The Denver Nuggets (34-16) struggled with injuries and inconsistency throughout the month of January. They dropped multiple games to teams below .500 on the year, and they were never able to win more than three games in a row. They’re right in the middle of the battle for the top seeds in the Western Conference, and they’ll need a strong February to build their case.
The Portland Trail Blazers (23-27) are 7-3 in their last 10 games, and they’ve been watching Damian Lillard put on a master class of scoring. He averaged over 45 points per game over a six-game stretch.