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The Denver Nuggets have recently beaten two of the best teams in the Western Conference, and by so doing have climbed to second place in the Northwest Division.
The Nuggets are 14-12 after scoring home wins against the Memphis Grizzlies and the San Antonio Spurs, putting Denver percentage points ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves for second in the division. Behind the league-leading Oklahoma City Thunder, the Northwest division has the NBA's tightest grouping of teams, as teams two through five are currently within 1.5 games of each other.
The Thunder, by virtue of its 21-4 record, has built the league's largest divisional lead at, 7.5 games.
In the conference picture, Denver is in sixth place with a clear division between the Nuggets and the pack ahead of them. The Golden State Warriors are three games ahead of Denver in fifth place, while only two games separate Denver in sixth and the L.A. Lakers in 12th.