3 things to watch: Denver Nuggets at Houston Rockets

The Denver Nuggets have a matchup with Houston Thursday with big playoff ramifications. Here are 3 things to watch.

Every game holds a special importance this time of year. Especially for the Denver Nuggets.

Sitting at 50-23 in a tie with the Golden State Warriors for the top spot in the Western Conference with nine games remaining, the Nuggets are in a position they haven’t been in years.

And with a four-game lead over both the Blazers and Rockets for the second seed, the Nuggets should feel comfortable — but definitely not safe.

Denver holds the tiebreaker 2-0 over the Blazers — but still have a late-season home-and-home left against Portland.

The Rockets have won two of three from Denver this season. So Thursday’s matchup will play a big part in deciding the No. 2 seed.

Here are 3 things to watch.

Can the Nuggets contain James Harden?

Harden isn’t on nearly the tear he was earlier in the season. He scored 30-plus points in 32-straight games — the second-longest streak in NBA history.

But even though he’s slowed down, he’s hardly cooled off. He scored 61 points in a win over the Spurs just three games ago.

The Nuggets have had some success against him this year, though. He’s averaging 30 points per game vs. Denver this year. And though that’s usually nothing to brag about, it’s well below his season average of 36.2.

Who knows what containing Harden really looks like. He routinely hits step back 3’s with a hand — sometimes more — in his face. He’ll likely get his, as he’s always done.

What his teammates bring to the table is a little more debatable. Besides Chris Paul, the rest of the Rockets roster has been streaky — to put it kindly.

Lately they’ve been firing on all cylinders. But, they’ve had a couple slip ups — including a loss to Milwaukee last time out.

How will the Rockets bounce back?

In the grand scheme of things, a loss isn’t that big of a deal. Especially if it’s to the league’s best team.

But, that loss may weigh on Houston’s mind, especially with another tough matchup against the Nuggets.

But in the same sense, this has to feel close to a must win for the Rockets. If they lose Thursday, they will be five games back of the second seed with just six games left.

They’ll also likely slip to the fourth seed if the Nuggets win. Portland already holds a game lead over Houston in the loss column.

Which Jamal Murray will we see?

This spot was originally saved for something about The Manimal. But since he’s out for Thursday’s game, we’ll give it to the Blue Arrow.

Last time out, Murray looked great. He scored 33 points in a win over Detroit — including the dagger to seal it.

But before that, he scored just four points in a loss to Indiana. And though nobody on the Denver roster looked good that game, Murray was especially bad.

Inconsistency is expected from a player as young as Murray — especially when he’s not playing in his natural position.

So, which version of the Blue Arrow is going to show up? For the sake of Nuggets fans, hopefully it’s the one not shooting Westbrook-like transition 3’s and getting blown by every defensive possession.