Denver Nuggets Fans Reject Idea of Resting Nikola Jokic Before NBA Playoffs

Nuggets fans don't want the team to break momentum heading into the postseason despite facing injured opponents.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 12:05am

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting a Denver Nuggets basketball game, with sharp geometric shapes and planes in the team's colors of navy blue, gold, and white, capturing the raw energy and motion of the sport.The Nuggets' red-hot play has fans eager to see the team carry its momentum into the playoffs, rather than risk disrupting the chemistry with extended rest.Denver Today

As the Denver Nuggets gear up for the NBA Playoffs, some fans have suggested the team should rest star player Nikola Jokic and other key starters during the final week of the regular season. However, most Nuggets fans have rejected this idea, arguing the team is on a roll and shouldn't disrupt their chemistry and momentum heading into the postseason.

Why it matters

The Nuggets are currently on a nine-game winning streak and are in position to secure the third seed in the Western Conference. Resting players could help manage their health, but fans are concerned it could also lead to rust and disrupt the team's strong chemistry and rhythm at a critical time.

The details

A Reddit user recently suggested the Nuggets should prioritize health over momentum and rest players like Jokic against injured opponents in the final week. However, most fans pushed back against this idea, arguing the team is playing its best basketball of the season and shouldn't break up the chemistry. Some fans pointed to the Nuggets' 2024 playoff run, when the team was also on a roll but ended up exhausted in a Game 7 loss.

  • The Nuggets' next game is on Wednesday, April 8 at 9 PM ET against the Memphis Grizzlies.
  • The NBA Playoffs are just around the corner.

The players

Nikola Jokic

The star center for the Denver Nuggets who has been a key part of the team's recent nine-game winning streak.

Jamal Murray

The Nuggets' starting point guard who is also healthy and ready to go for the final week of the regular season.

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What they’re saying

“So the team is on a roll, gelling well before playoffs, and you want to rest them?”

— WatermelonMan921, Nuggets Fan

“This is precisely what we said in 2024 post-ASB when the team was also on a roll. Just like that year, we need to be smart and pump the brakes to save our team from themselves. Do we really want a repeat of Wolves game 7 when the whole team was exhausted?”

— Suwegg1502, Nuggets Fan

What’s next

The Nuggets will continue their final week of the regular season, with their next game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, April 8. The team will then have a break before the start of the NBA Playoffs.

The takeaway

Nuggets fans are overwhelmingly in favor of the team maintaining its momentum and chemistry heading into the playoffs, rather than resting key players like Nikola Jokic. While health is important, the fans believe the team is playing its best basketball of the season and shouldn't disrupt that rhythm with extended rest periods.