2012 NBA standings: Nuggets just outside top eight in Western Conference

The Denver Nuggets are in the middle of a string of games where they're away from home for eight of nine dates. They've lost four of their last five games and all but one game, a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, has featured a final margin of four points or less. Denver's lone win in the last five games came on Monday with a 113-110 victory over the Toronto Raptors but they fell to the Atlanta Hawks, 108-104, on Wednesday.

The Nuggets held on at home on Monday despite a late run from the Raptors. Corey Brewer and JaVale McGee came off the bench to score 19 and 17 points, respectively. Kenneth Faried led the starters with 18 points and Ty Lawson chipped in 16 points as well. Lawson put away 32 points in Denver's loss to the Hawks in Atlanta.

Sitting at 9-10 on the year, the Nuggets are tied with the Lakers but because of a head-to-head matchup advantage with the Nuggets, the Lakers currently hold the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.