Nuggets' title hopes collide with a troubling pattern (but there's a catch)

Denver Nuggets, Nikola Jokic | David Gonzales-Imagn ImagesThe Denver Nuggets aren't part of the exclusive 40-before-20 club this season. If you're wondering what that is, it's a rule coined by Pat Riley, who believed that legitimate title contenders hit 40 wins before 20 losses. By that thinking, the Nuggets' odds of reaching the mountaintop in June took a hit they won't be able to rebound from, but there's more to it than that.

Nikola Joki\u0107 has played in 43 of Denver's 59 games this year, missing several weeks with a hyperextended left knee. Surprisingly enough, the Nuggets went 10-6 during that span, which is even more impressive when you consider the other key players the team was…