04/12/26 07:01:00
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04/12 19:00 CDT Jokic to start for Nuggets versus Spurs to quality for award
eligibility while Wemby sits
Jokic to start for Nuggets versus Spurs to quality for award eligibility while
Wemby sits
SAN ANTONIO (AP) --- Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic will start for the Denver
Nuggets in their regular-season finale against San Antonio on Sunday night for
his 65th game played to qualify for NBA awards.
Spurs All-Star Victor Wembanyama is sitting out the game after reaching
eligibility in his previous game.
Jokic has played in 64 games and was listed as questionable with an injured
right wrist.
Denver needs a victory over the Spurs on Sunday to secure the third seed in the
Western Conference. A Nuggets loss, coupled with a win by the Los Angeles
Lakers, would drop the Nuggets to fourth and move the Lakers to third.
The NBA requires players to participate in 65 games to be eligible for MVP,
All-NBA and Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Jokic must play at least 15 minutes against San Antonio to be eligible.
The NBA allows two exemptions of 15 to 19:59 minutes played to count as an
official game. Jokic has one exemption remaining.
"Yeah, he'll play the first half," Denver coach David Adelman said. "Then we'll
reconvene at halftime and see where he's at, where the game's at. It's what the
rules provide. So we'll follow the rules."
Jokic, who won MVP in 2021, 2022 and 2024, has been named to the All-NBA Team
in seven of his 11 seasons.
Wembanyama qualified for award eligibility by playing in his 65th game Friday,
in San Antonio's 139-120 victory over Dallas.
Wembanyama competed in 64 regular-season games in addition to the NBA Cup
Final, which does not count toward regular-season record or statistics, but
does qualify as a game played.
Wembanyama suffered a left rib contusion and missed the second half of Monday's
115-102 victory against the Philadelphia 76ers. He returned Friday to post 40
points and 13 rebounds in 26:13 minutes against Dallas.
He was listed as questionable due to injury management and was ruled out after
the Spurs' afternoon walkthrough.
"Yeah, he's doing well, but just a little sore and felt it was the appropriate
decision," San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson said. "He was probably, to be
honest, the closest call of the group, but just right in that kind of in
between."
Spurs guard Stephon Castle was upgraded to available after missing the past two
games with a left foot soreness.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
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