The Denver Nuggets defeated the San Antonio Spurs in the season finale, 128-118, and secured the third seed in the Western Conference standings. The Nuggets were able to get some rest for their core rotation players, and they were even able to get Nikola Jokic out of the game at halftime after he secured enough minutes to qualify for postseason awards. Good wins for Denver, but an even better win for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Of course, the Thunder came out ahead and got what they wanted.
That's because the Thunder are now on the opposite side of the playoff bracket from the Nuggets and Spurs until the Western Conference Finals. Plus, the Thunder are going to get the winner of the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers series in round two.
The Thunder's path is much easier without the Nuggets in it
So the Thunder get the eighth seed in round one, probably a pushover sweep or 4-1 win for the Thunder over whoever that is. And in round two, the Thunder get the winner of a series in which both opponents were looked at as the most favorable first-round matchup of any of the top-six teams in the West.
The Rockets lack a true point guard and would have been a much easier opponent for the Nuggets in round one. But playing them would have required a loss against a Spurs team that was actually playing to put the Nuggets on the same side of the bracket as the Thunder.
And if the Thunder get the Lakers, that's still a gift. The Lakers may or may not have Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves back. Both are out with injuries indefinitely. But how well will their injuries have recovered by then? Either way, avoiding the Nuggets was a gift that set up the Thunder on a perfect course to make the Western Conference finals. Again.
The Nuggets probably wanted to avoid the Thunder in round two
It's probably better for the Nuggets to avoid the Thunder in round two. Sure, they have to play the Timberwolves in round one, a team that has had the Nuggets' number the past few years. But the Nuggets are 3-1 against the Wolves this season, and Jokic is having an absurd year against them in four games.
Jokic is averaging a blistering 38.3 points, 15.0 rebounds, 11.3 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game in those four games. And in the nightcap on Christmas Day, Jokic exploded for one of the best games of his career.
Joker torched the Wolves for 56 points on 15-21 shooting, and he also put in a 22-23 effort from the free throw line. He hauled in 16 rebounds to go along with 15 assists and two blocks. Jokic scored 18 in the five minutes of overtime to secure the wild 142-138 victory.
The Nuggets are still big winners. They likely get a Spurs team in round two that they are 5-2 against in head-to-head meetings between Jokic and Wembanyama, instead of the Thunder. But the Thunder likely won't have to wage a war with their first two opponents. Of course, they won't, and it worked out for them just the way they wanted. Of course, it did.
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