While most people don't follow DEN enough to know this, they have had one of the best regular season records over the past 3-4 years. What they haven't done is beat teams like this. OKC is a playoff caliber team. DEN last year had 6-8 games against the bottom of the league and they waltzed through 3 quarters and then had to play their starters most of the 4th. Malone has spoken openly about 'load management' in the form of taking care of business for three querters and then sitting his starters in the 4th.