Have the Denver Nuggets been disappointing so far in the 2025-26 season? It's a question many are raising now and then as they battle for a spot in the Western Conference. A large portion of NBA fans believed that they were the second-best team in the NBA after their offseason maneuvers, but they have yet to find the level of consistency that makes them worthy of such praise.
Whatever the case, the Nuggets stand as one of the most dangerous teams heading into the postseason for a simple reason: They have Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray running the show. If they get a clean bill of health in the playoffs, the Nuggets are going to be one of the toughest matchups, as they are a legitimately competitive team that could make it at any time.
But in the playoffs, luck may play a role. The matchup also matters, and the same applies for the Nuggets – a team that currently sits in fifth place in the West standings with a 41-27 record.
That said, in a month's time, when the 2026 NBA Playoffs begin, this is what the Nuggets should expect in terms of seeding.
Nuggets avoid 4th/5th seed, postpone potential Thunder matchup until WCF
Some people think that the regular season doesn't matter much and the real games start during the playoffs. This is not the case; Homecourt advantage can play a big role in the postseason, and taking care of business in the regular season can yield favorable matchups.
But if the Nuggets have learned anything from last year's playoffs, it's that the matchup against the Thunder may be the best one for the Conference Finals.
OKC remains the best team in the NBA, and they now have championship pedigree. There were questions last season whether he had what it takes to make it on the grand stage, but he has answered all those questions correctly and passed the test with flying colors.
While the Thunder dodging all the way to the Conference Finals guarantees nothing, the Nuggets can at least have more variables working in their favor the deeper they go into the postseason. Injury may occur. Fatigue may occur. And perhaps by the time the WCF moves on, if Denver makes it that far, they could be sure to have a more favorable matchup.
Last season, the Thunder were overwhelming the Grizzlies, making them a far more fresh team than the Nuggets, who were coming off a seven-game bloodbath against the Los Angeles Clippers. This year, taking care of business early and quickly could help protect the Nuggets deeper into the postseason, especially given the injury problems they have endured throughout the season.
At this point, the two-seed appears to be well out of reach for the Nuggets. So if anything, Denver would like to move up to third in the West, or if they fall, get the sixth seed instead.
It's hard to tell what the most favorable 3-6 matchup will be for the Nuggets. If there's one matchup to avoid it's the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Timberwolves eliminated the Nuggets in 2024, and they have the size and length to make life difficult for Denver. Considering the Nuggets' poor defense (they have the 21st-ranked defense in the league), an early playoff matchup against Anthony Edwards may not be ideal.
The matchup against Houston Rockets seems to be the most favourable. Houston will have trouble creating offense in the postseason when halfcourt offenses become more prominent. Amen Thompson is a non-shooter. Reed Shepard is a shooter, but has significant defensive shortcomings.
The Rockets will also be missing Steven Adams for the rest of the season, so it's not like Houston will be able to throttle Denver on the offensive glass.
Kevin Durant will have their work cut out for them. Alpern Sengun will be tested on defense, especially when he has to cover the Jokic-Murray two-man game. The Rockets' role players (Tari Eason, Dorian Finney-Smith) are hit or miss from beyond the arc.
There are no easy matchups in the playoffs, but the matchup against the Rockets looks very winnable, at least on paper.
If the Nuggets get there, they will likely face a matchup against the San Antonio Spurs in the second round. Facing Victor Wembanyama in a playoff series doesn't sound very appealing.
But in a conference where you have to go through a blender to survive, the matchup against the non-battle-tested Spurs at least seems more manageable than the second-round matchup against the defending champion Thunder.
