2025 Denver Nuggets playoffs scenario after loss vs Pacers: Updated standings, schedule and more (April 6)

The Denver Nuggets suffered their fourth consecutive loss on Sunday night, falling to the Indiana Pacers at the Ball Arena. Tyrese Haliburton and co. erased a 13-point deficit, eventually leading to the Nuggets’ 120-125 loss.

Nikola Jokic, as he’s consistently been doing so, put up a huge performance. The 2025 MVP frontrunner recorded his 32nd triple-double of the season, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain as the center with the most triple-doubles in a single season. Other than stuffing the stat sheet with 41 points, 15 rebounds, and 13 assists, the Serbian superstar was also effective on the defensive end, lodging 3 ‘stocks’ (steals+blocks).

Christian Braun stepped up as the No.2 option for Denver, filling in for the absence of Jamal Murray. Braun had the best scoring performance of his young career, dropping 30 points on a highly efficient 75% FG. He further grabbed eight rebounds and dished out four assists.

While the one-two punch of Jokic and Braun was exceptional, the remaining members of the starting lineup weren’t able to contribute significantly. Michael Porter Jr. scored 15 points on a forgettable 11.1% 3FG. Whereas, Aaron Gordon and Jalen Pickett collectively put up 9 points on 4-10 FG.

Russell Westbrook had a fairly respectable game, delivering 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists as he came off the bench. However, the other reserve players – Peyton Watson (3 points), Julian Strawther (6 points), and DeAndre Jordan (0 points) – weren’t impactful, to say the least.

Denver Nuggets playoff picture: Updated standings

Suffering yet another loss, the Denver Nuggets now boast a 47-32 record. Entering into Sunday’s slate of games, their ideal scenario would have been a win paired with a Los Angeles Lakers loss. This situation would’ve led to the Purple & Gold having a 47-31 record and the Nuggets moving up to the #3 spot in the Western Conference standings with a 48-31 record.

Unfortunately, things didn’t go in Denver’s favor. Neither of these two outcomes occurred. Luka Doncic led the Lakers to a 126-99 win, upsetting the Oklahoma City Thunder, whereas Denver fell to the Pacers. However, they were lucky enough for the next best thing to take place – the Golden State Warriors suffering a loss.

If the Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets, they would’ve improved to a 47-31 record. This could’ve resulted in Stephen Curry and co. surpassing the Nuggets at the 4th spot. But, the Bay Area side’s 96-106 loss drops them to 46-32, having identical records as the Minnesota Timberwolves, the LA Clippers, and the Memphis Grizzlies.

As things stand, the Denver Nuggets have played one game more than the teams currently sitting at the 5th through 8th spots (.590). Thanks to a marginally better win percentage (.595), the Colorado side is placed #4 in the standings.

Denver Nuggets playoff picture: Remaining schedule

The Denver Nuggets have three games remaining in their 2024-2025 regular-season schedule. As things stand, they have guaranteed a spot in the playoffs without needing to participate in the play-in. But, with four teams trailing them by only 0.5 games in the standings, even a single loss could completely shift the dynamics of the standings.

Nikola Jokic and co. will travel to California for a clash against the Sacramento Kings. Having already won the regular season series 3-0, the Nuggets should enter Wednesday night’s matchup with high confidence.

Subsequently, they will play their final home game of the regular season on Friday, hosting Ja Morant’s Memphis Grizzlies. Ultimately, the Rockets are their last competitors before the postseason begins.