Jokic Returns to Lead Nuggets to Victory
Nikola Jokic, who missed four weeks of the NBA regular season due to a knee injury, scored 23 points in a first-half appearance as the Denver Nuggets defeated the San Antonio Spurs 128-118. This win secured the Nuggets the third seed in the Western Conference on the final day of the regular season.
Denver's victory resulted in the Los Angeles Lakers finishing as the fourth seed in the Western Conference for the upcoming NBA play-offs, which commence this weekend.
Lakers Secure Fourth Seed Despite Injuries
The Lakers, missing key scorers Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves due to injuries, managed a 131-107 win over the Utah Jazz. Veteran Lakers star LeBron James, aged 41, contributed significantly with 18 points, six assists, and four rebounds in the first half.
Playoff Matchups Set
Denver will face the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the play-offs, while the Lakers will host the fifth-seeded Houston Rockets.
Jokic's Performance and Team Contributions
Three-time Most Valuable Player Jokic, 31, who also grabbed eight rebounds, played just over 18 minutes in Texas to reach 65 games, making him eligible for the league's season-ending awards. Denver’s Julian Strawther added 25 points, and Jonas Valanciunas recorded 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Spurs and In-Play Tournament Details
De'Aaron Fox led the Spurs with 24 points. MVP contender Victor Wembanyama was rested following his 40-point performance in the Spurs' 139-120 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.
Second seed San Antonio, having secured their play-off spot against the Mavericks, will host the winner of the in-play tournament game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Phoenix Suns in the first round.
The in-play tournament is a round-robin competition following the regular season, where eight teams compete to determine the seventh and eighth seeds in each conference.
Oklahoma City Thunder, the defending NBA champions and top seed in the West, along with Eastern Conference first and second seeds Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics, will discover their first-round opponents once the in-play tournament concludes on Friday.
