Tim Hardaway Jr. Gives One-Word Reason for Nuggets' Success

By winning their third consecutive game and moving to 17-6 on the season, the Denver Nuggets have officially achieved their best 23-game start in franchise history. Of course, much of the success can be attributed to Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, but what's the real reason for their historic start?

Nuggets guard Tim Hardaway Jr. gave his simple response to what has made the Nuggets so successful early into their 2025-26 campaign.

"The unselfishness," Hardaway Jr. said after Sunday's win over the Charlotte Hornets.

Hardaway Jr. credits Denver's unselfishness

The Nuggets are undoubtedly playing team basketball to start the season, and their new additions from the summer have made it even easier to do so, including Hardaway Jr., along with Bruce Brown, Cam Johnson, and Jonas Valanciunas. When a team builds around a player of Jokic's caliber, his supporting cast simply needs to know their roles. Luckily, they have surrounded him with premier role players.

"Everybody knows their role from the jump," Hardaway Jr. continued. "All the way back to preseason. Camaraderie. How we interact with one another on and off the court. I think that plays a huge role in our start."

Nov 29, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) and guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) against the Phoenix Suns at the Mortgage Matchup Center. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Hardaway Jr. also says how this Nuggets team is filled with players who have all experienced what a losing locker room feels like, and that it helps bring this group together to be successful.

"From a veteran standpoint, just having a lot of guys that have been in situations or been on teams where things haven't gone their way. I've been in a lot of locker rooms like that. So just being able to be out here and being able to have a great start to the season, which we could be better. But for the most part, just happy that we've got things rolling," Hardaway Jr. said.

Hardaway Jr. admits that the Nuggets could be better, and they have certainly lost a couple of games that they shouldn't have, but he knows this is a special group of players. With a team that is so unselfish and connected, this Nuggets team could have special things in store.

Hardaway Jr. credits Denver's unselfishness

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