While Denver's win on Thursday didn't yet mathematically secure a playoff berth, it puts the Nuggets in a fantastic position moving forward.  The Nuggets now own the tiebreaker over both the Dallas Mavericks and the Warriors.  After Dallas' win over Utah this evening, Denver most likely won't pass the Mavs for the seventh seed.  However, Denver is now in the driver's seat to secure the eighth seed.

The Warriors have three games left on a  schedule that includes two home games against the Los Angeles Clippers and the Seattle SuperSonics and a road game in Phoenix against the Suns.  The smart money says the Warriors will finish 2-1, which means the Nuggets will have to finish 1-2 to nab the eighth seed.  If the Warriors run the table, the Nuggets will have to go 2-1 in their final three games to get in.  Denver has three games left with two at Pepsi Center against the Houston Rockets and the Memphis Grizzlies and one game on the road Saturday in Salt Lake City against the Jazz. 

The formula for Denver is simple: win two games and your in.  So even though Thursday's win was huge for the Nuggets, their work is not yet done.