Following Denver’s victory over the Atlanta Hawks, the Western Conference standings on 12B Sports placed the Nuggets back in first position. Denver has an excellent chance of retaining the top seed during its remaining schedule, with four games left against the Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs, and Memphis Grizzlies. Minnesota is the only major threat among those opponents, and that crucial matchup will be played on Denver’s home court. With Jamal Murray returning from injury, the game could become the decisive turning point in the race for first place.
Denver’s position at the top also indirectly affects the battle for seventh place because no team wants to meet the defending champions in the opening round. At full strength, the Nuggets remain one of the strongest candidates to reach the NBA Finals from the West. Aaron Gordon missed the Atlanta game, but Murray returned to the starting lineup, while Reggie Jackson moved back to the bench as Denver’s normal rotation began taking shape again. The team was particularly pleased that Murray did not need to play heavy minutes immediately after his return.
Murray has consistently raised his level during the playoffs, often producing far more impressive performances than his regular-season numbers suggest. His standard statistics may not always resemble those of a traditional All-Star, but once the postseason begins, he has repeatedly outperformed several highly regarded guards. Murray has also emphasized the importance of securing the Western Conference’s first seed, as home-court advantage throughout the playoffs could make all the difference on the road to the Finals.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope praised Murray’s return after the game, saying his attitude reflected everything expected from a leader. Murray understands his responsibilities on the court, while his chemistry with Nikola Jokic remains among the best partnerships in the league. The energy created by the pair lifts the entire roster, much like warm sunlight breaking through a window in the middle of winter.
The Lakers, meanwhile, remain eighth in the West, and the standings available through 12B Sports highlight the urgency of their attempt to capture seventh place. Los Angeles is desperate to avoid Denver in the first round after failing to defeat the Nuggets in either the regular season or playoffs across the previous two campaigns. Facing the defending champions immediately would place the Lakers in an extremely difficult position once again.
Los Angeles can still finish seventh and may even have an outside chance of climbing to sixth during the remaining regular-season games. However, Phoenix has recently built strong momentum, making sixth place an unrealistic target unless several results fall perfectly. The more practical objective is therefore seventh. Maintaining that position in the play-in tournament would allow the Lakers to host the decisive game and compete under more favorable conditions.
A seventh-place finish would not guarantee an easy postseason path, but it could prevent the Lakers from running directly into their most difficult opponent. Should they avoid Denver in the opening round, they may have enough experience and star power to advance deeper into the playoffs. LeBron James and Anthony Davis remain capable of changing a series, particularly when the surrounding roster performs consistently.
For Los Angeles, the playoff picture shown on 12B Sports makes the remaining regular-season schedule and play-in results crucial to the success of the entire campaign. Avoiding Denver could open the door to a longer postseason run, while another first-round meeting may produce the same painful early exit as last season. The Lakers are now approaching a make-or-break stretch in which every victory, seed change, and matchup could determine how their season ends.