With only a handful of games left in the 2025-26 NBA regular season, the Denver Nuggets were locked in a fierce battle with the Los Angeles Lakers for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. Trailing by just 1.5 games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, Denver—despite battling through a season marred by injuries and inconsistency—had surged into contention with a strong late-season run.
A top-three finish would have been a remarkable achievement, potentially reshaping their playoff path and helping them avoid a daunting early-round matchup. The Nuggets had been playing some of their best basketball, riding a seven-game winning streak and posting an 8-2 record in their last 10 games. Yet the Lakers proved equally relentless, going an even hotter 9-1 over the same stretch.
Nuggets head coach David Adelman refused to get overly optimistic about overtaking LA, acknowledging the Lakers’ impressive form.
“Yeah, the Lakers are playing great,” Adelman said. “We just have to keep winning games. If they happen to stumble, great. If they don’t, good for them.”
He downplayed the earlier tiebreaker loss to the Lakers, noting that current momentum mattered far more:
“They beat us in the tiebreaker game. But to me, the tiebreaker game really doesn’t matter anymore right now, because of the way they’re playing. And I’m sure they’re saying the same thing about us, knowing that we just keep coming.”
“As they win games, we’re winning games. We have a tough one coming up this weekend with a great San Antonio team. And [the Lakers] play OKC tomorrow. So, the schedule never stops. We both know that.”
The Western Conference’s top tier has been exceptionally competitive. The top four teams combined for a staggering 36-4 record in their last 10 games, underscoring just how difficult it has been for Denver to gain ground despite their own winning ways.
“It just speaks to the West on what it is,” Adelman added. “You win seven in a row, and you basically haven’t moved anywhere. And that’s just what this conference is right now. It’s a monster, and all these teams are very deserving of where they’re at, because of how good they are.”
“So, I’m happy to say we’re one of them. We’re in the mix. If we catch them, great. If not, full confidence in whatever matchup we have that we can succeed.”
Both teams faced challenging schedules down the stretch. The Nuggets had tough tests ahead, including multiple games against the surging San Antonio Spurs and a matchup with the Thunder. The Lakers, meanwhile, had to navigate games against OKC and the Phoenix Suns.
However, a major development has now shifted the dynamics in Denver’s favor: the Lakers have stumbled in recent games, creating new separation opportunities for the Nuggets in the final stretch. With LA no longer maintaining their previously unbreakable pace, Denver’s hot streak—combined with their resilience all season—suddenly looks far more potent in the race for that coveted third seed.
Securing the No. 3 spot wouldn’t just be a moral victory after a trying year. It could dramatically improve Denver’s playoff outlook, most notably by potentially steering them away from an early second-round clash with the powerhouse Oklahoma City Thunder, who have dominated most opponents (outside of San Antonio) all season.
Adelman and the Nuggets have expressed full confidence in their ability to compete against any first-round opponent. Now, with one of the biggest obstacles in their seeding pursuit effectively eased, the path to a more favorable playoff bracket appears clearer than ever.
The Nuggets still have work to do, but their recent form and the shifting landscape in the West have injected fresh excitement into what could become one of the most significant late-season stories in the conference. If Denver keeps winning, that top-three seed—and the advantages that come with it—may finally be within reach.