The Denver Nuggets secured a win over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, which locked them in as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. With that position, they are set to face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs, and could meet the Spurs again in the Western Conference Semifinals.
Before the game, head coach David Adelman raised some eyebrows by listing eight key rotation players on the injury report, including their All-Star duo of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. That decision led to speculation that the team might be trying to influence their playoff path by forcing potential matchups.
After the win, Adelman addressed these allegations, denying the idea that his team was avoiding anyone. Instead, he issued a stern warning to the remaining Western Conference opponents.
“We’re not ducking anybody,” Adelman said.
Denver heads into the series as clear favorites against Minnesota, with odds of -400 compared to the Timberwolves at +310. That gap reflects how things have gone between the two teams this season, with the Nuggets clinching the season series 3-1. The matchup tips off in Denver, with Game 1 set for April 18.
Nuggets backup forward receives praise following game-winning performance
The Denver Nuggets were extremely shorthanded for their matchup against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, especially in the frontcourt. Aaron Gordon, Peyton Watson, and Cameron Johnson were all sidelined.
That’s where David Roddy stepped in and made a real impact. Coming off the bench, he delivered a strong performance with 15 points and 13 rebounds, helping power the Nuggets to a 128-118 win.
“It was so fun watching him play,” Nuggets HC Adelman spoke of Roddy’s game.
His double-double performance came right after Roddy scored 21 points on an efficient 66.7% shooting night in the previous game. He has clearly shown he can contribute as a solid backup in the frontcourt.
Unfortunately, there’s a catch. Roddy is currently on a two-way contract, which makes him ineligible for the playoffs. Adelman mentioned that the team should at least discuss converting his deal to a standard contract. However, any move like that would have to happen immediately, and it does not seem very likely that the Nuggets will make that decision in time.
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