As the final seconds ticked down and Gary Harris dribbled out the clock after a game-clinching steal, the Nuggets’ fourth-year guard said two words resonated in his mind through the sound explosion inside Pepsi Center.
“One more.”
A Gary Harris steal caps it: Nuggets win 88-82 and can punch their playoff ticket with a win at Minnesota on Wednesday.
— Kyle Fredrickson (@kylefredrickson)
For 17,467 who witnessed Denver’s wild 88-82 victory, and countless more Colorado sports fans who watched from home, a set of seven different words felt more deserving. Maybe you’ve heard the phrase coined by Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh. It certainly fits.
“Who’s got it better than us? Nobody.”
Following a disastrous playoff-less Broncos season, the sporting Gods have smiled upon followers of the NHL and NBA in our state. The Nuggets kept their postseason hopes alive Monday, and two days earlier in the same building, the Avalanche clinched a playoff berth with a familiar flare for the dramatic. Sure, both teams could alleviate the blood pressure of their fan bases by not waiting until the final game to secure their postseason positioning. But where’s the fun in that? No chance the crowds would be quite so electric if either team coasted in.
Even Blazers’ center Jusuf Nurkic, the subject of boos throughout the night, understood that much.
“From a fan standpoint,” he said, “that was a good game.”
The Nuggets and Avalanche are franchises starving for relevance and rarely have they achieved it simultaneously. In the history of both teams, each has made the playoffs in the same season just four times (2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010). Now, like Harris made so clear, the chance for another combination postseason comes down to one more, Wednesday at Minnesota.
Soak it all in, sports fans.
Who’s got it better than us?
— , The Denver Post
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What’s on tap?
- MLB: Padres at Rockies, 6:40 p.m., ATTRM | Pitching matchup |
TV/RADIO: Here’s what sports are airing today
Scoreboard
MLB: Padres 7, Rockies 6
Full story |
NBA: Nuggets 88, Blazers 82
Full story |
Must-Read
Kiszla: Nuggets savor win that keeps playoff dream alive, while Portland’s Jusuf Nurkic eats crow
Does a Bosnian Beast eat crow? The Nuggets served up a heaping helping to Portland center Jusuf Nurkic, beating their biggest nemesis 88-82 Monday in a victory essential to keep a playoff dream alive. Read More…
Avalanche not content with just playoff berth against top-seeded Predators
The Stanley Cup Playoffs begin Wednesday, and itap hard to believe the NHL’s Cinderella story is a true contender. Read More…
Rockies can’t afford early funk from Ian Desmond, Trevor Story and CarGo to become early slump
Manager Bud Black finds the topic ludicrous, and it raises a skeptical eyebrow from Ian Desmond. Read More…
Quick Hits
+Nuggets grind out victory over Trail Blazers; control own destiny with one game left.
+ Five-run fourth inning dooms Jon Gray’s start as Rockies fall to Padres in series opener
+ Lunch Special: Is Semyon Varlamov available for the Avalanche in the playoffs?
+ Avalanche coach Jared Bednar gives his picks for the Hart Trophy
+ What are the options for streaming Colorado Rockies games in 2018?
+ Gary Harris makes his return to the Nuggets lineup.
+ after spinning at the Pepsi Center for 15 years
+ Colts QB Andrew Luck said all the right things Monday.
+No one is laughing at Patrick Reed now after Masters win
+ NHL playoff format will knock out top teams early
+ Who will win the NBA’s 2018 awards? Here’s a forecast.
+ Belgian cyclist dies of cardiac arrest after crash during race in France.
+Canada town gets new shock with dead hockey player misidentified
+“Progressing” Tiger Woods to take his usual post-Masters break
By The Numbers
11
That’s how many games Nuggets guard Gary Harris missed due to a knee injury. He made his return Monday, .
Parting Shot
Conor McGregor breaks his silence — with a cryptic emoji
Conor McGregor still hasn’t talked publicly about his arrest, but he ended his social media silence briefly on Monday morning, Instagramming a photo of himself in New York with only a praying-hands emoji for comment. Read More…
Get in Touch
If you see something thatap cause for question or have a comment, thought or suggestion, email me at dboniface@denverpost.com or tweet me .
