Tue, Mar 31 NY Knicks
Thu, Apr 2 Utah
Sat, Apr 4 LA Clippers
Sun, Apr 5 @ Minnesota
Wed, Apr 8 Oklahoma City
Thu, Apr 9 @ LA Lakers
Mon, Apr 13 Sacramento
Wed, Apr 15 @ Portland
8 games left.
I'd like to see the Nuggets win 6 of these games but I think it's more likely that we win 5.
Games we should win, no questions asked
NYK
LAC
@MIN
OKC
SAC
Tight games that could go either way
Utah
@Portland
Probable Loss
@LAL
Of the 5 games against scrub teams - 4 at home - there is no real reason to lose any of them but I think we will probably drop one just to keep things interesting. Utah/Portland I think we win one and drop one. Against the Lakers I think we lose - the Lakers are already certain to have HCA throughout the playoffs in the west, but they will be battling for it in the Finals, where they expect to find themselves playing the Cavs or the Celtics. My prediction, then, is 53-29 or 54-28.
Houston right now has the same record as us, here is there remaining schedule:
@PHX
@LAL
POR
ORL
@SAC
@GSW
NOH
@DAL
That's 5 games against western playoff teams, one game against Phoenix who is really pushing to make the playoffs right now and has played well recently, one game against a great Orlando team, and only two games you look at it and say "they should definitely win this game".
That puts the Nuggets in great position to pull the 3 seed and end up in a probable match-up against NO, Portland, or Utah. I'd much rather play Portland than either of the other two teams.