The end of a very competitive regular season is approaching and as we await the postseason seeding to finalize one thing is becoming sparklingly clear.

First-round matchups for the league’s elite won’t be a walk in the park as this season’s underdogs pack more than enough bite to steal a few games or even pull off the shocking upset.

Let’s look at some teams, currently in if the playoffs started today, with the potential to extend their first-round series or advance to the next round. 

Denver Nuggets: "I might be crazy, but I think we can make the playoffs and I also think we can be a threat to win in the playoffs. I’m sorry. I just think our guys are good enough to grow up fast and to learn quick and to get excited about playing the game," Nuggets head coach George Karl said to the Denver Post on February 22.

At the time Karl’s statements had to invoke more than a few chuckles around the league and at best appeared to be just the standard coach speak required to keep the team’s fan base from leaving after trading All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony.

No one is laughing at the veteran coach anymore.

Just over a month later, Karl’s bold prediction is no longer being taken lightly and for good reason. The Nuggets have compiled a 12-4 mark since Anthony’s departure and have risen up the standings to hold the fifth seed in the Western Conference.

Although the team lacks a "superstar" the Nuggets feature solid point guard play with Ty Lawson and Raymond Felton serving as floor generals. The squad also has an assortment of shooters who can fill it up behind the arc in Arron Afflalo, Danilo Gallinari, J.R. Smith and Al Harrington. The team also features plenty of frontcourt beef with Nene, Kenyon Martin, Chris Andersen and Timofey Mozgov roaming the paint.

If the playoffs were to begin today Denver would face the high-powered, Kevin Durant-led Oklahoma City Thunder in the opening round. 

The Thunder opened the season as a potential sleeper to upend the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, but with a motivated Nuggets team on the horizon they may not get an opportunity. 

New Orleans Hornets: The Hornets’ postseason fortunes took a huge hit with the news two-time All-Star forward David West would miss the remainder of the season and playoffs after suffering an ACL tear in his knee.

Although West was the Hornets’ leading scorer at close to 19 points per contest the franchise player in New Orleans remains All-Star point guard Chris Paul.

Paul’s 24.3 point, 11.3 assist and 4.9 rebound averages in the 2008 playoffs when the Hornets pushed the San Antonio Spurs to seven games in the Western Conference semifinals should serve as a reminder of what he’s capable of unloading on any given night.

Plus the Hornets actually solidified their frontcourt depth at the trade deadline by acquiring forward Carl Landry from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Marcus Thornton.

Landry has been described as a player who doesn’t know how good he really is by a veteran NBA source.  But make no mistake, Landry – although not as gifted as West – is a starting power forward on most teams in the league and he’s also an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. With a strong showing he could increase his market value, which will serve as just a bit of added motivation to perform under the bright lights.

New York Knicks: When the Knicks acquired Anthony and Chauncey Billups from Denver back in February the subject of playoff seeding for this season ran rampant among the team’s faithful.

Well, the Knicks are indeed fighting for playoff positioning, but it’s no longer the fifth seeded Atlanta Hawks they’re attempting to catch in the standings. New York is a disappointing 7-12 since the deadline deal, losers of six straight contests, and are an Anthony or Amar’e Stoudemire sprained ankle away from dropping out of playoff contention entirely.

{AUTHOR_BOX}Yet, the prospect of having to face Stoudemire, Anthony and Billups in the opening round is still a tough task for any elite team to conquer. The Knicks won’t be an easy out in the playoffs for whoever they play in the first round (currently the Boston Celtics) and have the potential to beat any team in the league.

Despite the early struggles after the trade you must remember the Miami HEAT, who also stumbled out of the blocks in their first 20 games as a unit before a level of chemistry clicked and the team went on a serious tear.

Are the Knicks capable of such a recovery? They haven’t looked the part. But with Anthony, Stoudemire and Billups, a trio all possessing previous postseason success, leading the charge it’s definitely possible.    

Philadelphia 76ers: The Sixers entered the season projected to finish at or near the Atlantic Division cellar by most, but instead find themselves just 3.5 games back of the fifth-seeded Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference playoff standings.

Head coach Doug Collins, in his first year with the team, has veteran forward Elton Brand enjoying the game again and playing his best basketball in years. Andre Iguodala is flourishing as an offensive facilitator and is also poised for his first All-Defensive Team selection. Collins has also been able to maximize the talents of unheralded guards Jrue Holiday, Jodie Meeks and Lou Williams.

Philadelphia doesn’t have the overall talent of some of the other teams on this list, but plays together as a unit and the team chemistry is off the charts. Don’t be surprised if the Sixers can steal two games in their opening round matchup, not allowing the higher seed to get rest for their next round opponent.

Portland Trail Blazers: If the playoffs were set to start today the Blazers would get a matchup versus the Dallas Mavericks.

Of course when you place Dallas and the postseason in the same sentence you do so knowing success isn’t a guaranteed result of the formula.

It’s no secret Dallas has struggled in the postseason over the years after amassing plenty of regular season accolades.

A team like the Blazers, who are very strong on the wing and at two-guard, could be bad news for the Mavericks who remain relatively weak at those positions (Caron Butler’s injury at small forward and lack of a true shooting guard).

An x-factor will be if Portland gets consistent production from Brandon Roy off the bench.  In his first 10 games back from knee surgery Roy reached double digits in scoring five times, but over his last five games he’s shooting a woeful 8-for-32 from the floor (25 percent) and averaging just  4.6 points in those contests.

If Roy struggles it doesn’t change the fact the team is now led by LaMarcus Aldridge or the fact Portland’s roster contains six guys who average double figures in scoring.

Dallas will have their hands full.

Do you think any of these teams have potential to pull off a first round upset? Leave your comments below.

Follow Lang on Twitter or send him an e-mail