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Nuggets meet Suns trying to get back into playoff picture

Apr 1, 2008 - 1:50 PM Phoenix (50-24) at Denver (45-29) 9:00 pm EDT

DENVER (Ticker) - The Denver Nuggets are on the outside of the playoff race yet again.

The Nuggets continue to fight for a postseason berth on Tuesday when they wrap up a home-and-home series with the Phoenix Suns.

Denver fell out of a three-way tie for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference on Monday, suffering a disappointing 132-117 setback against the Suns.

The Nuggets led by as many as 22 points in the first half but surrendered 81 points in the second half, including 46 in the fourth quarter when the Suns pulled ahead.

With the loss, Denver (45-29) slipped to ninth place in the West, one-half game behind the Golden State Warriors (45-28) for the eighth and final playoff spot. The Nuggets trail the seventh-place Dallas Mavericks (46-28) by one game in the standings.

After picking up their 50th win on Monday, the Suns appear to be in the driver's seat for a playoff berth, pulling even with the Los Angeles Lakers (50-24) for first place in the Pacific Division.

If Phoenix can win the division title, it will move up from its fifth place position in the West, where it currently owns a one-half game lead on the Houston Rockets (49-24), who are 3 1/2 games clear of the Mavericks.

Amare Stoudemire scored 41 points while Steve Nash added 36 against the Nuggets as the Suns registered their third consecutive win and 10th victory in the last 12 games.