Nuggets win 11th straight, beating Thunder 127-107 in battle of reserves as playoffs approach

DENVER (AP) — Jonas Valanciunas had season highs of 23 points and 17 rebounds, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 127-107 in a battle of reserves Friday night.

Denver (53-28) won its 11th straight game to secure at least the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference. Julian Strawther finished with 22 points and David Roddy had a season-high 21 points.

The Nuggets sat their entire starting lineup despite battling for home-court advantage in the first round. A 21-5 run to open the fourth quarter gave them the win they needed and kept them in position for the No. 3 seed. Denver entered with a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Lakers, who were hosting Phoenix.

The Nuggets, who finish the season at San Antonio on Sunday night, prioritized rest over seeding.

“I think you just have to play it out with decisions that are best for your team,” coach David Adelman said before the game. “And we feel like tonight, this is the best decision.”

Oklahoma City clinched the top seed overall Wednesday night and opted to rest most of its starting lineup. Lu Dort was the only starter who played for the Thunder and finished with five points. Coach Mark Daigneault said Dort needs to play at least 20 minutes in each of the final two games to qualify for season awards.

Daigneault called timeout early in the third quarter when Dort hit the 20-minute mark.

Branden Carlson led the Thunder with 23 points.

Using just an eight-man rotation, the Thunder closed a nine-point deficit to 87-85 late in the third. Zeke Nnaji then hit a corner 3-pointer for Denver to spark a 17-0 run.

Grizzlies: Host Phoenix on Sunday night.

Nuggets: At San Antonio on Sunday night.

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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort, front, drives past Denver Nuggets guard Jalen Pickett (24) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 10, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets guard Curtis Jones, right, collects a loose ball as Oklahoma City Thunder center Branden Carlson covers in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 10, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets guard Julian Strawther, left, fights for control of the ball with Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kenrich Williams, right, in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 10, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

From left, Oklahoma City Thunder players Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Isaiah Joe look on from the bench in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Friday, April 10, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets center Jonas Valančiūnas, right, looks to pass the ball as Oklahoma City Thunder center Branden Carlson defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 10, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics flirted with a piece of NBA history in Friday night's 144-118 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

They didn't quite get it, but did lock up something even more valuable: The No. 2 seed in the East in the upcoming playoffs.

The Celtics tied a franchise and NBA record with 29 3-pointers, equaling their total from Oct. 22, 2024 set against the New York Knicks. The Memphis Grizzlies (April 6 vs. Cleveland) and Milwaukee Bucks (Dec. 29, 2020 at Miami) also share the record.

When Hugo Gonzalez tied the mark with 1:20 remaining in the game, the TD Garden crowd began chanting, “One more three!" and rose to their feet.

“It’s easy to be aware of it when you hear the crowd and everything,” Payton Pritchard said when asked afterward if he was aware how close they were to the record. “Maybe they’ve got to be quiet and we can break it one day.”

Boston had three chances to break it in the final minute. First, Luka Garza passed up on an attempt and drove in for a dunk. After Garza blocked Jeremiah Fears' layup on the Pelican's ensuing possession, Baylor Scheierman missed a 3 from the wing off the back rim.

New Orleans' Derik Queen was fouled and hit a pair of free throws with 27 seconds to play, giving the Celtics on final chance. But coach Joe Mazzulla instructed his team to hold the ball and they took a shot clock violation with 1 second remaining.

Eight different Celtics players had at least two 3-pointers in the game. Big man Neemias Queta even got in on the action for Boston, knocking down his first career 3 to go along with 10 rebounds. Queta's 3 caused the entire bench to jump up in celebration.

Sam Hauser, who led Boston with 24 points and eight 3-pointers, called Queta's make “Buttery.”

The missed record aside, Pritchard said it was a still a night to savor because of what it said about how far this team has come.

At 55-26, Boston has now achieved at least 50 wins in each of coach Joe Mazzulla's first four seasons. And this year's team did it after the departures of former starters Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford, and without Jayson Tatum for all but 16 games this season. It's something many outsiders predicted would relegate the Celtics to the draft lottery.

“You set back and have an appreciation for the work that we've put in, and the growth that we've made this year to get to this point, and the honor of reaching a top seed when many people didn't believe in that," said Pritchard, who finished with 21 points, 10 assists and five 3-pointers. “You take that in and now take a couple of days and get back to work. We've got something else to prove now.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) looks to take a 3-point shot over New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Poole (3) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 10, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Celtics forward Sam Hauser (30) takes a 3-point shot over New Orleans Pelicans guard Micah Peavy during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 10, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)