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The Nuggets await their first-round matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Denver Nuggets have clinched their fourth-consecutive 50 win season. They have clinched the 5th-seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
The Utah Jazz have assured themselves their first losing record since 2004-05 and they will miss their first playoffs in five years.
So tonight's game in Utah is really for the fans. There isn't much more to play for.
Sure, a Jazz win would even the season series between the Northwest Division rivals at 2-2, but in the scheme of things, that really doesn't matter much.
What the Nuggets should do is take a page from the Boston Celtics playbook and rest some of their players. If not the starters, like Doc Rivers opted to do for Boston, the least Nuggets head coach George Karl should do is keep anyone with even a slight injury on the pine tonight.
Between Chris Andersen, Arron Afflalo, Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Al Harrington and Timofey Mozgov, the Nuggets are one of the most beat-up teams in the league. You wouldn't know it by their current offensive explosion, but those six players are all nursing various ailments and all will need to be healthy for the Nuggets to advance out of the first round of the NBA playoffs.
So besides getting Karl one more notch on his victory belt, there isn't much the Nuggets can accomplish tonight that will help them out in the future, so Karl should play it safe and get guys like Kosta Koufos more floor time.
Tonight's game tips at 6:00 p.m. MDT and can be seen on Altitude.
Nuggets Vs. Jazz Final Score: Denver Loses Regular Season Finale To Jazz, 107-103
The Denver Nuggets lost to the Utah Jazz in the season finale, 107-103, but it was an injury in the second quarter that concerned the team more. Ty Lawson went down with a sprained ankle and did not return to the game. However, head coach George Karl expects Lawson to be ready for game one of the playoffs.
With a little over five minutes left in the game, J.R. Smith sank a 21-foot jumper to tie the game at 95 all. That lead extended to 103-99 with two minutes left to play, but Al Harrington's three that gave the Nuggets a four-point lead was the last shot the team made. Gordon Hayward made four free throws for the Jazz, while Devin Harris and Al Jefferson each made a field goal.
Wilson Chandler led the Nuggets with 27 points. Gary Forbes started, played 42 minutes and finished with 17 points. Al Harrington added 15 points and Kosta Koufos put up 14 points. All four of them grabbed six rebounds. Ty Lawson would likely have joined the double-digit points parade had he not left due to injury. He, Chandler, Forbes and Harrington each dished the ball out for three assists. J.R. Smith added 14 points off the bench, and Chris Andersen pulled down 10 boards.
For the Jazz, Hayward had a game-high 34 points, while Al Jefferson had a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds.
With the loss the Nuggets finished the season at 50-32 and had wrapped up the fifth spot in the Western Conference standings several days ago. They will visit the Oklahoma City Thunder to open the playoffs. For more on the Nuggets, please visit Denver Stiffs.
Apr 13 9:12p by Russ Oates