The Denver Nuggets have seen perhaps the single-most drastic change from one season to another, managing to stay atop the Western Conference for the vast majority of this season despite barely missing the playoffs in 2017-18. Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said he expected them to make some progress, but wouldn't have predicted such an astronomical jump to the top of the West.

“I expected them to be good after last year,” said Kerr ahead of a battle for the No. 1 seed on Tuesday at the Pepsi Center. “I don't know if I would have predicted they'd be in first (place) halfway through the year. But they've taken a leap from a year ago, when they were already a good team. They're getting better.”

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It was this Nuggets team that handed the Warriors their first loss of the season, a 100-98 thriller. This game will be played at the Pepsi Center, before two late-season meetings at Oracle Arena on Mar. 8 and Apr. 2 to close out the season series.

The Warriors (29-14) have won four in a row and six of their last seven games, sitting only half a game behind the Nuggets for the top spot in the West.

The Nuggets (29-13) rebounded from a disappointing loss against the Phoenix Suns to skate by the Portland Trail Blazers 116-113. That win was thanks to a near-triple-double performance by Nikola Jokic, who put up 40 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists in the win.