"Elite status is a door the Nuggets stand in front of this season and desperately hope they have the key to open.

And so they claw and scratch and scrape and run (and run and run) themselves ever closer to be considered — truly considered — as a team on the shortlist of those with pressure and expectations to do something great.

Friday night was a nice step in that direction.

In the only meeting between the teams in this lockout-shortened season, the Nuggets put away the Heat behind Ty Lawson and a strong fourth quarter, walking out with an eye-opening 117-104 victory Friday night at the Pepsi Center.

"I think (the win) comes at a good time," coach George Karl? said. "I think the test comes at a good time. Hopefully, we can finish off the homestand with a win and try to put up 11 or 12 wins in the month of January."

A 9-0 run to start the fourth quarter took a five-point lead (86-81) and made it 14 (95-81). That proved to be too steep a hill for the Heat to climb, and Miami was blown out for its third straight loss on what turned out to be a winless Western swing by one of the NBA's premier teams. "