Nuggets Hot: Going For Sixth Straight Playoff Run

The Denver Nuggets (48-26) have hit a soft spot in their season, like an avalanche bearing down on a helpless deer, hard.

March muscle-flexing has been the way of the month, as Denver has won eight of nine. If they can beat the struggling New York Knicks (29-45) tonight, they will have gone 10-6 in March.

Denver has been helped all season by Chauncey Billups, who not only plays great, hard-nose, 100 percent all-out basketball, but also acts as an on-court coach.

Billups told reporters Monday at practice that he and George Karl have had many conversations throughout the season.

"We talk often about the team and what we're trying to do," said Billups.  "I'm going to try my best to lead the guys, kind of show them the way."

"My whole thing has always been, you can't wait until the playoffs to start playing playoff basketball."

Indeed, Mr. Big Shot Billups has led the Nuggets through tough games, some recently that seemed more like playoff games than regular season contests.

Crowds went crazy during the games at Phoenix, New Orleans, and Dallas, as all three are fighting for either a playoff birth or better seeds, yet the Nuggets still went 3-0 on the road trip.

George Karl explained today in the Denver Post:

"He wins games because he understands team and possessions and the value of (playing) together, probably more than most. And then he still has that window of skills that's at a pretty high level."

You can read the complete article here.

Tonight, the Nuggets should continue their winning streak, as they play a depleted Knickerbocker squad, and make the playoffs for the sixth-straight year.

Denver is 28-8 at the Pepsi Center, while New York is a sad 10-26 on the road. The Knicks actually average more points than the Nuggets (105.6-103.8) per game, but give up nearly eight points more than Denver at 108.3 per game.

Also, New York allows almost 50 percent of their opponents field goal attempts go in (.482), while the sharp-shooting Nuggets are sixth in the league (.468).

Look for Denver to have a great scoring performance, and for the starters to rest in the fourth quarter tonight.

Denver wins 120-98.