Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone is treating Thursday's Game 6 against the San Antonio Spurs like a Game 7.

The Nuggets are up 3-2 on the Spurs and can close out the series in San Antonio on Thursday. Denver won Game 4 in San Antonio after losing Game 3.

This is the right attitude to have for the Nuggets, who are looking to win their first playoff series since 2009.

If there is a Game 7, it would take place in Denver. But since the Spurs are a veteran team and the Nuggets don't have a lot of postseason experience, San Antonio might go into a potential Game 7 with more confidence than the Nuggets.

There was a point during Game 2 where it looked like the Spurs were going to sweep the Nuggets. San Antonio had a comfortable double-digit lead and Denver just couldn't muster up anything on offense.

That's when point guard Jamal Murray saved the team's season by going on a scoring spree in the fourth quarter to give Denver a 114-105 win. Denver lost Game 3, but showed incredible resiliency to win Games 4 and 5.

Malone is coaching in his first postseason. He's going up against his teacher, Spurs legend Gregg Popovich. Let's see if the pupil can get the best of the master in Game 6.