Nuggets' defensive improvement to get the Steph Curry test

Los Angeles Clippers forward Matt Barnes, left, tumbles over Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried as he recovers a loose ball in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game Saturday, April 4, 2015, in Denver. (David Zalubowski, The Associated Press)

A team doesn't go from having one of the worst defenses in the NBA to being the 1998-99 San Antonio Spurs overnight, so Nuggets coach Michael Malone laughed at the prospect of his team being near a wholly acceptable defensive product at this time.

Sure, the defensive numbers have been good — really good, in fact. But preseason plays into it. That fact opponents have held out starters against the Nuggets plays into it. And there have been…