Chalien Dantes / Contributor

Nikola Jokic made an early statement on the final day of the NBA regular season, putting up 23 points in just one half to guide the Denver Nuggets to a 128–118 win over the San Antonio Spurs and secure third place in the Western Conference. 

Jokic, a three-time MVP, also pulled down eight rebounds in just over 18 minutes of action, doing enough to reach the 65-game threshold required for end-of-season award eligibility. He had support from Julian Strawther, who led Denver with 25 points, and Jonas Valanciunas, who added 16 points and 11 rebounds.

The result also settled the fate of the Los Angeles Lakers, who ended the campaign in fourth after handling the Utah Jazz 131–107. Even without injured scorers Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, the Lakers had little trouble finding their flow.

At 41, LeBron James turned back the clock with a lively first-half display, tallying 18 points along with six assists and four rebounds to set the tone early.

Denver now turns its focus to a first-round playoff clash with the Minnesota Timberwolves, while the Lakers are set to host the Houston Rockets.

For San Antonio, De’Aaron Fox finished with 24 points, while rising star Victor Wembanyama was given the night off after a standout 40-point outing against the Dallas Mavericks the day before.

With the regular season wrapped up, attention now shifts fully to the playoffs, where the margin for error disappears, and every possession carries weight.