Nuggets hope to clinch Northwest title Wednesday

There won’t be hats and T-shirts made. Nobody will chill champagne.

Nevertheless, if the Nuggets on Wednesday clinch their second Northwest Division title in four seasons, coach George Karl certainly will stop to pause.

“I think any time you win a division, it’s deserving of somewhat of a higher celebration,’’ Karl said. “I think anything to help our camaraderie going into the preseason.’’

If the Nuggets (52-26) beat Oklahoma City in a 7 p.m. game Wednesday and Portland (49-28) loses at San Antonio in a 5 p.m. game, Denver will clinch the division. The Nuggets already have won tiebreakers over the Trail Blazers and Utah (47-30), which was eliminated Sunday from the Northwest race.

A win by the Nuggets, a Portland loss and either a New Orleans loss or Dallas win on Wednesday also would secure homecourt advantage for Denver in the first round of the West playoffs. A division title guarantees at least the No. 4 seed but not homecourt advantage, but the above scenario would mean only the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio and Houston could finish above the Nuggets in the West.

While the Nuggets no doubt would be happy to clinch the division crown at home, forward Kenyon Martin let it be known they’re thinking of far bigger things.

“The division is great,’’ Martin said. “But the ultimate goal is a championship. (A division title) is a great step for our organization, but our goal is to win the championship. We can’t just be satisfied with the division.’’

A sore Martin doesn’t seem to be in much of a mood for celebrations anyway. Karl expects Martin to sit out Wednesday and Thursday on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers due to a left rib cartilage strain, but be able to return Monday at home against Sacramento.

Martin suffered the injury last Thursday against Utah. He’s already missed two games.

“It still hurts, but I feel better,’’ Martin said Tuesday. “Just moving (hurts). Talking. Laughing. Little things like that.’’

With Martin banged up, that’s one reason Karl wouldn’t mind getting the division race over Wednesday.

“I still think all the guys want to try to win all the games,’’ said Karl, whose team is closing in on clinching the West’s No. 2 seed. “Try to put a special number up on the board. It would give you the opportunity to maybe rest and put some more relaxation into (games). I’m a big believer that playing without stress sometimes helps you prepare to energize your battery for the postseason. If we did that (clinched the division as soon as Wednesday), then maybe we could pick and choose resting some guys.’’

Denver is two wins shy of the franchise’s NBA best-ever record of 54-28, set in 1987-88. While home games against Oklahoma City and Sacramento figure to lead to at least a tie of the mark, the Nuggets would need to beat the Lakers or Portland on the road April 15 to break it.

You better believe the Nuggets would like to drive 55 this season.

“It’s definitely special,’’ guard Chauncey Billups said of closing in on the mark. “Especially me being from (Denver), cheering for this franchise ever since I learned the game of basketball. Being the one team with the best (NBA) record in the history of the franchise would be awesome.’’

There’s plenty for the Nuggets, though, to do before that. Denver’s game Thursday at Los Angeles is important since it could be a West final preview. The Lakers (62-16), despite having wrapped up the West’s top seed, are looking a lot less invincible to the Nuggets after bowing meekly to them, 90-79 Feb. 27 at the Pepsi Center.

“When I look at the West, I don’t really see that one dominant team,’’ said Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony. “Everybody says the Lakers. Yeah, the Lakers are pretty good. But I don’t really see that one team that you say is going to win the West. I think it’s pretty much even now.’’

For now, though, the Nuggets don’t want to look past Oklahoma City. Some extra incentive could come if the Nuggets find out during the first half the Spurs have beaten Portland, giving them a chance to wrap up the division at home.

“The division (title) would be great,’’ said Nuggets center Chris Andersen. “That’s just another step we’re trying do.’’

But any big celebrations figure to be reserved for steps beyond that.