Jason OwensStaff writerMon, April 13, 2026 at 2:53 AM UTC·2 min readDespite not trying very hard on Sunday, the Denver Nuggets have secured the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoffs over the Los Angeles Lakers.
A Nuggets team resting four of its five starters on the final day of the NBA regular season beat a shorthanded San Antonio Spurs roster playing without Victor Wembanyama on Sunday, 128-118.
The win locked up the No. 3 seed in the West for the Spurs and ensured that the Los Angeles Lakers would end up the No. 4 seed.
The Lakers likewise secured a win with a 131-107 defeat of the Utah Jazz and had a shot at moving back into the 3 slot on Sunday. But Denver’s win ensured that they would not.
With the No. 4 seed, the Lakers will take on the 5th-seeded Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs. The third-seeded Nuggets will take on the No. 6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Nuggets sat starters down the stretch, including all five in a win over Oklahoma City on Friday in which the Thunder likewise sat their starters. The decision sparked speculation that the Nuggets were actively trying to lose to get into the No. 4 seed and duck a Timberwolves team that knocked them out of the playoffs two seasons ago.
They then rested all of their starters but three-time MVP Nikola Jokić on Sunday. And Jokić may have only started to get to 65 games and ensure his eligibility for postseason awards and All-NBA honors. Jokić played just 18 minutes and sat the entire second half.
But against a Spurs team that was locked into the No. 2 seed and playing without Victor Wembanyama, the lineup was good enough to secure the win. The win for the Nuggets sets up a potential second-round showdown featuring Wembanyama vs. Jokić. But both teams must get past the opening round first.
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) play-In winner (2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) play-In winner (3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves (4) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Houston Rockets
(7) Phoenix Suns vs. (8) Portland Trail Blazers (9) LA Clippers vs. (10) Golden State Warriors