D-lightful: Unbeaten Nuggets doing it with defense

Entering play Wednesday night, 22 of the 30 NBA teams were averaging 110 or more points per game. However, one team -- the Denver Nuggets -- did not allow an

Entering play Wednesday night, 22 of the 30 NBA teams were averaging 110 or more points per game.

However, one team -- the Denver Nuggets -- did not allow an opponent to hit the 100-point mark in their first three and for Nuggets coach Michael Malone, which despite the small sample size, is akin to a dream coming true for him, even with Denver allowing an opponent, Sacramento, to hit triple digits for the first time Tuesday night in a game the Nuggets won going away, 126-112.

“This is the defense I dream about,” Malone said, according to Christopher Dempsey of Nuggets.com. “Ever since I got here.”

The numbers back Malone's assessment. Going into Wednesday night's games. Denver ranks No. 1 in the league along with Boston in defensive rating (97.3) and is tied with Memphis in steals per game (10.0). The Nuggets held two-time defending NBA champion Golden State to 98 points in a two-point victory Sunday night.

“We are flying around, whether it is deflections, contested shots, and again not always right and it’s not always going to be right, but what do you do when it’s not?" Malone said. "Do you quit on the play?

"Last year, we were much more of a single effort team and the thing that stands out to me is keeping three straight opponents under 100 points means our guys care about it, they are committed to it, and the multiple effort is there.”

The Nuggets were one of two teams to stand at 4-0 heading into play Wednesday, the other being Toronto.

Effort, Malone said, also referred to as want-to, is what Malone believes is the difference in Denver's defensive performance this season.

“I would say just an overall buy-in and commitment," he said. "You can talk game plan and you can talk strategy but at the end of the day, for me, defense comes down to pride.

"'Do you want to go out there and give it everything you have to defend?'”

Denver's new-found defensive toughness will be tested by LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, whom will host the Nuggets on Thursday night (10:30, TNT).