The 2023 NBA champion Denver Nuggets reportedly have canceled their plans to visit the White House as the team decided the event might distract it from clinching the top seed in this year’s playoffs.
Denver won its first championship last summer and is on the last leg of this season within arms’ reach of securing home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
As of Friday, the Nuggets were one game behind the Minnesota Timberwolves in the race for the top seed of the Western Conference.
With hopes of a title repeat in mind, a March 18 visit to Washington has been called off, according to TNT and Bleacher Report NBA insider Chris Haynes.
That would be the second visit canceled after the Biden administration postponed one that was set for January because of a schedule conflict.
Haynes explained Denver’s mindset during the TNT broadcast of Thursday’s game between the Nuggets and the Boston Celtics.
“Just last week I was informed that the Nuggets were concerned now because all of a sudden, after March 18, which is March 19, they play the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minnesota, and now that game is a little bit more important than they had expected when they did reschedule,” he told viewers.
“I was told the Nuggets made a tough decision, but they’re canceling that trip to the White House,” Haynes added.
“I want to make this clear, it was clearly a basketball decision,” he said.
Sources: With Denver Nuggets prioritizing No. 1 seed and a pivotal matchup at Minnesota upcoming, I explain on @NBAonTNT why the champs have elected not to visit The White House. pic.twitter.com/cjc4fwGE0O
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) March 8, 2024
Haynes said the White House and the team both wanted the planned visit to work out but in the end, the Nuggets are keyed in and focused on winning another title.
Denver won a tough contest over Boston 115-109.
As of Friday, the Celtics were the top seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 48-14 and 7.5 games ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks.
But the situation is much tighter in the Western Conference.
The Timberwolves held the top spot with a 44-19 record. The Oklahoma City Thunder were a half-game behind with a record of 43-19, while the Nuggets were in third place with a 43-20 record.
With 19 games left in Denver’s season, anything could happen.
As Haynes mentioned, the Nuggets play at Minnesota on March 19. They also will play the Timberwolves two more times, on March 29 and again on April 10.
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Denver ended the 2022-2023 season with a 53-29 record, securing the top seed in the Western Conference.
The Nuggets ultimately defeated the Miami Heat 4-1 in the NBA Finals, with star center Nikola Jokic earning MVP honors.
