The Nuggets have been adept at finding ways to win games lately, but they haven’t played a lot of winning basketball. They submitted a much more convincing sample of evidence Monday night with a 117-90 rout of the Phoenix Suns. Possessing a rare halftime lead, albeit a narrow one of 55-51, Denver improved to 5-0 in the second game of back-to-backs this season by pulling away in a 45-28 third quarter at Ball Arena. Phoenix’s 90 points were the fewest the Nuggets (16-11) have allowed this season. “I thought that was one of our best defensive efforts from beginning to end,” coach Michael Malone said. Twenty-four hours earlier, they needed overtime to escape New Orleans with a victory that wasn’t particularly awe-inspiring.