It was a heavyweight clash at the Chase Center last night as the Golden State Warriors hosted the Denver Nuggets. Well, at least, that’s what everyone thought before the tip-off. What was supposed to be a star-studded affair quickly turned upside down with the Nuggets missing several key players. Michael Malone’s side played a potential playoff preview without big man Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Christian Braun. However, despite being short-handed on the night the Nuggets pulled off an unexpected result against a quality team.

Denver stunned the Golden State by winning the game 114-105. Veteran Aaron Gordon led the scoring, notching up a massive 38 points on the night. Denver’s other rotational players such as Russell Westbrook and Michael Porter Jr. also contributed to the win. Overall, it was a great night for the Nuggets who could defeat a solid Warriors team despite missing a lot of players. But, it wasn’t a great night for the Bay Area fans who wished to watch their favorite superstars compete against each other. “No, it’s a horrible look for the league. This is why the NBA put in the player participation policy.” ESPN journalist Tim Bontemps emphasized this on the show ‘Get Up‘.

“They literally put in rules that said if you’re playing in a nationally televised game, especially on the road, your stars are supposed to play.” Bontemps stated that Jokic not playing gives the league a bad look and also that the NBA has made rules specially for this situation. He then continued his rant by pointing out that Denver played the Wizards on Saturday a game where they could’ve rested Nikola Jokic and their other stars. But, that wasn’t the case. While according to Denver’s injury report, Jokic was out of the game due to an elbow injury, Bontemps still doesn’t feel that was the case.

Hist frustration is understandable, and the NBA hasn’t done a great job of managing the issue. Perhaps the league will have to come up with more stringent rules to solve this load management problem. Nonetheless, you cannot thrash a team for winning a ball game. It’s just not right as the Nuggets are responsible for not only putting up a great show but managing their players for the playoffs. Well, they want Jokic to stay fit for big games and with the playoffs around the corner, they don’t want to take any chances. Moreover, The Joker competing against the Lakers on Wednesday could potentially be a great look. But, a recent statement by Michael Malone might make you think otherwise.

Nuggets HC Michael Malone’s statement has cast a shadow over Nikola Jokic’s fitness

Well, after grabbing a great win over the Warriors and giving their stars some much-needed rest. The Nuggets now set their eyes on their next challenge, the Lakers. Michael Malone’s men will hit the road to face Los Angeles at the Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday. This is another highly anticipated clash for Denver as they face Luka Doncic and Co. The two teams collided just a few days back with the Mile High City team coming out on top. Nikola Jokić dropped 28 points on the night, ensuring the win.

The fans will be anticipating Jokic to emulate his performance on Wednesday as well. However, the Nuggets HC has cast a shadow on his availability. “Hopefully, we can get Nikola back, Jamal back, and CB back, as quickly as possible. But, until they come back that’s an opportunity for everybody else to go out and just like I said, go out and compete.” Malone stated in the post-game presser. His statement could indicate that Jokic, Murray, and Braun are going to miss the team’s trip to LA as well. At the moment, all three superstars are on Denver’s injury list on a day-to-day basis.

While Jokic is questionable with an elbow injury, Jamal Murray and Christian Braun are out with an ankle and foot injury, respectively. There’s no doubt that without these three players, the Nuggets are nowhere as good as they are with them. But, their win over the Warriors would give Michael Malone a lot of confidence on his bench. Moreover, the Lakers are also hard hit with injuries, further boosting Denver’s chances of another upset win. Having said that, whether or not Nikola Jokić suits up against the Lakers is still in the air. But, one thing is for sure, The Joker isn’t a player who likes to miss games without a cause.