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Nuggets to sit key rotation players, Nikola Jokic questionable for Sunday showdown with Spurs
TL;DR
The Denver Nuggets will rest key rotation players, including Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon, for their game against the Spurs. Nikola Jokic is questionable, and if he doesn't play, he won't meet the NBA's 65-game threshold for postseason awards.
The Denver Nuggets control their own fate on Sunday. Win against San Antonio and Denver will be the No. 3 seed, then face Minnesota in the first round, and it would be in line to face this same Spurs team in the second round. Lose, and if the Lakers beat the Jazz as expected, the Nuggets fall to fourth in the West and will face the Rockets in the first round and be lined up to face the defending champion Thunder in the second round (assuming both teams win and advance).
Faced with that choice, Denver is sitting nearly all its key rotation players on Sunday: Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Cameron Johnson, Christian Braun and Tim Hardaway Jr. and Peyton Watson are all out Sunday (Watson has missed the last four games with a hamstring issue).
Injury Report ahead of tomorrow's game against the Spurs:
QUESTIONABLE:
Nikola Jokić (Right Wrist Injury Management)OUT:
Tim Hardaway Jr. (Left Knee Soreness)
Jamal Murray (Right Shoulder Impingement)
Aaron Gordon (Right Hamstring Injury Management)
Cam Johnson (Right Ankle… pic.twitter.com/LgDkeatNH3— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) April 11, 2026
Denver MVP candidate Nikola Jokic is questionable, but if he does not play he will not reach the NBA's 65-game threshold and will not be eligible for any postseason awards and honors. He likely plays at least the minimum of 15 minutes needed to become eligible.
Denver sat a lot of the same players on Friday night against Oklahoma City, a team that also sat all its key rotation players as it had the No. 1 seed secured (the Nuggets won that game). Asked about the decision to sit all those stars on Friday, coach David Adelman said this, via Bennett Durando of The Denver Post.
"What's on the injury report is what they're out with. They're dealing with a lot more than that physically, not to mention some of the soft tissue stuff. Scary kinds of injuries."
Denver is choosing health going into the postseason, and likely a matchup it likes better against Houston in the first round, over concerns about the second round and beyond.
The Spurs would likely rather face the winner of the Lakers/Timberwolves series in the second round than the Nuggets, so it may push to win (assuming San Antonio beats a play-in team in the first round).
All of which may take all the drama out of one of the NBA's hoped-for dramatic final days of games.
Q&A
Why are the Denver Nuggets resting key players against the Spurs?
The Nuggets are resting key players to manage their health and secure a better playoff position, as winning against the Spurs would allow them to face Minnesota in the first round.
What happens if Nikola Jokic does not play against the Spurs?
If Nikola Jokic does not play, he will not meet the NBA's 65-game threshold and will be ineligible for postseason awards and honors.
What are the playoff implications for the Nuggets' game against the Spurs?
If the Nuggets win, they secure the No. 3 seed and face Minnesota; if they lose and the Lakers win, they drop to the No. 4 seed and face the Rockets in the first round.
