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Iverson, Nuggets running out of time

Mar 14, 2008 - 1:57 PM Toronto (34-30) at Denver (38-26) 9:00 pm EDT

DENVER (Ticker) - The Denver Nuggets will have to do better than .500 basketball if they hope to secure a playoff berth in the Western Conference.

The Nuggets are ninth in the West, looking up at eighth-place Golden State in the standings.

Denver, which hosts the Toronto Raptors on Friday, is 5-5 in its last 10 games and is coming off a 108-86 win over Memphis on Wednesday in the first game of a three-game homestand.

"It's now or never. We don't have a choice," Nuggets' forward Kenyon Martin said. "It's either win now or be watching come April and I don't think anyone around here wants to be watching.

"We've got too much talent, and the guys have too much pride, so we're going to approach every game like it's our last. That's what it's all about."

Denver, chasing a fifth straight postseason appearance, begins a five-game road trip against teams in the East on Tuesday.

The Nuggets have won three straight home games against the Raptors. Guard Allen Iverson, battling a sore right knee and a fractured right ring finger, is averaging 26.6 points and 7.2 assists for Denver, 26-7 at home.

Toronto is 0-2 on its current five-game road trip, but is entrenched in fifth place in the East.

The Raptors, who have lost six of their last eight games, are still without forward Chris Bosh. The All-Star has missed seven straight games, but hopes to return within the next week.