Eighth place isn’t remarkable in the Kentucky Derby, spelling bees, swim meets, presidential primaries, Pillsbury Cookoffs or “The Magnificent Seven.”
But, to the Nuggets, 8th, like green acres, is the place to be.
Hello, snowman.
The Nuggets moved into eighth place in the NBA’s Western Conference on Saturday night by nudging the Golden State Warriors, the former residents of 8th, in a Headbanders Ball before an SRO 19,844. It smelled like new leather car seats and the postseason.
The Nuggets are not in the pole position, but Gregg Popovich, coach of the San Antonio Spurs, keeps saying that there’s not going to be any difference between the No. 1 playoff seed and No. 8. (Except, of course, for the home-court advantage.)
“Are we in eighth?” George Karl said after his team knuckle-backed the Warriors. I believe the Nuggets coach was being facetious.
He has known night and day since Feb. 25 that the Nuggets were ninth in an eight-team battle royale. The Nuggets were alone in eighth on Feb. 22, tied with Golden State on the 24th and behind the Warriors after a loss the next night — at home to Detroit.
In fact, the Nuggets haven’t lost at home since that game against the Pistons, but they haven’t been able to catch the Warriors.
But Gold Nuggets over Golden State Warriors. And look who’s right here, too.
Dallas. And the Mavericks play at Golden State tonight.
7. Dallas, 45-27.
8. Denver, 45-28.
9. Golden State, 44-28.
Eighth is looking better, huh?
For the first time this season, the Nuggets have 17 more victories than defeats. “March was our hardest month, and we’ve just put up a 10 spot (10-5 record), with one game to go (Tuesday night in Phoenix). Kenyon Martin said: “We have been fighting to get here all year. . . . It’s a great win for us.”
A victory by the Warriors over the Mavs will create a three-way tie in the West. Close enough for you?
And I am hooked on a feeling that the three teams could end up tied at 50-32. Then you got your tiebreakers, and the Nuggets would have the edge, trust me, after the Thursday and Saturday triumphs over Dallas and (Oakland).
Golden State’s Don Nelson painfully has examined his own schedule. “We have to go home, play a back-to-back with another team fighting for a playoff berth. . . . You have got to win games whether you’re in the eighth spot or scratching to get in it.”
Karl believes that the Nuggets’ return match at Golden State, followed by the fourth game of the final trip — at Utah — “will determine it. We’ve got to win at least one.”
Here’s how it could go:
Mavericks — Five victories, over the Clippers, Golden State (in the rematch in Dallas), Seattle, Utah and Seattle. Five losses.
Warriors — Six victories, over Dallas, Memphis, Sacramento, Denver, Clippers and Seattle. Four losses.
Nuggets — Five victories, over Phoenix (in the rematch here Tuesday night), Sacramento, Seattle, Clippers and Memphis. The Nuggets would lose both those games at Oakland and Salt Lake City.
But, if they can beat one of the two, or squeeze past Houston in the next-to-last game at home, the Nugs could get to a magical number — 51 and, probably, seventh place.
“You don’t want to be watching next month,” Karl said.
So, whom would they play in the opening round?
Nobody has the slightest clue. You’ve got San Antonio, New Orleans, Houston, the Lakers, Utah and Phoenix all jammed.
If you want take a guess, try Nuggets-Hornets.
The Nuggets couldn’t be guessing if they had dropped that game Saturday night — and they appeared to be close to blowing it a few times, especially in the third quarter when the Warriors, behind Baron Von Davis, went up by three points.
Yet, with “Grand” Kenyon dropping in a season-high 30, with 11 rebounds, and the biggest drop in the bucket down the stretch, and the three-headed monster off the bench contributing 39 points, and the Nuggets dishing for 36, and the Warriors wearing out at the end, eighth place looked very good to the Nuggets. They’ll take it.
Henry The 8th liked the position.
Woody Paige: 303-954-1095 or wpaige@denverpost.com
