Nuggets Aim for No. 3 Seed Against Thunder

Oklahoma City has already clinched the top spot in the West, but Denver is still fighting for playoff positioning.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 3:20am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a basketball game between the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder, with the players and court broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of vibrant blue, gold, orange, and navy colors.The Nuggets and Thunder face off in a pivotal late-season matchup, with Denver fighting for playoff positioning in the tightly contested Western Conference.Oklahoma City Today

The Denver Nuggets will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in their final two regular season games, with the Nuggets looking to secure the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. The Thunder have already wrapped up the No. 1 overall seed, making these final matchups inconsequential for the reigning NBA champions.

Why it matters

The Nuggets are in a tight race for playoff positioning, with the No. 3 seed providing a more favorable first-round matchup. Securing that spot could give them a better chance at making a deep postseason run.

The details

The Nuggets are currently tied with the Los Angeles Clippers for the No. 4 seed in the West, but a pair of wins over the Thunder would give them the tiebreaker and the No. 3 spot. Denver has been led by the dynamic duo of Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray all season, and they'll look to continue their strong play against an Oklahoma City team that has already punched its ticket to the playoffs.

  • The Nuggets and Thunder will face off on April 12 and April 14.
  • Oklahoma City clinched the No. 1 overall seed in the West with a win over the Los Angeles Clippers on April 10.

The players

Nikola Jokić

The Nuggets' star center and MVP candidate, averaging a triple-double this season.

Jamal Murray

Denver's dynamic scoring guard, forming a potent duo with Jokić.

Oklahoma City Thunder

The reigning NBA champions, who have already secured the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

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What they’re saying

“We know these last two games don't mean much for Oklahoma City, but for us, they're huge. We have to take care of business and get that No. 3 seed.”

— Nikola Jokić, Nuggets Center

What’s next

The Nuggets will await their first-round playoff opponent once the regular season concludes.

The takeaway

The Nuggets are in a prime position to secure the No. 3 seed in the West, which could give them a more favorable path to the conference finals. Their matchup with the Thunder provides a final tune-up before the high-stakes postseason begins.