Getty
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic.
Nikola Jokic watched from the bench as the Denver Nuggets’ backups secured a 127-107 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The day before the game, some were surprised to see Jokic on the injury report. The 31-year-old Denver star is still battling to earn postseason award eligibility and with just one game left on the season, Jokic needs to play at least 20 minutes of the contest to earn eligibility.
The Nuggets decided it was more worth it to rest their starters tonight and potentially have them fresh for Sunday’s season finale against the San Antonio Spurs.
Of course if something unforeseen happens, like Jokic playing but still falling short of the minutes limit, then the team risks postseason awards eligibility for its superstar player. That’s one Denver is willing to take after choosing not to play Jokic last night.
GettyDENVER, COLORADO – OCTOBER 24: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets plays the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first quarter at Ball Arena on October 24, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The three-time MVP has fought against it since returning from injury in early February. Because he was kept out several weeks after suffering a late-December injury in Miami, Jokic had to stay almost perfectly healthy the entire rest of the season if he hoped to receive any postseason honors.
Fortunately, the star big man played every game since returning from injury before sitting out against the Thunder.
Nuggets Share Clear Approach to Nikola Jokic’s Eligibility
Unlike Oklahoma City, last night’s game wasn’t meaningless for Denver.
The Nuggets, even after last night, still possess the opportunity to fight for a higher seed. They can finish as the third seed or drop to the fourth seed.
The Thunder, meanwhile, clinched the top seed in the Association with a victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night. The win gave Oklahoma City the top seed in the Western Conference a remarkable three years in a row.
For Denver, it remains to be seen if it chooses to play the starters Sunday. With Jokic’s postseason award eligibility on the line, head coach David Adelman outlined how the team will decide whether to play Jokic and the starters or rest them again.
“I think, again, we’ll have that same conversation tomorrow,” Adelman said ahead of Friday’s contest in Ball Arena. “We’re all aware of that, the rule. … The minute thing on Sunday will be talked about with the front office, ownership, Nikola. Obviously his opinion matters in that situation.”
Jokic Won’t Win MVP, But…
Jokic has had a fantastic season once again. Despite his season being interrupted with injury, it didn’t take him very long at all to tap back into superstar form.
The Nuggets star big man has already clinched a triple-double average for the season. Sure, Russell Westbrook has made that somewhat less fabulous simply because he’s done it a few times, but Jokic has still done something that has rarely been done in NBA history.
Like every year, Jokic earned plenty of MVP recognition this season, especially in the early and middle parts of it. All indications suggest he won’t win a fourth honor, but his value to his team cannot be understated.
Even if playing another game won’t be the difference between winning or conceding the Michael Jordan Trophy, Jokic still has an eighth All-NBA selection on the line. When it is all said and done, these are the kinds of things that can make all the difference in evaluating a player’s legacy.
While yes, Jokic may love his horses or even playing water polo a little more than achieving NBA awards, it is still massively significant to his career.
The Nuggets will release the official report this evening for Sunday’s game. We’ll find out then if Jokic is expected to suit up.
Adel Ahmad Adel is a writer with over five years of experience covering the NBA. His work has appeared on various media platforms, both national and local. More about Adel Ahmad
More Heavy on Nuggets
Loading more stories