One big question surrounding the Nuggets over the last 24 hours was whether or not Nikola Jokic would suit up for the Nuggets in the regular-season finale in San Antonio against the Spurs. But after the team's clues and a read between the lines in the injury report, it looks like the Nuggets are signaling there's a strong chance Joker will play. At least 15 minutes. Maybe 20 to be safe, to keep his MVP and All-NBA dreams alive.
The Nuggets posted to their X/Twitter a photo with only nine players in it. Jokic was squarely in the center. Notably, four Nuggets were missing from the photo. All the other starters.
And then the injury report revealed the assumption. It looks like Nikola Jokic is probably going to play. He's listed as questionable and made the flight to San Antonio.
Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Aaron Gordon, Cam Johnson, Tim Hardaway Jr., Peyton Watson, and Spencer Jones are listed as out, and don't even appear to have made the flight.
The injury report and the flight clue tip the Nuggets' hand
There's no reason for Joker to have made the flight if he wasn't going to play. But we can't be so sure that there isn't some form of gamesmanship. But not likely. The Nuggets would have let Jokic rest at home with the others instead of watching from the bench.
Jokic is at risk of missing the cut-off for the NBA's 65-game minimum rule, having played just 64. He will need to play over 15 minutes and would be better off playing 20 to comfortably satisfy the NBA rule. Failure to do so eliminates him from postseason award contention.
Jokic's awards aren't the only thing at stake for the Nuggets
The Nuggets aren't just having Jokic play for his chance at the postseason awards. They are, but he's also going to be helping them try to secure the third seed in the Western Conference if that's what they desire. They may or may not.
The third seed will get the Minnesota Timberwolves in round one, a team that has had the Nuggets' number historically. But it also offers the Spurs in round two, who the Nuggets are 5-2 against in head-to-head meetings between Jokic and Victor Wembanyama.
The fourth seed will get the Houston Rockets, arguably the easier route in round one. However, it brings the Oklahoma City Thunder in round two. The same round that the Thunder knocked the Nuggets out in seven games last year.
We'll have to wait and see until tip-off to be sure, but it certainly looks like the Nuggets are going to have Nikola Jokic on the court in the season finale. For a little bit, at least.