Denver Nuggets Clinch Playoffs as Nikola Jokic Dominates

Merlin sees Denver clinch its eighth straight playoff spot after Phoenix’s loss, locking a top-six West seed and a likely first-round tilt with Minnesota if the play-in follows seeding. The Nuggets remain a championship-caliber club — 2023 title winners with six first-round advances in seven seasons — and recent injuries to key pieces cost them consistency, but health has finally started to return. Merlin tells the high school fan a plain truth: Nikola Jokić is still the engine at 27.9/12.9/10.8 and Jamal Murray’s first All-Star nod reflects a 25.5-point season. Their experience and star power make Denver dangerous even when standings look shaky. Stay healthy and they are among the favorites; an ill-timed setback could change the story.