Nuggets aren’t gonna get any help in Game 82

The Denver Nuggets need one more result to go their way on the NBA season’s final day, and they’re into the playoffs for a seventh-straight year.

The Nuggets will line it up against the Houston Rockets on Sunday for Game 82, after a key win on Friday. A Nuggets win, and they’re into the playoffs. A Golden State Warriors loss and the Nuggets are in. Or a Minnesota Timberwolves loss and the Nuggets are in.

The Rockets will have little to play for since they already locked up the No. 2 seed, so many expect the Nuggets to get their 50th win of the campaign. Though, the injury report indicates Houston may give it their best. The Wolves should have an easy one, too, playing a tanking Jazz group. But stranger things have happened, as proved by the Nuggets last season in their 81st game loss to the struggling Spurs. Meanwhile, the Warriors are squaring off with the Los Angeles Clippers in a game that is pivotal for each in avoiding the Play-In Tournament. All three games tip off at 1:30 Mountain Time.

Nuggets fans will be rooting for the Nuggets, no doubt, but also likely pulling for the Clippers just in case.

But there’s some bad news for Denver about the matchup that came Saturday afternoon, when the NBA dropped its injury report, and only one Rockets player was on it.

The Rockets sat multiple starters Friday against the Lakers, losing 140-109. The team is 41-18 when Fred VanVleet plays this season and 11-11 without him; that was one of the games without the point guard. The veteran champion is expected to play on Sunday, as are budding guard Amen Thompson, defender Dillion Brooks, starting center Alperen Sengun, key defender Tari Eason and former top pick Jabari Smith Jr. — all of whom sat on Friday. So, the Rockets appear to be going for it. And this season, the teams split their two games, though both games were played when Nikola Jokic sat.

In the other big matchups for Denver, the Jazz are sitting a bunch of players, while the T-Wolves and Clippers have a clean bill of health. Steph Curry did pop up on the report for the Warriors with a hand issue after leaving Friday’s game for a bit with an issue.

It appears that if the Nuggets are going to avoid the Play-In, they’re not going to get much help.

Complete Western Conference Playoff and Play-In scenarios for tomorrow's games — see how the outcome of each game affects seeding ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/sC1JzF1Ikk

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 12, 2025

The Nuggets can finish anywhere between No. 4 and No. 7, with a win on Sunday securing home-court advantage in the first round while a loss puts the team at risk of dropping to the Play-In game.