The Lakers and Nuggets took care of the hard part, winning important games against quality opponents to move within a victory of clinching the top and bottom spots in the Western Conference playoffs.
What's left for Los Angeles and Denver to reach their respective postseason goals seems fairly easy to handle.
Led by Kobe Bryant, the Lakers routed the defending National Basketball Association champions San Antonio Spurs 106-85 at home on Sunday to move into sole possession of first in the Western Conference.
Late in Denver, the Nuggets helped the Lakers and themselves, blowing out the Rockets 111-94 to move a half-game ahead of Golden State for the race for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.
The Lakers, who can finish no worse than No. 3 in the West, will earn the top seed and home-court advantage through the first three playoff rounds if they beat the visiting Sacramento Kings (38-42) tomorrow.
"It's still our responsibility to finish this the right way," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "And that was our message in the locker room after the game. Fortunately for us, we got some rest, got some guys who had a little bit of time to recover."
In other NBA games on Sunday, it was: Pistons 91, Raptors 84; Cavaliers 84, Heat 76; Magic 104, Bulls 84; and SuperSonics 99, Mavericks 95.
All the Nuggets have to do to reach the playoffs for the fifth straight season is beat lowly Memphis (22-58) on Thursday at home.
Bryant had 20 points, five rebounds and five assists before sitting out the fourth quarter for the Lakers.
"It was a big game for us," Bryant said. "It was another step in the right direction. Going into the playoffs is all about momentum. Now, we just have to take it up another notch once the playoffs start."
The Lakers went home after Sunday's game uncertain of their status because the Houston Rockets had a chance to overtake them for the conference title by winning their final three games. But Houston was throttled by Denver.
The Warriors could become the first team to win 50 games and miss the playoffs. To get in, the Warriors need to win at Phoenix today, beat Seattle next and have Denver lose.
Bouncing in and out of the eighth and final playoff spot for a month, no team has had more of a roller-coaster ride than the Nuggets, who won a huge game at Golden State only to lose at Utah on Saturday night before bouncing back against the Rockets.
"It's impossible to feel good because for three weeks we've been feeling stressed," Denver coach George Karl said. "You never play three playoff teams in three games in four nights in three different cities that had huge, huge ramifications. We survived it; we won two out of three, but we're still not out of the woods."
Allen Iverson scored 33 points for Denver and J.R. Smith added 23.
As for the Rockets, they fell 1 1/2 games behind Los Angeles and can still secure the top seed in the West, but they're going to need plenty of help.
Tracy McGrady scored 16 points and was hounded by foul trouble.
(Agencies April 15, 2008)