NBA standings 2013: Nuggets trying to keep pace in West

The Denver Nuggets have played better of late but after going 6-4 in their last ten games they remain mired among the teams in the middle of the Western Conference standings.

The Nuggets currently hold the eighth and final playoff spot in the West, eight games behind the conference leaders. The Portland Trail Blazers are also eight games behind the top spot with a percentage points lead over Denver.

Both teams are trying to hold off the Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers behind them. That trio on the outside looking in are all within two games of the Nuggets.

At the top of the conference standings, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Clippers are locked in a tight race with the Thunder currently holding a percentage points lead. The San Antonio Spurs remain among the elite pack just a half game behind the top spot.

Not far behind the leaders in the Western Conference standings are the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies. The Warriors are just three games behind the lead pack after going 7-3 in their last ten games. The Memphis Grizzlies have slide to fifth place, four games behind the leaders after struggling of late.

The Nuggets are chasing the Houston Rockets for siixth place in the West. The Rockets jumped up out of the middle of the pack to claim sixth after going 8-2 in their last ten games. Houston is now 6.5 games behind the leaders.

In the Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat hold on to a half game lead over the New York Knicks after losing to the Chicaog Bulls on Friday. The Atlanta Hawks are hovering just two games behind in third just ahead of a grouped bunched in a race for the middle playoff spots which includes Chicago, Indiana, Brooklyn and Milwaukee all within two games of each other.

Here's a look at the full NBA standings.