Few things this season came easy for the Nuggets, but their fifth straight playoff berth turned out to be one of them.
They didn’t even have to play.
The Phoenix Suns helped the Nuggets’ cause with a 122-116 win over Golden State on Monday night. Golden State can only tie the Nuggets, who held the tiebreaker because they won the season series, 3-1
Said Nuggets coach George Karl: “Again, I think it’s a celebration of now we get to play on the greatest stage of basketball. This is the test that we know we have to pass.”
The Nuggets set this scenario up with their win over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night in the second game of a road-home back-to-back set. Denver has won nine of its last 13 games, including three of four.
If the Nuggets finish as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference, they most likely will play the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. The Lakers can clinch the top seed with a win over Sacramento tonight.
Iverson honored.
Nuggets guard Allen Iverson was named Western Conference player of the week for his efforts from April 7-13. Iverson averaged 28.8 points on .533 shooting with 6.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds. It is the 23rd time he has received a player of the week award, his third with the Nuggets.
Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com
