Hernangomez gets his chance, and delivers

Juancho Hernangomez had been sitting on the bench, smoldering, waiting to ignite, burst out, make something happen.

The Nuggets’ forward got his chance Thursday night in a 101-93 comeback win over the Brooklyn Nets at the Pepsi Center. Hernangomez hopes his effort will garner him more quality minutes going forward.

“I hope so, but every game is different,” he said. “It’s tough sometimes when they don’t call your name, but you have to stay ready and stay focused. I have worked really hard. Coach knows I will be ready when they call my name.”

Hernangomez had played in only three of Denver’s first 10 games, but coach Michael Malone, looking to shake things up after an ugly 125-121 home loss to Atlanta on Tuesday, inserted Hernangomez

into the game in the first quarter — a rare occurrence indeed.

Hernangomez’s line barely moved the needle: Two points, on 1-for-4 shooting, with eight rebounds and two assists in 19 minutes. But don’t let the boxscore fool you. Hernangomez, seeing significant and meaningful action for one of the few times this season, helped jumpstart the sluggish Nuggets, who overcame a 61-49 halftime deficit.

It was in the third quarter, in which Denver outscored the Nets 30-18, that Hernangomez became a 6-foot-9 whirling dervish — tipping balls, hustling on defense and messing with the Nets’ offensive flow.

“I thought Juancho was the difference-maker tonight,” Malone said. “I give Juancho so much credit. He had not played (much) in the first 10 games. I wanted to throw him out there knowing that he’d