With an NBA Cup win over the Phoenix Suns on Friday night, the Denver Nuggets moved to 3-2 on the season. Through five games, things could obviously be better for the Nuggets, but they have now won two consecutive road games and are trending in the right direction.

The Nuggets have proven they can still be one of the league's top teams, but they have a lot of work to do to truly compete for a championship this season. After five games, three-time MVP Nikola Jokic addressed where the team stands and the adjustments they have made this season.

"I think we're winning games. That's important. And I think we are trying to do something differently. I think sometimes we do it, sometimes we don't. So we are in transition, basically, but I think we want to do the right thing, or the new thing. So I think we are going in the right direction," Jokic said.

Jokic mentions how the Nuggets are in a sort of "transition" period, as they are trying to do something differently this season. Fans can clearly tell that this Nuggets team is different from last season's, not only in personnel but also in their on-court product.

What's worked through five games?

The Nuggets have had a rollercoaster start to the season, headlined by their first three games, which included a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, a 23-point comeback win over the New Orleans Pelicans, and a blowout loss to the Golden State Warriors. There were obvious inconsistencies through those first few games, which they have started to clean up in the past two.

In their most recent wins over the Pelicans and Phoenix Suns, the Nuggets have been a much more complete team. They have shot better from three-point range and played more consistent defense, with the exception of a quarter or two. In Friday's win in Phoenix, especially, the Nuggets looked much more like the team we are used to seeing.

In Friday's win, they shot 54% from beyond the arc, led by a 39-point explosion from Jamal Murray, while he and Christian Braun each knocked down seven three-pointers. Jokic is getting a lot of help from his teammates early this season, with Murray especially stepping up, and Braun finding his rhythm again could be exactly what turns the tide.

The Nuggets still need to make some improvements, as they lost the rebound and turnover battles to the Suns on Friday night, but Jokic is right: things are trending in the right direction. We still need to see the Nuggets put together a complete game, as they have shown some inconsistencies, yet there are plenty of positives to take away from the first five games.

The Nuggets will have a chance to string together their third straight win when they face the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, and we can hope they are phasing out of this transition period.