Jokic stars as Nuggets secure third seed in final game

Nikola Jokic scored 23 points in a first-half appearance as the Denver Nuggets beat the San Antonio Spurs 128-118 to claim third seed in the Western Conference on the final day of the regular NBA season.

Denver's victory meant the Los Angeles Lakers finished as fourth seed in the Western Conference for the NBA play-offs, which begin this weekend.

The Lakers, who were missing their top scorers Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves through injury, defeated Utah Jazz 131-107.

Veteran Lakers star LeBron James, 41, impressed with 18 points, six assists and four rebounds in the first half.

Denver will host sixth seed the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the play-offs, while the Lakers welcome the Houston Rockets, who are seeded fifth.

Three-time Most Valuable Player Jokic, 31, who also registered eight rebounds, played just over 18 minutes in Texas to reach 65 games and become eligible for the league's season-ending awards.

Denver's Julian Strawther scored 25 points and Jonas Valanciunas finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

De'Aaron Fox led the Spurs with 24 points while MVP contender Victor Wembanyama was rested following his 40-point performance in the 139-120 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.

Second seed San Antonio, who secured their play-off spot against the Mavericks, will host the winner of the in-play tournament game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Phoenix Suns in the first round.

The in-play tournament is a round-robin competition which follows the regular season, where eight teams compete to establish the seventh and eighth seeds in each conference.

Oklahoma City Thunder, who are defending NBA champions and top seed in the West, plus Eastern Conference first and second seeds the Detroit Pistons and the Boston Celtics, will find out their first-round opponents once the in-play tournament finishes on Friday.