Denver Nuggets: The perfect playoff situation

What’s likely

1. Golden State Warriors                                  5. Oklahoma City Thunder

2. Denver Nuggets                                             6. Utah Jazz

3. Houston Rockets                                           7. San Antonio Spurs

4. Portland Trail Blazers                                  8. Los Angeles Clippers

Chances are Denver will clinch the No. 2 seed. They hold a three-game lead over the Rockets, who sit third after struggling for a good part of the season.

This is what the playoffs would look like if they started today — switching the Spurs and Clippers.

The Nuggets would have to face the Rockets in the second round in this scenario — after facing a Spurs team that holds a 2-1 season advantage.

But Denver would avoid a matchup with the Jazz — barring a first-round upset.

Let’s hope not

1. Golden State Warriors                             5. Portland Trail Blazers

2. Denver Nuggets                                        6. San Antonio Spurs

3. Houston Rockets                                      7. Utah Jazz

4. Oklahoma City Thunder                         8. Los Angeles Clippers

If everything fell apart, the Nuggets could realistically slip to the five seed. Not likely, but it could happen. The Rockets could also realistically slip to the seventh seed. That’s almost less likely.

With how both teams have performed this year, the stars would just about have to align for either to happen.

What is quite possible, though, is that the Jazz slip to that seventh seed. And though the Nuggets will be favored in a matchup against Utah, they would probably like to avoid it.

This would also mean a likely matchup against the Rockets in the second round. Right now, the Jazz and Rockets are two of three playoff teams the Nuggets have a losing record against.