The Denver Nuggets remain one of the best teams in the NBA and currently hold the third-seed in the Western Conference, but heading into the All-Star Break Denver was on shaky ground.

Denver was 5-5 in the last ten games before the break, with some heartbreaking losses against teams like the Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers mixed in. There are definitely worse stretches to be had in the NBA, but with competition as stiff as it is in the Western Conference, Denver can't afford many slips.

In their first game back since the break, the Nuggets were looking to reset the tone on their season heading down the final stretch, and they did that with a triumphant 157-103 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday. Now, it's on the Nuggets to carry that momentum forward through the final games of the regular season.

"Happy for our guys. We went through a really tough stretch as of late, but it felt like we were close. In a game like this you kind of explode. It's a good thing and I told the guys, 'Enjoy this, but let's build on it. Let's work our way through the last, I believe 25 games," Adelman said (via Nuggets). 

Everything seemed to be clicking for the Nuggets against a Trail Blazers team that may have a losing record, but still boasts a talented roster that can make things difficult for even the best of teams. 

Denver outclassed Portland across the board, but especially when it came to shooting efficiency. The Nuggets shot a remarkable 57% from the field and drained 21-41 three pointers to rack up their 157 points.

Nikola Jokic led the way with 32 points while also tallying nine rebounds and seven assists while Jamal Murray was close behind with 25 points of his own.

Though it clearly wasn't just the stars that showed up for the Nuggets. Including Jokic and Murray, seven players on the Denver roster had double digit points, with Tim Hardaway Jr. leading the bench with 19 points.

The Nuggets have a hard task ahead of them before the season's end. They'll face the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, the two teams ahead of them in the conference, a combined six times in their last few games. 

While the Nuggets' playoff chances are already all but assured, taking down their toughest competition before the playoffs even arrive would be major morale boosts in a season that's been held down by the uncertainty of injuries so often. 

The Nuggets have an immensely talented roster, evidenced by their Friday night dominance of the Trail Blazers, and it will be a test of that talent to see if Friday night was simply a momentary highlight, or the start of a major run to finish the season strong.