Following Friday’s unexpected defeat against the San Antonio Spurs, the NBA playoff landscape has been thrown into disarray, leaving the Denver Nuggets in a precarious position as they approach the final day of the regular season.

The Nuggets relinquished their position at the summit of the Western Conference standings in a heartbreaking loss, squandering a commanding 23-point lead in the second half against the Spurs. This defeat drastically alters their playoff trajectory, as a victory would have secured them homecourt advantage throughout the initial three rounds of the playoffs.

Instead, they find themselves entangled in a complex three-way tie with the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves, both of whom hold the tiebreaker over the Nuggets. Despite currently holding the third seed and being slated to face the New Orleans Pelicans, the sixth seed, in the opening round, uncertainties loom large, particularly in light of Denver’s recent stumble.

As they gear up for their final regular-season matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies, there is apprehension regarding the availability of key players, potentially leaving the Nuggets shorthanded for this critical contest.

Currently, the Memphis Grizzlies find themselves in an exceedingly dire situation, a narrative that has persisted throughout the entirety of the season. 

With a staggering 13 players sidelined on their active roster for today’s game, including nearly every recognizable name for Nuggets fans, the Grizzlies are essentially cobbling together a makeshift team held together by duct tape and super glue, counting down the days until the season’s end. However, despite the adversity, rookies GG Jackson and Scotty Pippen Jr. are unlikely to simply roll over and concede an easy victory to the Nuggets.

While the Nuggets may have the opportunity to secure a win against a Grizzlies team devoid of their regular rotation players, it is improbable that this victory will significantly impact their own standings. Both the Timberwolves and the Thunder have avenues to secure top-two seeds concurrently. 

The Timberwolves are up against the Phoenix Suns, who are keen to avoid the play-in tournament. Expected to field their top players, including Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, the Suns’ efforts are contingent on the outcome of the New Orleans Pelicans versus Los Angeles Lakers matchup. The Pelicans hold a one-game advantage over the Suns, and a victory over the Lakers would secure them the sixth seed, thereby avoiding the play-in tournament. Conversely, the Lakers are motivated to secure the eighth seed in the play-in, rather than risk falling to the ninth or tenth seed.

It’s possible that Minnesota loses to Phoenix, but I wouldn’t count on it. They have an opportunity to claim the top spot in the West for themselves, and it seems unlikely they would let that slip…then again, it’s one game, and it already happened to Denver.