With their win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, the Denver Nuggets have officially clinched the Northwest division. This is the first time that Denver will be the division champions since the 2010 season. Although the Nuggets made the playoffs in 2011, 2012 and 2013, they were unable to claim the division crown in those seasons.
The win over Portland also secured homecourt advantage in the first round for Denver. The Nuggets will finish no worse than third in the Western Conference, but still have to fend off the Houston Rockets for the second seed. As things currently stand, Denver is 1.5 games ahead of Houston in the standings. If Denver is able to lock up the second seed, it will enjoy homecourt advantage during the first two rounds of the playoffs.
This is Denver’s fourth Northwest division title, having also won the division in 2006, 2009 and 2010.
"This is four years in the making. Two years in a row coming up just shy, one game short,” Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said following the team’s playoff-clinching victory over the Boston Celtics. “We're not satisfied just making the playoffs. We realized early on in the season that we have a chance to be a special team, and that remains the case."
The Nuggets have three games remaining on the schedule before the playoffs begin, which will help Denver rest up and prepare for its first-round matchup.