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Denver Nuggets Magic Number and Playoff Seeding Tracker
Apr 6, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) after the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Denver Nuggets Magic Number and Playoff Seeding Tracker

Originally posted on Denver Nuggets on SI  |  By Jared Koch  |  Last updated Apr 10, 2026 2:24 PM ET

The Denver Nuggets are just days away from figuring out where they'll be sitting in the Western Conference playoff picture, as they now have just a couple of games on tap before their long-winded 82-game slate is complete.

And in those upcoming two games, the Nuggets will have to make sure they're on their toes if they want to vault as high as the third seed in the conference, an outcome that's more than possible if Denver takes care of business to close out the final week of the regular season.

Let's take a look at what needs to happen for Denver to climb as high as possible in the West playoff seeding:

Playoff Seeding Tracker

Here's a peek at what the conference standings look like as the Nuggets have just two more games to go before the postseason gets underway:

  1. OKC Thunder (64-16)
  2. San Antonio Spurs (61-19)
  3. Denver Nuggets (52-28)
  4. LA Lakers (51-29)
  5. Houston Rockets (51-29)
  6. Minnesota Timberwolves (47-33)
  7. Phoenix Suns (44-36)
  8. LA Clippers (41-39)
  9. Portland Trail Blazers (40-40)
  10. Golden State Warriors (37-43)

Currently, Denver has a 1.0 game advantage over the LA Lakers and Houston Rockets; both of which still have a chance to climb up to the third-seed with the right outcome falling their way.

It leaves the Nuggets still with a range of landing within the third through fifth seeds in the conference, depending on how they finish out the season. Thankfully, they're still able to control their own destiny in the days ahead, but it'll require some extra attention to detail in their upcoming outings against the OKC Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.

What Is the Nuggets' Magic Number?

Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

For the Nuggets to certify their spot as the third-seed in the West, their magic number is two.

With two more wins cemented on the schedule, Denver will have officially locked in the third spot behind the Thunder and Spurs, ultimately landing a coveted first-round playoff matchup with home-court advantage. Just one more win means that they'll have an edge over Houston for at least a top-four spot.

If the Nuggets do end up in the third seed, they'll be locked in with a matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, who have already secured the sixth seed in the conference themselves, and would make for a thrilling seven-game series against Denver.

But the Nuggets can also stay at the third spot without winning out themselves. If they can get some extra help their way from the Lakers and Rockets by losing one (or in LA's case, both) games left on tap, that would also leave them in the same position they are now.

That leaves the Nuggets squarely in the driver's seat as they wrap up what's been a long, up-and-down regular season for the past several months.

And despite all of the turbulence that may have transpired throughout, walking away with a top-three seed at the end of it can certainly be considered a job well done for everyone involved.


This article first appeared on Denver Nuggets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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