Lakers Aim to Steal No. 3 Seed from Nuggets in Final Game

LA needs a win over Jazz and Nuggets loss to Spurs to claim higher playoff position

Apr. 11, 2026 at 3:10pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets, with the teams' colors of purple, gold, blue, and yellow colliding in a fractured, multi-perspective composition.The final regular-season matchup between the Lakers and Nuggets will determine which team claims the coveted No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.Denver Today

The Los Angeles Lakers remain in position to claim the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, sitting just one game behind the Denver Nuggets. With both teams resting starters in recent games, the Lakers hold the critical tiebreaker over Denver, meaning a win combined with a Nuggets loss would elevate Los Angeles into the No. 3 spot. The Lakers will host the Utah Jazz on Sunday, while Denver travels to face the San Antonio Spurs, adding intrigue as the Spurs could have incentive to play their starters and influence playoff seeding.

Why it matters

Securing the No. 3 seed would give the Lakers a more favorable playoff position and potential matchups, as they look to make a deep postseason run. The final day of the regular season will determine whether Los Angeles can complete the climb or settle into its current position with momentum heading into the playoffs.

The details

The Lakers improved to 52-29 with a 101-73 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Friday, keeping pressure on the 53-28 Nuggets, who secured a 127-107 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite trailing in the standings, the Lakers hold the critical tiebreaker over Denver, meaning a win combined with a Nuggets loss would elevate Los Angeles into the No. 3 spot.

  • The Lakers and Nuggets will close their regular seasons on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. PT.
  • The Lakers will host the Utah Jazz (22-59), while the Nuggets travel to face the San Antonio Spurs (62-19) on ESPN.

The players

Los Angeles Lakers

An NBA team based in Los Angeles, California, competing in the Western Conference.

Denver Nuggets

An NBA team based in Denver, Colorado, competing in the Western Conference.

Utah Jazz

An NBA team based in Salt Lake City, Utah, competing in the Western Conference.

San Antonio Spurs

An NBA team based in San Antonio, Texas, competing in the Western Conference.

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What’s next

The Lakers will need to secure a win over the Jazz on Sunday, while hoping the Spurs can defeat the Nuggets to allow Los Angeles to claim the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.

The takeaway

The Lakers have a chance to improve their playoff positioning on the final day of the regular season, but will need help from the Spurs to overtake the Nuggets for the No. 3 seed. Securing a higher seed could provide the Lakers with more favorable matchups as they look to make a deep postseason run.