The Denver Nuggets are spiraling at the worst possible time, and their playoff hopes are now teetering on the edge of disaster. After their latest loss to the Golden State Warriors, the Nuggets have fallen to 47-31 and slipped to the fourth seed in the Western Conference.
With just four games remaining and the standings as tight as they’ve ever been, Denver is facing the real possibility of falling all the way to the 8th seed — and into the dreaded play-in tournament.
This recent stretch has been nothing short of catastrophic. The Nuggets have now dropped three straight games, including a heartbreaking 140-139 double-overtime loss to the Timberwolves and a demoralizing 118-104 defeat to Golden State, a game that saw Nikola Jokic visibly furious on the bench.
Jokic, who scored 15 points in the first quarter and finished with 33 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists on 13-of-17 shooting, could only watch as the rest of the team collapsed.
It was the second time in three games he delivered a historic performance — following his 61-point triple-double against Minnesota — only to come up short.
Denver’s schedule isn’t doing them any favors. They close the regular season with four challenging matchups: the red-hot Indiana Pacers at home, the Sacramento Kings on the road, the Memphis Grizzlies back at Ball Arena, and then a tough road game against the second-seeded Houston Rockets.
Every single opponent still has something to fight for. The Pacers are trying to lock up home-court advantage in the East. Sacramento is in a desperate battle for play-in survival. Memphis is clawing to avoid the same fate, and Houston is playing some of the best basketball in the league as they gear up for the postseason.
To make matters worse, the Nuggets are behind the 3rd-seeded Lakers in the standings and have already lost the season tiebreakers to the Timberwolves, and Clippers who sit 1.5 games behind.
While they do hold the tiebreaker over Golden State, the Warriors are only half a game back and gaining ground. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies — whom the Nuggets still have to face — sit just 1.5 games behind and could steal a critical tiebreaker if they win the upcoming clash.
The margins are razor thin, and Denver can’t afford another slip-up. Falling as far as the 8th seed would thrust the former champions into the play-in tournament — a shocking outcome for a team that began the season with title aspirations and MVP-level play from Jokic.
Jamal Murray’s absence continues to haunt the Nuggets, and the uncertainty surrounding his return only amplifies the pressure on Jokic to do everything. But as great as Jokic has been, he can’t carry Denver alone — not when their defense is faltering, role players are inconsistent, and energy seems to fade in second halves.
If the Nuggets can’t find a spark soon, they won’t just be sliding into the play-in. They’ll be crashing out of the title picture before the playoffs even begin.
