Defending NBA Champs Denver Nuggets to Snub White House Visit for #1 Priority

The defending champions have prioritized the opportunity to seize the #1 seed over the White House visit. The latest report revealed that the Denver Nuggets management has planned to snub the mandatory visit to meet POTUS. Earlier, the meeting was rescheduled to March 18 from a date in late January due to a schedule conflict. However, the team is now all set to snub the visit for a March 19 commitment, as per Chris Haynes, an NBA insider.

Haynes reported that the Nuggets have their eyes set on the West’s #1 seed and would like to focus on the March 19 clash against the Minnesota Timberwolves over the March 18th POTUS visit.

It has been an NBA tradition for the defending champions to visit the White House every year. It all began in 1963 when then president John F. Kennedy invited the Boston Celtics to the White House after their fourth consecutive title. At the same time, this isn’t the first time where a team has decided to snub the visit.

A few years ago, during the Donald Trump era, Warriors’ Stephen Curry hesitated to visit the White House after the 2017 Championship. And following that, Trump took to his Twitter (Currently known as X) and withdrew the invitation. While Steph’s decision was based on political reasons, the Nuggets have taken this decision only to clinch the #1 seed.

Haynes further clarified saying, “They trying to do everything that they can to get that #1 seed… It was clearly a basketball decision… The Nuggets wanted to do it, but the schedule just didn’t work out this time around.” 

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While the Nuggets stormed their way to the #1 seed last season, they have a lot of company in this season. Let’s find out more about the race to the #1 seed in the West.

Who will clinch the West’s #1 seed?

So far, it has been a one-sided affair in the Eastern Conference and it will continue to the remain the same. The Boston Celtics marked their territory permanently as the #1 seed in the East with a 48-13 record. Whereas in the West, it is a different story altogether.

Currently, it is a battle between four teams for #1 seed. Wolves, Nuggets, OKC Thunder and LA Clippers have been playing music chair for quite sometime. The Nuggets, however, can end up clinch it again, this time with their championship experience, as the Thunder and Wolves lack experience, sitting at the top of the table.

Who do you think will win the Western Conference Finals? Let us know in the comments below.