Nuggets roar into playoffs for first time in 6 years

The Denver Nuggets ended their six-year playoff drought in style. After spending most of the season jockeying with the juggernaut Golden State Warriors for top billing in the West, the Nuggets fended off Portland and Houston to earn the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs and will face the San Antonio Spurs in the first round. Game 1 is Saturday night at the Pepsi Center, where the Nuggets posted the NBA's best home record (34-7), including a thrilling 99-95 win over Minnesota in the finale that gave them a 12-1 record on the second night of back-to-backs.