TORONTO — When the Nuggets visited Canada in March, it was the nadir of an eventual championship season.
They allowed a season-worst 49 points in the first quarter and never recovered in a fourth consecutive loss, part of a lull late in the regular season that briefly made Denver look like a wobbly No. 1 seed.
That meltdown was still on Michael Malone’s mind before tipping off against the Raptors on Wednesday night. But what followed at Scotiabank Center this time was more indicative of what the Nuggets went on to accomplish after that losing streak. Playing championship-caliber team basketball (and allowing only 20 in the first quarter this time), Denver opened a three-game holiday season road trip with a convincing-until-it-wasn’t 113-104 win over the Raptors.