Failing that, a win against the Nelson Giants tomorrow should also do the trick.
Either way, this weekend shapes as the perfect dress rehearsal for the finals.
The Nuggets have two very tough games back to back and have an opportunity to create history, not once but twice.
The Nuggets have not made the playoffs since 1997. A win against the fifth-placed Jets would break the drought.
And a win against the Giants in Nelson the following evening would bring an end to a long losing streak - the Nuggets have not beaten the Giants in Nelson since 2002.
Should the Nuggets keep winning, the franchise could also finish the regular season at the top of the standings for the first time.
Win or lose this weekend, the Nuggets will find out a lot more about themselves. With 10 wins from 11 games, Otago should be part of the finals series in Napier next month whatever happens.
The finals involve the top four sides. There are two sudden-death semifinals, with the winners going on to contest the final the following evening.
Based on current form, the Giants are likely to be part of the finals series, and the Jets are battling hard for the fourth spot. So the Nuggets can expect their biggest test of the season and it is perfect preparation for the finals.
''Looking forward, these games are ideal for us to see how we might go in the finals,'' Nuggets coach Alf Arlidge said.
''If we happen to make the playoffs we can use it as a guideline. We would have had two tough games and can look at it when we prepare.''
The Nuggets will go into the double-header with confidence, having beaten both sides at home this season.
The ease with which the Nuggets dispatched the Giants last month is perhaps of little relevance. The Giants had a poor night in the 92-59 loss, landing just 25% of their shots from the floor.
Some of the credit needs to go to the Nuggets for outstanding defence but it is hard to imagine the Giants will shoot that poorly again. They will also be extra motivated after suffering a shock loss to the Hawkes Bay Hawks on Saturday night. It was the Giants' first loss at home this season.
Tonight's match against the Jets should be another fascinating encounter. The Jets match up well against the Nuggets and came close to upsetting the competition frontrunner in Dunedin last week.
Nuggets captain Mark Dickel scored two free throws with 2.6sec left in regulation time to seal a dramatic 95-93 win. But the Jets dominated much of the game and will feel a win slipped away.
The teams are just so evenly matched. Jets centre Nick Horvath and Nuggets equivalent Antoine Tisby basically cancel each other out, as do Marcel Jones and Akeem Wright.
Jets point guard Chris Hagan has pace to burn but his opposite, Dickel, has more big game experience and controlled the game during the final tense moments.
Otago's BJ Anthony got into foul trouble, so his clash with Jeremiah Trueman went largely unresolved. Anthony, though, is more dynamic than the steady Trueman.
Three-point shooters Hayden Allen (Nuggets) and Troy McLean (Jets) are pretty much inseparable as well. They both have oodles of experience and can turn a game when they find their range.
