It took surviving another injury and a cold stretch that spanned most of the fourth quarter, but the Nuggets snuck out of Milwaukee with another improbable win.

Here are five takeaways from Denver’s 102-100 win Friday at Fiserv Forum:

1. Aaron Gordon is a fan favorite for a reason. After playing 33 minutes on Thursday, Gordon should’ve been among Denver’s many inactive players in Milwaukee. Instead, he operated as Denver’s top offensive option and picked up defensive responsibilities on Giannis Antetokounmpo to start the game. Gordon appeared to tweak his troublesome right hamstring in the final minute of the second quarter and did not return. That’s a tough night at the office for the guy who’s won over the local fans with a willingness to play whatever role is required and do so through a nagging injury. If Gordon needs to miss more time with the injury, the Nuggets’ training staff has some reevaluating to do.

2. Something is seriously wrong with the Bucks. Milwaukee had a day off after losing by 20 at home to the Thunder on Wednesday, while Denver flew into town after playing in Washington on Thursday night. Somehow an injury-riddled Nuggets squad showed up with more energy and want-to. Giannis Antetokounmpo was not nearly as engaged as usual through the first three quarters. If Milwaukee’s front office must choose between keeping Antetokounmpo happy and firing Doc Rivers, preparing to find a new coach is a no-brainer. Antetokounmpo didn’t seem very happy watching the final minutes from Milwaukee’s bench.

3. Maybe the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against Charlotte wasn’t garbage time. Julian Strawther got into a rhythm late in the loss to the Hornets and carried that to Milwaukee after not playing in Denver’s two previous games. Strawther started and became the team’s top producer after Gordon’s injury, scoring 16 of his 20 points in the pivotal third quarter. Strawther also grabbed five rebounds and dished out three assists.

4. The NBA could certainly be doing more to make “Rivalry Week” a thing. Not only are the Nuggets and Bucks rivals, but scheduling it on a second night of a back-to-back sets everyone up for disappointment, including the audience watching on Amazon Prime Video. Denver was without three players who played Thursday in Washington – Jamal Murray, Peyton Watson and Jonas Valanciunas. If the Nuggets have a day off before a nationally televised game, it’s a safe bet those three play against the Bucks. Hey, at least the NBA got one of Denver’s rivals right, kicking off the week with the Nuggets hosting the Lakers on Tuesday.

5. Just like the win itself, Zeke Nnaji’s play wasn’t exactly pretty, but it was productive. Nnaji scored a clutch bucket that put Denver up 10 with 2:15 to go. Nnaji also hit a couple of clutch free throws that made it a seven-point game with a little more than a minute left. He also grabbed a couple of big offensive rebounds, though he turned it over after the first one and had his put-back blocked on the second one. Nnaji made up for one of those by blocking a shot in the final minute. He finished with 11 points, 12 rebounds and a couple of blocks. It was far from a work of art, but the 25-year-old fought enough to help Denver survive after Gordon’s injury with little help in the paint.

NUGGETS 102, BUCKS 100

What happened: The teams were tied at 21 after the first quarter, and the Nuggets took a 48-42 lead to halftime. Denver extended the lead to 15 by the start of the fourth and used another improbable win to improve to 31-15.

What went right: Tim Hardaway Jr. ended his brief 3-point shooting slump with a series of clutch 3s at the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth and threw down a couple of impressive dunks.

What went wrong: One of Hardaway’s 3s put the Nuggets up 23 early in the fourth quarter. A 37-16 closing run gave the Bucks a chance to steal the win at the final buzzer.

Highlight of the night: Julian Strawther opened eyes with his scoring, but his pass to Zeke Nnaji in the middle of the third quarter was his best moment of the night. Strawther found a cutting Nnaji with a bounce pass down the middle of the paint, and the forward threw down a strong two-handed slam to put Denver up 13.

Up next: The Nuggets are scheduled to play the Grizzlies in a Sunday matinee, if the weather holds and they can make it to Memphis.