Crazy Eights: Denver Nuggets-Golden State Warriors Preview

While everyone is getting excited about the resurrection of the Eastern Conference, I for one am actually looking forward to a game that goes live tonight...in Oakland! Irony that I'm actually looking forward to seeing some true Oakland fans supporting their local ball club.

With that being said, let's look at tonight's postseason altering showdown between the Nuggets and the Warriors.

The Stakes

Denver and Golden State are in a battle for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Both teams are tied at 47-31, although Denver is 7-3 in their last 10 games. Both teams jumped off their losing skids recently, but both also know that this is Deja Vu for them.

Since the arrival of Baron Davis, the Warriors have been a postseason threat almost every season. No one can forget the miracle in Oak-Town when the Warriors took out the heavily favored Dallas Mavericks.

Led by Davis, the Warriors improved their reputation, credibility, and respect factor. They showed that they are a pretty good ball team too.

On the other side, Denver has been a force to be reckoned with as of late. Led by the dynamic duo of Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson, the Nuggets are eyeing yet another appearance in the postseason.

Though they haven't been able to get the proverbial first round monkey off their back yet, the Nuggets are looking better this year than in recent years.

So with the final spot in the Conference on the line, who has enough left in the tank to win when it counts?

The Players

The trio of Davis, Stephen Jackson, and Monta Ellis have the Warriors eyeing another Cinderella postseason. Although they wouldn't mind making a little magic in the last week of the season, the Nuggets have been the thorn in their side for quite some time. The Oakland Trio has combined for 62 points per game and has people actually talking about "The Other Bay Area" team.

The Dynamic Duo of Denver have a combined 52 points per game, but that hasn't stopped their supporting cast from making things happen when they're on the court.

K-Mart, Linas Kleiza, and JR Smith have combined for 35 points per game, which means that if this is Denver's starting lineup for tonight, expect big things to happen when tip off starts at 8 p.m.

The Coaches

The old saying goes, "If you can't beat them, join them." That is true on one side and reversed on the other.

George Karl was coach of the Seattle Sonics for a good number of years. After Denver gave his team something to frown about, Karl disappeared for a little bit, but returned to resurrect the Nuggets from the basement of the Western Conference.

He isn't the only one who has found luck in a new place.

After getting his walking papers from Dallas, no one had seen hide nor hair of Don Nelson for quite a while. That is, until now.

Since he took over the Warriors, he has been talked about a lot the last few seasons. Whether Golden State makes the playoffs or not, Nelson has resurrected his dismal coaching career.

Who Takes it Tonight?

With a little less than a week remaining of the regular season, it comes down to this for both teams. Denver has won nine of the last 12 games against Golden State, but the Warriors boast a 26-12 record at home.

A win tonight from either team will go a long way in determining who is in and who stays home. The Nuggets need to win this for their own peace of mind, while the Warriors need this to stay in the hunt. Both want to win to keep in pace with the Mavericks, who have a two game lead over both for the seventh spot.

The momentum factor is definitely on Denver's side. Karl may not be intimidated by the thought of a loss to Golden State, but AI and Anthony intend on making it to the playoffs and doing what Golden State did last season: surviving the first round.

To get there they have to survive the wrath of Oakland. Irony, isn't it? It isn't football season, but Denver and Oakland are still at war. Perfect. Game on.

Final Score: Nuggets 140, Warriors 132