Three Big Risers From Nuggets' Win vs. Pacers in Mexico City

The Denver Nuggets needed a win on Saturday afternoon, and now their flight back from Mexico will be a celebratory one. The Nuggets beat the Indiana Pacers 114-102 at Arena CDMX in Mexico City to pick up their second straight win and improve to 5-3 this season.

The Nuggets jumped out to as much as a 27-point lead over the Pacers, and even though Indiana did all they could to put some pressure on Denver in the fourth quarter, they held their lead to secure the win.

It was an overall strong team performance by Denver, playing three quarters of strong defense and having eight players score in double digits, but let's take a closer look at three players whose stock rose in this game.

DeMar DeRozan

DeMar DeRozan was a last-minute scratch for the Nuggets in their previous game, but they got the veteran wing back in the lineup on Saturday. Against the Pacers, he reminded us why he is so valuable to the Nuggets' second unit.

DeRozan finished the game with 11 points and five assists on 5-9 shooting from the field, and while his stats might not jump off the page, he comfortably controlled the Nuggets' bench unit and was a huge reason they were able to secure their fifth win of the season.

When the Nuggets signed DeRozan to a veteran minimum deal this offseason, they certainly had his playmaking prowess in mind. Even though the 16th-leading scorer in NBA history is known for his shot-making, he is an exceptional playmaker, and it was on full display in Mexico City. With weak backcourt depth, the Nuggets need DeRozan to step up as a playmaker, and he has done just that.

Spencer Jones

Spencer Jones missed the Nuggets' first seven games, but finally made his season debut on Saturday. In his first action in over six months, Jones reminded fans why he deserved the two-year, $11.7 million contract he signed this summer.

Jones finished with 13 points and six rebounds on 5-6 shooting from the field and a perfect 3-3 from beyond the arc. Coming back from injury, we had a feeling Jones would immediately help the Nuggets in three key areas: defense, rebounding, and three-point shooting. Fortunately, we were right, as Jones didn't miss a step after his absence.

There were some questions about what role Jones would have in this new-look bench unit, especially with the ascension of rookie forward Trevon Brazile, but the two successfully coexisted on Saturday.

Cameron Johnson

Cameron Johnson is another player whose season has already been impacted by injuries, as he missed three of their first four games, but he is now finding his rhythm as he gets more reps in. Johnson shot just 39.3% from the field in his three games since returning from injury, but he was much more efficient in Saturday's contest.

Johnson finished Saturday's win with 18 points and four rebounds on 8-12 shooting from the field with two three-pointers. The Nuggets desperately need Johnson to find his rhythm offensively, and he looked great on Saturday.

In a game where the Nuggets struggled to shoot from three-point range, making just 10 of their 35 attempts, they needed an offensive boost, and Johnson stepped up.

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