The outcome was up for grabs until the final seconds, but the Nuggets picked up a massive win over the Suns in Phoenix thanks to Nikola Jokic’s floater.

Here are five takeaways from Denver’s 125-123 win at Mortgage Matchup Center:

1. That win should solidify Denver’s spot in the top six of the Western Conference. With the loss, Phoenix dropped to 40-33, a few games back of Houston for the final spot to avoid the play-in portion of the postseason. At 45-28, Denver can hold on to hope of catching the Lakers for the three seed but will need some help since the two teams don’t play again in the regular season. While it would be great for the Nuggets to have home-court advantage, avoiding the Timberwolves should remain the priority.

2. Now that the All-Star conversation is over, Jamal Murray’s name should come up in All-NBA conversations. It wasn’t the most productive start for Denver’s starting point guard, but Murray came up big in the fourth quarter. He finished with 21 points on 18 shots with six assists and only two turnovers. The 65-game threshold certainly helps Murray’s case to become an All-NBA selection for the first time.

3. Shout out to Collin Gillespie. The former two-way player with the Nuggets has become a serviceable starter with the Suns this season. The former Villanova standout suffered a serious leg injury in what should have been his rookie season in Denver. He ended up appearing in 24 games with Denver, but he’s started 53 games for the Suns this season, averaging 13.3 points, 4.8 assists and 4.2 rebounds heading into Tuesday’s game against his former team. He scored the Suns’ first five points and finished with 11.

4. The Nuggets are one half of the way to playing this back-to-back properly. Denver held Peyton Watson out against Phoenix. Watson should be back for Wednesday’s game against the Mavericks. Denver should hold Aaron Gordon out Wednesday, which completes Denver’s final back-to-back set of the season. Dallas is going to be without Kyrie Irving, Dereck Lively II and Caleb Martin, while Brandon Williams and Daniel Gafford are questionable. The Nuggets should be able to win that game while protecting Gordon’s health against a Mavericks team that’s already eliminated from playoff contention.

5. The players association sent a strong message about the 65-game threshold for All-NBA honors and the other major postseason awards. Cade Cunningham, who should be a lock for a first-team selection, is at risk of not qualifying due to a collapsed lung suffered last week. “Cade Cunningham’s potential ineligibility for postseason awards after a career-defining season is a clear indictment of the 65-game rule and yet another example of why it must be abolished or reformed to create an exception for significant injuries. Since its implementation, far too many deserving players have been unfairly disqualified from end-of-season honors by this arbitrary and overly rigid quota,” the players association said in a statement. Nuggets coach David Adelman previously said the rule isn’t working as intended since Jokic and Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the favorite to win another Most Valuable Player award, were at risk of being ineligible due to legitimate injuries.

NUGGETS 125, SUNS 123

What happened: Phoenix led by seven after the first quarter but fell behind, 67-57, at halftime. Denver led by two to start the fourth and survived Devin Booker’s 3-pointer at the buzzer.

What went right: Denver finished with a 58-36 advantage in points in the paint.

What went wrong: Phoenix outscored Denver by 12 points from 3-point range. The Suns went 17 for 47 from 3-point range, while Denver went 13 for 32.

Highlight of the night: Tim Hardaway Jr. leaked out in transition, caught an outlet pass from Nikola Jokic and threw down a dunk over Jordan Goodwin while drawing a foul late in the first quarter. The three-point play brought Denver within five.

Up next: The Nuggets headed right back to Denver for Wednesday’s game against the Mavericks.