The reigning NBA champions, Denver Nuggets, are reportedly canceling their scheduled visit to President Joe Biden at the White House, initially planned for March 18.

This decision is due to the positioning of this date between two vital road matchups. The Nuggets are set to face the Dallas Mavericks on March 17 and then travel to Minnesota to play against the Timberwolves on March 19.

League insider Chris B. Haynes from Bleacher Report and TNT has reported that the Nuggets prioritize pursuing the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The upcoming matchup against the Timberwolves is critical in their bid for the top seed.

Currently holding the third position in the Western Conference standings with a record of 42-20, the Nuggets are just one game behind the top-seeded Timberwolves, who stand at 43-19.

Nuggets had previous scheduling conflict with the White House

The Nuggets had planned to visit the White House in late January when they were in town to play against the Washington Wizards on January 21.

However, they were unable to honor their 2023 NBA championship visit with the POTUS due to scheduling issues at the White House.

Traditionally, championship-winning teams in major American sports leagues visit the White House when they go to Washington for a game the following season.

Since teams from opposite NBA conferences visit each other only once per regular season, the Nuggets' 113-104 victory over the Wizards marked their only trip to Washington for the 2023-24 campaign.