LOS ANGELES — Ten NBA postseason seeding positions remained undecided heading into the final day of the regular season Sunday, with the Denver Nuggets also weighing whether to play star center Nikola Jokić as he manages injury concerns and award eligibility requirements.
In the Eastern Conference, the fifth through 10th seeds remained unsettled, with Toronto, Orlando, and Philadelphia competing for the sixth seed and a direct playoff berth to avoid the play-in tournament.
In the Western Conference, the third and fourth seeds were still in play, with Denver holding a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Lakers. Both teams have already secured home-court advantage for the first round.
Denver coach David Adelman said the team would decide whether to rest Jokić in consultation with the player. Adelman said the decision factors in Jokić’s health after a physically demanding season and the NBA’s 65-game requirement for end-of-season awards eligibility.
Jokić has missed games this season due to injury but remains in contention for major individual honors while posting historic statistical averages.
Adelman rested Denver’s starters in a previous game against Oklahoma City, which had already secured the Western Conference’s top seed. Other teams also rested key players during the final stretch of the regular season.
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama played his 65th game Friday to meet eligibility requirements for awards consideration. He scored 40 points with 13 rebounds in that contest and may sit out Sunday’s game against Denver.
Several high-profile players, including Detroit’s Cade Cunningham, Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Dončić, missed time late in the season due to injuries and are affected by the 65-game rule.
The NBA introduced the rule in 2023 to discourage load management and encourage regular-season participation. The league’s regular season began Oct. 21 and will lead into a postseason that could extend through mid-June.
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr has publicly said the league should consider shortening the regular season to reduce injury risk and workload demands.