THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP: Nuggets Bench Locks Homecourt!
Denver Nuggets secure at least the fourth seed behind breakout performances from Julian Strother, Jonas Valanciunas, and David Roddy. Are shifting rotations and bench dominance signaling a new playoff threat for Denver?
Matt and Ryan dissect Denver Nuggets’ surprising win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, spotlighting Valanciunas’s forceful inside play and Strother’s evolving offensive arsenal. The conversation unpacks the strategic decision to rest starters, playoff seeding scenarios, and fan reactions during a bizarre Fan Appreciation night. Key topics include the impact of bench depth, the ongoing win streak in the Jokic era, and looming questions about facing the Minnesota Timberwolves or Houston Rockets. Also featured: speculation on player-led vs. front office choices, insight into the NBA’s new 65-game rule, and the role of health in postseason ambitions.
Can the Denver Nuggets’ unconventional approach lead to a series upset—and will Nikola Jokic’s award eligibility shape their playoff path?
00:00 Breaking down Nuggets vs Thunder
04:44 Reflecting on end-of-season game
08:10 Julian Strother’s standout performance
13:02 Managing stress and self-growth
15:10 How Prize Picks works
20:21 Player injuries and award implications
22:53 Breaking down the 20-minute rule
26:59 Preparing for the Wolves rematch
28:40 Playoff seeding scenarios explained
31:34 Predicting Nuggets vs. Spurs outcome
36:36 Playoff strategy and seeding choices
41:39 Discussing the Nuggets’ playoff chances
42:23 Denver’s win and fan experience
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32 Comments
My prediction/wishes from New Year was Nuggets to win last 12 games because I thought that's realistic and that will help them going to finals, I don't like BS from DA like playing Jokic 16min takes time from young players STFU and go win 3rd place because it would be the same if you were 2nd while obviously not capable to be 1st
Joker should sit on Sunday.
OKC was smart – San Antonio is the one team that can beat them and now Denver like likely face the Spurs in the second round and knock them out, especially if Wembanyama is hurt. OKC will beat Denver in the conference finals.
Denver just made OKC back-to-back Champions.
Matt talks a lot of shit like he knows that everyone will play in Sunday, winning in Sunday meaning breaking record of most wins on the road, they should play first team for the first 16-17min and than sit them all
Logic is actually very simple, i expected this thing exactly. To ensure 3 seed before tonight, they had to win both games vs OKC and SA, and that would mean NO REST AT ALL. They decided they will sit at least one no matter what. If they played starters tonight and won they would still have to play them Sunday to lock 3. So they simply decided: we sit tonight, and see how it goes, if Sunday matters we play everyone, if it doesn't we sit everyone. Simple! It's one game sitting 100% ensured, and Sunday is based on outcome of this evening game and Lakers game vs Suns too. Also they knew OKC is sitting everyone, they don't know if SA is sitting anyone Sunday, so if you are sitting out and trying to win without starters now is the time not Sunday.
I think they sat because they might have felt offended with OKC sitting top 9 guys.
Thunder wanted to lose and Spurs want to win.
Moore spent all this time arguing why Nuggets rested players tonight😐
All Nuggets are rested and Denver won. Why the all complaining? 😂
3 is not better than 4 this year.
Don’t dare you disrespect David roddys name in this state
Gambling advice for Sunday please. Got a 25/1 over under wins season parlay. Denver over 53.5 is last one. Hedge? Not sure how to play it
Matt it makes sense if Denver were 100% confident they were winning this game. I think Denver weren't resting for the playoffs, they were resting for the Spurs game. Joker will play vs the Spurs. But they knew that even if the Spurs rest some guys I still see them going hard enough to try to send the Nuggets into the 4 seed. I think Denver thought "look OKC are throwing this game one way or another, so let's be rested for the Spurs and if we're lucky the Lakers can't even beat phoenix so we can rest for the Spurs too"… it's a F/O decision because the F/O talked to OKC's F/O and they were like "yeah this game is only going one way"
David Roddy seems like a good player , that will never see the floor again in Malone/Adelman regime.
I think the Nuggets felt they could get a win with just 2nd string guys after seeing who the Thunder rested. So starters get to rest and get a win. They have no way of knowing beforehand if San Antonio is going to rest on Sunday. Now we know Wembanyama will sit making it much easier for us to win with our starters.
On top of that, the starters would be off for more than a week if they sit both games. One thing we know about this team is they struggle with games after too much rest.
1) keep the win streak, get Jok to 65 games
2) win okc C team and rest
3) win against SA to get the 3 seed and play them 2nd round instead of OKC
Great. Get the three and get beat up by the wolves, Get the four and get the Thunder in the second.😢. Injuries really screwed this team.
Matt pretending the injury report matters is hilarious. #fakeoutrage
There’s close to zero chance OKC loses to Houston even with half the team. So it’s better to play OKC early on when you’re healthy and off an relatively easy first round vs houston instead of two very hard rounds then get OKC
Also Minnesota could potentially take out the spurs for you
Also Denver can beat the spurs even if they have some injuries you’ll need perfect health vs OKC
Matt please explain in more detail why the 3 seed is so important. Basically it nearly ensures a MINN-SAS-OKC path vs the 4 seed which is more likely a HOU-OKC-SAS path with the exception that SAS is more likely to be knocked off second round than OKC. So basically you get a weaker first round opponent and the same 2 second round opponents.
What’s up with the Jonas hate? Look at his per 36 all season. Finally a legit backup center. Newsflash Ryan. Nuggets aren’t beating OKC without Jonas
I’m sorry but BetterHelp sponsor talking about money troubles into the two straight sports gambling ad reads is ironic and hilarious
Making something out of nothing. They won.
AG off the bench island is the worst island people are talking about this year. #Historiesgreatestmonster
Like others have said. I'm confused as to why you guys are confused. OKC invented tanking. They clearly wanted Denver to win and once that became clear via the injury report Denver moved everyone to questionable. There was never a chance Denver was going to lose regardless of who played tonight.
Spurs are also going to sit everyone on Sunday. If they play their guys, they know it's only to get Denver out of their bracket and they aren't going to do that. They won't tank like OKC did so it's a bit more tenuous. So hopefully the joker is a plus 25 in 15 minutes.
Enjoy Strawther's island story. Matt is so funny
If Jokic doesn't play Sunday it was a player decision.
The only game I wanted us to lose to Denver 😂. But I do hope we see yall in WCF I want that rematch
The end of ghis season feels like a team playing checkers instead of chess. Nothing makes sense and leaving it all up to "IF" the Spurs sit the starters is just bad gambling. It makes a ton of sense for the Spurs to go all out and remove the Denver obstacle from their path. Denver would be sitting in game 6vs OKC 20pts down wondering how they got there. Imagine a universe where Jokic and the Nuggets took the regular season seriously….. oh ya when that happens they get the 1 seed and easiest path to the championship. Seeding matters and so does closing teams out in 4 or 5 games instead of 7 game grinders.
To me it’s simple. Nuggets didn’t think they needed starters to win. Put their faith in their guys
What’s the difference between getting the 3rd seed and 4th they would only have home field the first round anyways
Everyone is happy! I wish we knew the plan moving forward. We'll find out tomorrow.
Its so funny to see and hear all these theories about this injury report lol.
The coaching staff and the players have seen what they are capable of and they have reached their full potential. They know it now.
After all these injuries during this season, how all of you cant see that they just dont want to take risks anymore about it ?!
THIS SEASON WAS A NIGHTMARE GUYS, OPEN YOUR EYES !