NBA Power Rankings Week 15: The Denver Nuggets excel in March

Mar 30, 2021; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. (1) reacts with center Nikola Jokic (15) and guard Facundo Campazzo (7) during a timeout in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /

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NBA, Denver Nuggets (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) /

. 30-19. Previous: 9th. Portland Trail Blazers. 8. team. 34

Last Week: Beat Toronto Raptors 122-117, Beat Detroit Pistons 124-101, Lost to Milwaukee Bucks 127-109, Beat Oklahoma City Thunder 133-85

This Week: 4/6 at LA Clippers, 4/8 at Utah Jazz, 4/10 vs. Detroit Pistons

Possibly the most interesting trend in the entire league is the way the Portland Trail Blazers have been able to maintain a winning record while struggling across the board. Portland has a negative net rating, worse than the New Orleans Pelicans and the Indiana Pacers. The only team in the league with a worse defensive rating is the Sacramento Kings. Luckily for the Blazers, the Kings are the only thing keeping the Blazers out of the historically bad conversation.

So how do the Blazers remain one of the best teams in the league? Damian Lillard of course. Dame Time has become a meme but it is far more than that. Lillard is tied in the league in fourth-quarter scoring at 7.8 points per game. He is shooting 39.3 percent on 3.1 3-point attempts per game. He is also hitting 95.2 percent of his free throws in the fourth.

It is hard to argue against this being sustainable at this point. Lillard was even better in March, averaging 8.2 fourth-quarter points per game on shooting splits of .406/.356/1.00. As the Blazers get healthier and even more talented (bringing in Norman Powell) the reliance on Lillard could lessen. However, for the Blazers to have a chance to knock off the rest of the West they may have to rely on even more Dame Time.

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