The Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat on Wednesday night, claiming sole ownership of the first spot in the Western Conference. Nikola Jokic told reporters after the game that it would be fantastic to be the first seed, but he is more concerned about playing solid basketball.

“It is [important], but I would like for us to just keep playing,” Jokic told reporters. “If we come in first, that’s terrific. If we aren’t, we won’t go mad. But how we play is the most crucial factor.”

When questioned about the several players that can step up for the Nuggets on any given night, Jokic responded, “That indicates we have a fantastic team. People in the media say it’s just me and Jamal, but I believe our team is incredible and very well-built. “Everyone is doing their job.”

This is what makes Denver so tough: while the Jokic-Murray tandem is unstoppable, dealing with the Nuggets becomes even more difficult when those two involve others. This could be Michael Porter Jr. banging down clean looks, Aaron Gordon slipping inside for dunks, or even Kentavious Caldwell-Pope making big shots as the defense is focused solely on Jokic and Murray.

All of this has resulted in Denver being ranked first in the West, a position they intend to maintain.