NBA Power Rankings 2012: Nuggets At No. 16 In The Latest Power Rankings

The Denver Nuggets (30-26) enter the final days of the NBA Regular Season with a tenuous grasp on the No. 8 seed. Leading the Phoenix Suns (29-27) by just a single game, the Nuggets hope fend off the Suns, but Tom Ziller's latest NBA Power Rankings suggest that may be a problem.

Monday's power rankings have the Suns at No. 13 and the Nuggets, facing the Houston Rockets in a key home matchup next Sunday and Monday, come in at No. 16:

Rank	Team	Record	Last Week	SB Nation Blog
1.	San Antonio Spurs	40-14	W: CLE, BOS, NO, UTA	Pounding The Rock
This is the second double-digit win streak of the season for the Spurs. Expect some more analysis downplaying San Antonio's playoff chances based on last year's first-round exit; please remember that Manu Ginobili busted up his arm entering that series. He looks healthy now. This team has always been different when he's healthy.
2.	Chicago Bulls	43-14	W: BOS; L: HOU, NY	Blog-a-Bull
I secretly hope some fool tries out the "Bulls are better without Derrick Rose" argument just because I've always wanted to see a live human self-ridicule himself into oblivion.
...
15.	Orlando Magic	33-23	W: PHI; L: DET, NY	Orlando Pinstriped Post
We are a month from Patrick Ewing becoming an NBA head coach. I repeat, we are a month from Patrick Ewing becoming an NBA head coach.
16.	Denver Nuggets	30-26	W: PHX; L: NO, GS	Denver Stiffs
The Nuggets have a home-and-home with the Rockets next week. It's a great chance to either avoid the Thunder or Spurs in the first round or to fall out of the bracket. I love this game.
17.	Utah Jazz	29-28	W: POR, GS; L: PHX, SA	SLC Dunk
As soon as I write off the Jazz, they'll peel off a four-game win streak. A home game against San Antonio and road games at Houston and Memphis might prevent that, though, and kill this season dead.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more on the Nuggets, visit Denver Stiffs. Check out SB Nation NBA for more news and notes around the league.