Finding a consistent bench unit has been a season-long search for Michael Malone, but a new grouping impressed when it mattered Friday.

The reasons behind the reserves’ collective struggles vary.

PJ Dozier, a player the Nuggets coach planned to rely on off the bench tore his anterior cruciate ligament 18 games into the season and was eventually traded. Bones Hyland leads the non-starters with 8.4 points per game but has struggled, as most rookies do, with defense and consistency. Facundo Campazzo regularly makes highlight passes and plays with the intensity Malone seeks, but his streaky shooting and lack of size have made him a liability at times. Austin Rivers has caught fire and scored 20-plus points off the bench in a couple of wins, but he’s been asked, at times, to play the small forward spot previously occupied by Dozier, who’s two inches taller and slightly sturdier.

JaMychal Green and Zeke Nnaji, the two forwards frequently trusted to handle the minutes when Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon are not on the court, have struggled on the perimeter and in the post, respectively. Green’s shooting 25% from 3, well below his career average of 37%, but battles inside. Nnaji’s shooting 50% from 3 and defends the perimeter well in just his second season but could use some extra muscle inside.

The trade that sent Dozier and Bol Bol, who failed to earn a spot in the rotation, and brought Bryn Forbes to Denver provided a potential answer, as did the signing of DeMarcus Cousins on a 10-day contract. A lineup of Hyland, Forbes, Rivers, Nnaji and Cousins started their third-quarter stint Friday with a seven-point lead. Jokic would typically head to the scorer’s table earlier but returned to the game with the Nuggets up 14 and 6:03 to play.

“To end that third quarter and start the fourth quarter, they were great,” Malone said Friday after Denver’s 116-105 win in New Orleans. “They ran extended minutes deep into that fourth quarter because they were playing so well.”

It started when Rivers deflected a pass into Hyland’s hands. The rookie took off on the break and threaded a between-the-legs pass to Nnaji, who was trailing the ball and finished with a dunk.

It was the first of Hyland’s four assists while playing point guard. He finished with six points, three rebounds and some praise from his coach.

“I thought Bones was really, really good tonight,” Malone said.

“His pace, getting us organized, just making the right play was really fun to watch. I think that second unit had a big impact on us winning that game.”

Monte Morris knows how to run Denver’s second unit, but he’s spent the season filling Jamal Murray’s void in the starting five. Morris said he was impressed with Hyland’s ability to draw a second defender and pass at the appropriate time.

“That’s just making the right play, and that’s just maturity,” Morris said. “The sky’s the limit for him. However good he wants to be, it’s all up to him. He’s a hell of a talent.”

Hyland hit a 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter before Nnaji scored another fast-break bucket and finished his 11-point night with a 3-pointer after Hyland drove to his right, drawing a second defender, and dished to an open Nnaji in the opposite corner. Nnaji made all five of his shots from the field, grabbed three rebounds and had his off-ball movement and defense celebrated by Malone and Gordon.

“Zeke played great tonight. He really did, defensively and offensively,” Gordon said. “I think the game is starting to slow down for him a little bit. He’s starting to make better reads just around the paint.”

Forbes picked up where Nnaji left off and scored 12 of Denver’s next 14 points. He finished with 14 points to lead Denver’s reserves and finally got a couple of friendly bounces in his fourth game since the trade.

“Man, it was just a matter of time. I think I’ve had 20 rim-outs since I’ve been here,” Forbes said.

“Whatever way it goes in, I’m with it.”

Cousins didn’t see his shot fall, finishing 1 of 7 from the field but hit all four of his free throws, grabbed seven rebounds, recorded two assists, added a steal and blocked a shot in 12 minutes. His 10-day contract expires soon, though the Nuggets have an open roster spot if the front office would like to keep the veteran center around.

“I love playing with DeMarcus. You know he’s going to hustle. He sets the hell out of those screens,” Forbes said. “He gets me open.”

Getting Forbes, a 41.2% 3-point shooter for his career, open figures to bring better results as the season continues. He’s made just 31.3% from deep early in his Nuggets tenure, but Monte Morris, a fellow Michigander, has seen what Forbes can do since they were playing against each other in high school.

“He’s a knock-down shooter who’s going to acquire a lot of attention to loosen up some looks for other guys,” Morris said. “Tonight, he was able to have that next-shot mentality, and he hit some big ones.”

Friday’s first half featured some insight into the other side of the bench’s performances. When Jokic, the last of the starters checked out with a couple of minutes left in the first, the Nuggets led by seven. Turnovers from Cousins and Campazzo and poor shooting from the group saw Jokic return to a one-point deficit with 8:30 to halftime. A slightly different bench group delivered in the second half, something the group will look to continue Sunday against the Milwaukee Bucks.

“None of us have played together before,” Forbes said of the second unit.

“It’s new to all of us, but I think we’re starting to get it.”