With Monday night's 99-96 overtime victory over New Jersey at the Pepsi Center, the Nuggets are the kings of Denver's major pro sports teams ? at least for a day.

The Nuggets stand 6-5, better than the Colorado Avalanche (10-10-1), the Denver Broncos (5-5) and the Colorado Rockies (finished 73-89).


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Chalk one up for the city's much-maligned hoopsters.

It's still awfully early in the season, but the Nuggets will take their moments of glory wherever they can get them.

On Monday, they chalked up their fifth win in the last six games, defeating the Atlantic Division-leading Nets (now 7-3) in the process.

"We beat a good team on the road (Seattle on Saturday) and a good one at home," coach Dan Issel said. "We've won five of six. We've got a little momentum going."

Against New Jersey, it was a matter of two former University of Cincinnati stars going at it, and Nick Van Exel getting the last laugh at Kenyon Martin's expense after some entertaining stretches by both.