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Nuggets Accused of Creating 'Horrible Look' for NBA Despite Winning vs. Warriors

Denver notched a victory, but at what cost?

Kyle Koster

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) reacts from the bench in the second quarter against the Washington Wizards at Ball Arena.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) reacts from the bench in the second quarter against the Washington Wizards at Ball Arena. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
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A genuine moment to embrace debate has bubbled up in the wake of the Denver Nuggets' key road win over the Golden State Warriors last night. Mike Malone's side was able to notch a victory against a really good team on the road despite the absences of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Christian Braun. Which is great news for them but not so great for fans who hoped to see some these superstars on their televisions or in person.

"It's a horrible look for the league," ESPN's Tim Bontemps said Tuesday morning on Get Up. "This is why the NBA put in the player participation policy. They literally put in rules that said if you're playing in a nationally televised game, especially on the road, your stars are supposed to play."

"You could look ahead at the schedule if you're the Nuggets," Bontemps continued. "They play the Washington Wizards, the worst team in the league, at home on Saturday. Sit these guys in that game, have them ready to go for today's game and Wednesday's game against the Lakers."

This is understandable frustration. And the NBA has really done a very bad job in routinely making sure the best product is available with all of the load management. Perhaps a more aggressive approach to improving participation will yield great results.

But it seems like a fairly slippery slope to start crushing teams for winning games. Yes, entertainment is part of the equation here but the Nuggets are responsible for putting a competitive, healthy team together for the playoffs while complying with existing guidelines. They could emerge from this week with three wins and rested stars. Jokic competing against the Lakers on Wednesday on national television will be a great look, potentially nullifying this bad look.

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Kyle Koster
KYLE KOSTER

Kyle Koster is an assistant managing editor at Sports Illustrated covering the intersection of sports and media. He was formerly the editor in chief of The Big Lead, where he worked from 2011 to '24. Koster also did turns at the Chicago Sun-Times, where he created the Sports Pros(e) blog, and at Woven Digital.

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