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Nuggets vs. Blazers: Match up to watch for

By Blake Holmes

DENVER, CO - JANUARY 19: the Denver Nuggets stand for the national anthem prior to the game against the Phoenix Suns on January 19, 2018 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - JANUARY 19: the Denver Nuggets stand for the national anthem prior to the game against the Phoenix Suns on January 19, 2018 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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DENVER, CO – JANUARY 19: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets handles the ball during the game against the Phoenix Suns on January 19, 2018 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – JANUARY 19: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets handles the ball during the game against the Phoenix Suns on January 19, 2018 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The Denver Nuggets will take on the Portland Trail-Blazers on Monday, January 22nd at 7 PM MST (9 PM EST) in the Pepsi Center.

This is a huge game and a true must-win for the Nuggets, as they have fallen out of the playoff race. With every lower seed winning in recent games, Denver will need to keep up with a home win. This game won’t be a cake walk by any means though, the Blazers are fighting for the playoffs as well, and these two teams aren’t exactly friendly with each other.

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The two teams have had a budding rivalry since last year, and they will continue that rivalry in Denver. If you want a game to watch, it should probably be this one, but who should you look for? What match-up in this game should you keep your eye on, and who will have a big game?

Obviously, we are going to keep an extra special eye on the match-up at the center position. The Nuggets tried to keep Jusuf Nurkic in the starting line-up for a good part of last season, including sending Nikola Jokic to the bench. Mike Malone tried to experiment with “Jurkic,” starting both players, and it didn’t work. Nurkic in the starting line-up didn’t work very well, and the Nuggets were just below average.

It wasn’t until the date that many Nuggets fans have imprinted in their minds, December 16th, 2016, that Coach Malone finally put Jokic in the starting line-up with Nurk on the bench. What occurred was one of the top three offenses in the NBA for the rest of the season. Nurk grew unhappy with his lack of playing time because of this, including leaving the bench before the end of a game to go to the locker room.

Nurkic was eventually traded to the Blazers for Mason Plumlee and 1st Round Pick. He ended up playing very well in Portland, suggesting that the Blazers won the deal, but this is the root of the rivalry these two share. If Jokic doesn’t get installed in the starting line-up and plays so well, Nurk probably never would’ve went to Portland.

For this reason, of course we’re going to keep an eye on Jokic and Nurkic. These two can’t have a good game each it seems like, as either Nurk or Jokic seem to break-out against each other. The first game last season that the Nuggets played against the Blazers last season showed Nurkic playing a monster game, leading Portland to a win. Earlier this season, Jokic outplayed him in every way, leading to a Nuggets win.

Next: Short rotation doing more harm than good

Who will have a big game tonight, and who will take another step to the postseason? Odds are, whoever has the bigger game between them could decide the winner of the game.

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