How Lakers can still steal No. 3 seed from Nuggets

The Los Angeles Lakers remain in position to claim the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference after a dominant 101-73 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Friday night, keeping pressure on the Denver Nuggets entering the final day of the regular season.

Los Angeles improved to 52-29 with the win and sits just one game behind Denver (53-28). The Nuggets secured a 127-107 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday, though both teams rested starters in that contest. Despite trailing in the standings, the Lakers hold the critical tiebreaker over Denver, meaning a win combined with a Nuggets loss would elevate Los Angeles into the No. 3 spot.

The Lakers have already secured a top-four seed and home-court advantage in the first round following the Houston Rockets’ 136-132 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. That outcome locked Los Angeles into a favorable postseason position, but the opportunity to climb higher remains.

Final day scenarios leave Lakers needing win and Nuggets loss to clinch No. 3 seed

Both teams will close their regular seasons Sunday at 5:30 p.m. PT. The Lakers will host the Utah Jazz (22-59), a team at the bottom of the standings, while Denver travels to face the San Antonio Spurs (62-19) on ESPN.

San Antonio’s positioning adds intrigue to the scenario. The Spurs could have incentive to play their starters in an effort to influence playoff seeding, potentially pushing Denver into a more difficult bracket that includes Oklahoma City. Such a decision could directly impact the Lakers’ chances of moving up.

For Los Angeles, the path is straightforward: secure a win over Utah and hope for a Denver loss in San Antonio. If both outcomes occur, the Lakers would leapfrog the Nuggets due to the head-to-head tiebreaker and enter the postseason as the No. 3 seed.

The final day of the regular season will determine whether Los Angeles can complete the climb or settle into its current position with momentum heading into the playoffs.

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