The Coat of Arms’ Ironically Untitled Podcast returns for its second installment.

By Davis Rich

This week’s podcast, featuring Kiki Fann, Ben Simon and Davis Rich, dives into the Blake Griffin saga as well as the rumors that Kevin Durant could join the Warriors in 2017.

Here’s a look at a couple of risers in the Western Conference:

Two pleasant surprises in the Western Conference this year have been the Portland Trail Blazers and the Denver Nuggets. After losing four of their five starters over the summer, the Blazers are riding a five-game winning streak into the eighth playoff spot in the West. Despite the mass exodus, Portland has stayed afloat thanks to CJ McCollum’s breakout season (which we talked about in this space last week) in addition to a young, athletic bench unit (Chris Kaman is the only player older than 28). Portland has remained a top ten offense in terms of efficiency, and a new defensive buy-in has keyed the recent resurgence of Rip City.

With a franchise guy like Damian Lillard (the biggest snub of the All-Star Game), Portland’s youthful reserves don’t need to assume too great a burden and will be able to develop without too much pressure.

The Nuggets’ mediocrity in the Mile High City has been even more improbable. Denver lost its top three scorers from last year (Ty Lawson and Arron Afflalo by trade, Wilson Chandler to injury) when they only won 30 games. Their 2015-16 hopes depended on Danilo Gallinari’s tenuous knee tendons, Emmanuel Mudiay’s game experience from China, and NBA journeymen like Jameer Nelson and J.J. Hickson.

Yet the Nuggets remain within striking distance of the playoffs because of the surprising performances of some obsolete players. 2012 second round pick Will Barton is a contender for Sixth Man of the Year, putting up 15.5 points per game while 2014 first round pick Gary Harris– already labeled a bust late last year– has enjoyed early success this season, averaging 11.2 points per game and 38% shooting from beyond the arc.

Center Nikola Jokic, the 41st pick in 2014, might be the best three-point shooter center not named Horford or Porzingis, and is the foil of the Nuggets’ previous big man of the future Jusef Nurkic.

Perhaps the most promising aspect of the Nuggets’ future is that they could have four first round picks this year (they probably won’t). Denver will likely get Houston’s mid-teens pick as well as Portland’s pick if the Blazers make the playoffs. Given how well Denver’s youth has developed thus far, adding more first round talent into the mix will only brighten the Nuggets’ future.