Given the challenging nature of the Western Conference Playoffs, David Adelman is becoming more selective. The weight of the circumstances is not lost on the first-year head coach, who was appointed after the team dismissed his predecessor during the playoffs. To avoid the same destiny, he’s making a decision that will displease multiple individuals. Is he bothered? He’s more concerned about Luka Doncic’s return.

The Denver Nuggets are playing against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but this isn’t going to be the closing statement in the MVP race between two top candidates. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will not be going head to head against Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets head coach has benched all his starters, Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon, against OKC in a definitive choice: health and strategic positioning over a regular-season statement.

Adelman’s decision stunned the NBA community, as it effectively sacrifices a chance at a higher seed in favor of long-term playoff readiness. The move comes when the Nuggets are on a 10-game winning streak, breathing down the necks of the Los Angeles Lakers for the third seed.

“The matchups with those teams, I’ll be honest, there’s so much unknown,” he explained to Denver media about his deliberate move to avoid a first-round nightmare. “I think people need to calm down with ‘Let’s play the Lakers.’ If Luka comes back and feels good, do you want to play Luka Doncic? Like, I think you’re messing with the game when you think that.”

Adelman sees the parity in the West as a chance to navigate playoff positioning carefully rather than chase standings blindly. Given the Nuggets’ recent history with the Minnesota Timberwolves, he has to hedge his bets.

“Us and Minnesota, it’s been a crazy back-and-forth over the years,” Adelman noted, acknowledging the razor-thin margins between the top contenders. “And then obviously Houston, I mean, they’re playing so well right now. I think they’ve won seven or eight in a row. So there’s no good opponent in my opinion. I think you just have to play it out with decisions that are best for your team, and we feel like tonight, this is the best decision.”

The decision has divided the Mile High City, with fans torn between supporting a deep playoff push and disappointment over the stars sitting out the final regular-season game. Even the Lakers are aware they’re sitting in a vulnerable middle ground in the playoff bracket after JJ Redick’s recent comments.

Luka Doncic and the Lakers brace themselves for tight Western Conference race

The Lakers are watching teams like Denver jockey for position and offering a blunt perspective on the situation. “Everybody wants to play us. There’s probably teams that are in position where they can start looking forward to potential second-round matchups as well. We’ve seen some of those teams rest their entire lineup basically. We can’t be concerned with all of that.”

But the Lakers aren’t the only concern; there’s also the possibility of Luka Doncic missing the first round as he recovers from a Grade 2 hamstring strain. The decision to sit the starters is heavily influenced by Denver’s turbulent history with the teams Adelman mentioned.

While the Nuggets famously swept the Lakers in the 2023 Western Conference Finals, the script has flipped in 2026. The Lakers beat the Nuggets for the first time since 2021, sealed by a dramatic 17-foot game-winner from Luka Doncic in overtime, securing a 127–125 victory in March.

“They swept us last year, but then we beat them three out of four this year,” Adelman said of the fluctuating rivalry. “We always know it’s competitive with them. They’ve given us issues. We’ve given them issues.”

By sitting their starters in this matchup, Denver is trying to avoid a fully healthy Lakers squad. Whichever team finishes in the No. 3 spot is likely to face the Timberwolves in the first round.

Beyond the strategy, the physical toll of the season has been immense. Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson have both battled recurring hamstring strains, while Nikola Jokic has been managing a right wrist issue.

OKC has also benched Shai for this game. As Adelman emphasized, when the playoffs arrive, availability is everything – and Denver is prioritizing having its core players healthy for a deeper postseason run rather than chasing a marginal regular-season edge.