seemed like all but a sure thing?
The Nuggets had just beaten their next closest challenger (OKC) in staking themselves to a four-game lead with 23 to go — a lead that was actually five games, since Denver clinched the season series against OKC. And they had just won five in a row with a weekend set of home games against Utah and New Orleans on the horizon.
Fast forward a week later, and all the sudden things look a little less rosy.
After three straight losses, including an unforgivable home loss to the Pelicans on Sunday, the Nuggets are staring down the league’s seventh-toughest schedule to close out the season.