Preview: Nuggets look to cool off the surging Trail Blazers

Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty ImagesThe Denver Nuggets look to extend their winning streak as they square up against the Portland Trail Blazers, who are currently fighting for a chance to qualify to play in the play-in game as the 9-seed in the Western Conference.

These two teams faced each other in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs last season, in what seems like a lifetime ago. Portland saw their two starting forwards from that team depart in the offseason, with Mo Harkless and Al-Farouq Aminu landing with other teams, and replaced them with former first-round pick Zach Collins and former Oklahoma City Thunder forward Carmelo Anthony. Collins suffered an injury,…