Houston Rockets vs Denver Nuggets Picks and Predictions April 13th 2025

Nuggets Eye Crucial Win, No. 4 Seed in Finale vs. Resting Rockets

The Denver Nuggets enter Sunday’s regular-season finale with everything to play for. Win on the road against the Houston Rockets, and they lock up the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference and secure homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Lose, and the defending NBA champions could tumble into the play-in.

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Denver (49-32) is part of a logjam in the West where just a game or two separates playoff positions. Their opponent, Houston (54-27), has already secured the No. 2 seed and is expected to rest several key starters for the second straight game.

“I don’t think you can dictate your matchup… it’s just so crazy with the records,”

– Nuggets interim coach David Adelman on the tight West race.

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Denver has already had a turbulent week. On Tuesday, the organization fired head coach Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth in a surprise shake-up. Adelman took over on the bench and has since guided the team to back-to-back wins, including Friday’s 117-109 comeback over Memphis.

Leading the charge, of course, is MVP frontrunner Nikola Jokic.

With a 26-point, 16-rebound, 13-assist performance Friday, Jokic made history as the first center—and only the third player ever—to average a triple-double for an entire season. He’s also the first in NBA history to finish top three in all three major categories leaguewide.

Jamal Murray returned Friday from a six-game absence with a sprained ankle, adding 15 points in limited minutes.

Meanwhile, the Rockets—locked into the No. 2 seed—rested nearly their entire starting lineup Friday against the Lakers, who routed Houston 140-109. Coach Ime Udoka is focused on keeping his team fresh for the playoffs after orchestrating a massive turnaround season.

“Last year was building a foundation… but this year was more about the foundation already being laid,”

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– Rockets coach Ime Udoka on Houston’s evolution.

Houston may again sit Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Dillon Brooks, Fred VanVleet, and Jabari Smith Jr., giving Denver a clear edge in talent and motivation. That could be crucial with postseason seeding on the line.

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The Nuggets have won two straight under Adelman and need just one more to breathe easy entering the playoffs.