The Denver Nuggets Are Headed to the Playoffs, Do You Care?

Just ten short seasons ago the Denver Nuggets were one of the teams that other teams licked their chops to play, one of the worst teams in the league. The very next season, the Nuggets had the third overall pick in the NBA Draft and took Carmelo Anthony, something suddenly changed. The franchise was reborn, and haven't looked back since. For the ninth season in a row the Nuggets will make an appearance in the NBA Playoffs. Winning six of their last eight games has some folks excited about their chances. Do you care about the Nuggets?

Just because the Nuggets are no longer the laughing stock of the NBA doesn't mean that teams don't still get excited to play them in the playoffs. In the eight years previous to this one, the Nuggets have only made it out of the first round of the playoffs once. That year they actually won two series and made it to the Western Conference Finals where they were defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers.

It is a new time for the Nuggets now though, a time many thought might be a rebuilding project. Carmelo Anthony begged his way to New York, and the Nuggets also let go of Kenyon Martin, J.R. Smith, and Nene just to name a few. The new guys like Danilo Gallinari and Al Harrington have stepped up along with guys that have been a part of the team for a few years now like Ty Lawson and Aaron Afflalo.

Just a week and a half ago it was unclear if the Nuggets would even make the playoffs in a tightly contested Western Conference, but they hit their stride right on time. Winning 6 of their last eight, and beating teams that were also fighting for their playoff lives along the way. Now, with two games left the Nuggets main goal is to stay at the 6 seed or above so they can avoid the two best teams in the league in the first round of the playoffs. One of those two teams that they would like to avoid happen to be one of the final two games they play this regular season. The Nuggets travel to Oklahoma City to play the team that will be the two seed in the playoffs in the Thunder tomorrow night. The game should gauge exactly where the Nuggets are heading into the playoffs.

Are the Nuggets playing their best ball right now? Coach George Karl grinned when asked. "We'd better be," he said. "That's the hope."

The Nuggets finish up the regular season on the road at Minnesota on Thursday night.