MVP contender and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic did not play in Friday’s game against Oklahoma City as part of right wrist injury management.
As a result, he now needs to log at least 20 minutes in Sunday’s regular season finale to meet the 65-game requirement for awards eligibility.
While that remains an option, head coach David Adelman indicated after Friday’s win that it’s far from certain, according to Reynolds. Adelman noted that an “adult conversation” will take place before Sunday’s tip-off.
“Obviously, the success in the playoffs matters more than anything else,” Adelman said.
“But this rule stares at us right now. And so, we’ve got to make a proper decision and we need to go in there with a real plan of, ‘This is what it’s going to be.’ Either he gets those minutes, or we say, ‘Let’s just move on.’”
Interestingly, Denver will close the regular season against San Antonio on Sunday.
While Victor Wembanyama has already satisfied the eligibility requirement and Jokic has not, the Spurs could have more incentive to win that game.
A San Antonio victory, combined with a Lakers win over Utah, would drop Denver to the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference, shifting the playoff bracket and potentially placing the Lakers, rather than the Nuggets, on the Spurs’ side.
Wemby, Kawhi Meet 65-Game Criteria; Jokic One Game Away https://t.co/NHljm5zI85 pic.twitter.com/Po16u0yGfq
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) April 11, 2026
