Denver Nuggets Playoff Preview

So as for my first post on the Heralded "Denver Sports Champagne Room" Blog, I will discuss my favorite team and their ongoing playoff stretch run. 

So the Nuggets are in the stretch run of the NBA playoffs. They are currently seeded as the number 4 seed at 43-25, and if the playoffs were to start today they would face the Portland Trailblazers with home court advantage. Let's realistically see where this team should end up. 

Looking at the Nuggets' remaining schedule, one thing is for sure; they have a ton of winnable games. 8 of the final 14 remaining games are below sub .500 teams. 7 games at home, 7 games on the road. The 5 teams above .500 are all in the hunt for the final 8 spots in the western conference playoffs, the other being Phoenix which I don't see making that final spot ahead of Dallas. I think that it is safe to say that the Nuggets will surpass their win total as of last year which was 50 games. In fact, I think that the Nuggets have a chance at matching their franchise best mark at 54 wins in a season. Regardless, I believe that the Nuggets will finally sport a home court advantage playoff series. The closest was the 05-06 season in which the Nuggets finished in the third seed after taking the Northwest division title, but remarkably had a worse record than the Clippers at the 6th seed. Therefore giving up home court advantage. Suffice to say, I think that the Nuggets have a golden (no pun intended) opportunity to do something in the playoffs this year.

Since Carmelo Anthony joined the Nuggets in the 03-04 season as a rookie he has yet to miss the playoffs, but has failed along with his teammates miserably, if I might add. Look for this year to be a different story if the Nuggets clinch a home court series. 

Now for the rest of the west and how I think it will play out:

1) Lakers: Will hold the number 1 seed with ease, and may strive for home court advantage throughout the playoffs with the leagues best record in the final weeks. 

2) Spurs: Will have to work at it, but I think will hold onto this spot. This team just will not go away until Duncan retires. 

3) Nuggets: I think their easy schedule will put them over the top with the Rockets and the Jazz falling a win or two short

4) Rockets: Their schedule is brutal in the coming weeks, but are playing good ball. This team just always seems to come together at the end of the season, and without T-Mac I might add

5) Jazz: If they didn't suck so much on the road, I would put them further up, but they play 8 of their last 15 games on the road, and face some damn good teams. 

6) Blazers: Pretty much a tossup between them and the Hornets, but the schedule favors Portland slightly, and they are reportedly getting Oden back any time soon. 

7) Hornets: Could easily be placed in the 6th or even 5th spot, but just aren't the same team as they were last year. Love CP3, but even he can't weather 8 road games in under a month. 

8) Dallas: Easiest pick of the bunch (besides Lakers). But they gotta love how they looked in LA on sunday; almost knocking off the Lakers (Which is who they will face).

So after looking at the projected standings, I would guess that the Nuggets should end up facing Portland (which I really favor). They are a very inexperienced team, and will likely be facing Denver on the road 4 times in a 7 game series. The Blazers have an awful record on the road against the league's elite, and have done most of their damage on their home court. 

All that said, I think that the Nuggets just have a playoff built team now. The teams in the years' past were all run and gun with absolutely no defense. Lets face it, the Suns have been the best team in the league at that for years, and it hasn't worked for them. So why would it have worked for the Nuggets? This year, the Nuggets have a proven winner in the playoffs in Chauncey Billups, and finally have most of it's players healthy. The most notable is Nene. Dude is just a beast. Not to mention that the Nuggets are actually playing some defense for the first time in god knows when, and they finally have a descent half court team with Nene and Melo working on the blocks, with Chauncey and JR waiting on the wings. The team is just built to win in the playoffs. What they need to do is get that home court advantage, and face a team that they can compete with. In the years' past we've faced the Lakers, Spurs, Spurs, Spurs, and the Spurs. Not really, but you get the picture. Get a team that the Nuggets have a shot at, and who knows how far they'll go? Honestly, I think that if the Nuggets get the third seed and get out of the first round, that they will give the Spurs a run for their money. I pretty much say this every year, but this team is just so much different that the previous years. 

So keep an eye on the coming weeks. Will the Nuggets take advantage of the easiest schedule amongst the west's elite, or will they falter? That will determine their fate. 

One of many to come by your Nuggets & Broncos man: Chris (AKA the Doctor)