NEW ORLEANS -- In the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately NBA, the Denver Nuggets are trying their best to treat each day as a new opportunity.
The Nuggets saw their Western Conference playoff hopes improve Monday night without even playing, as the Portland Trail Blazers had their six-game winning streak snapped with a 110-109 road loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The defeat dropped Portland, No. 8 in the West, to 38-39, and narrowed its margin over No. 9 Denver (36-40) to 1 1/2 games. The Blazers still hold a tiebreaker edge over the Nuggets, so Denver would have to finish a game ahead of Portland to make the playoffs.