Nuggets got the lead back to double digits behind hot shooting from Michael Porter Jr. and JaMychal Green and a defense that gave up just 17 points in the fourth quarter.

“We (are) jelling right now,” Green said. “We didn’t have that much time together as a team to start the season off. We had to learn along the way. I think we’ve found our swag.”

Green posted his first double-double with the Nuggets, scoring 15 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Nikola Jokic posted his 18th straight double-double to start the season, finishing with a game-high 21 points and 11 rebounds. Porter hit three 3s and added 17 points and four steals, a new career high.

Jamal Murray (14), Paul Millsap (11) and Will Barton (10 also got into double figures for the Nuggets, while Harris finished with seven points and seven assists. It was Murray’s first game back after being ejected from Monday’s win at Dallas. He was fined $25,000 on Wednesday for the shot to Tim Hardaway’s groin that got him ejected, but he wasn’t interested in looking back.

“Whole new game, whole new day,” Murray answered when asked if he thought it was a fair punishment. “Next question.”

Without Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro and Goran Dragic, Miami’s team Wednesday looked a lot different from the Heat squad that reached last year’s NBA Finals. Kendrick Nunn led Miami with 17 points, while Bam Adebayo added 15.

The Nuggets need a win Friday against the Spurs to close out a 5-0 road trip and extend their winning streak to a season-best six games.

“I don’t know if we’re as good as we played tonight, and I know they’re a hell of a lot better than they played because they’ve been decimated by injuries and COVID protocol,” Malone said. “But a win is a win. We’ll take it, and we go to San Antonio.”