Portland's Best Rivalry: Blazers-Nuggets Now Better Than Blazers-Jazz

I love most NBA games. I say that, because some games just don't always get my blood pumping.

Don't get me wrong, I love watching the Blazers play just about, well every team, but there is something about a Good 'ol Blazer vs Jazz matchup. You could also say the same about the Laker vs Blazer games. Anyway, the point I'm trying to get across is that certain games carry a different feel.

Every time these teams play, it seems it has an elevated playoff feel and Jazz about the game, Pardon the pun , even now. You pay a certain attention to every single moment. Every dribble, pass, shot, block, and steal seems to carry a different weight compared to any other game. I think a lot of it has to do with all those previous playoff games that seem so far in the past that it makes me feel old(I'm 22).

It brings me back to the old Blazer playoff days in the late 90's and early 00's against the Lakers and Jazz. These games always seemed just as intense and important as games in the regular season. Oh boy, can I remember those.

I believe that it will always be this way, but I have noticed a big change. It now appears to me that the biggest four games on the schedule are against another division foe, the Denver Nuggets.

The Carmelo Anthony led Nuggets have shown that they are the team to beat in the Northwest, but starting last year, the Blazers have shown that they are ready to contend for it. They are showing it by coming to play game in and game out.

Every game matters, but they always seem to play their best when its against the bigger competition. The biggest competition in the division now? The Denver Nuggets of course.

I now see that same intensity from the players and fans in Nuggets games that I feel comes with the Laker and Jazz battles.

I know we have'nt seen these teams play against each other in a playoff game yet , but I undeniably have that same sense of a must win in the regular season contests against the Nuggets that we've seen in Jazz and Laker games.

The reason I bring this up is excitement. I believe we have many great games between these two teams ahead of us, and we all have front row seats to some of the best playoff games/series soon to come. Now all we need is a good chant or sign like the "beat L.A." one for the Lakers. Any suggestions?

Whatever the future holds, one thing is certain, this intense "new" rivalry is sure to contain some great memories. I know I won't be missing any of these games. Will you?  Here's to the never ending Blazer-Nugget rivalry. Cheers.

Oh bye the way, the picture above is after Brian Grant took an elbow from Karl Malone during game five of the 1999 Western Conference semi-finals.