The NBA delivered one of its most unusual nights of the season on Friday, with at least 168 players ruled out due to injury or illness, as teams prepared for the playoffs and managed fatigue ahead of the regular-season finale.
What could have been a blockbuster clash between MVP-caliber stars instead turned into a showcase of absences. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic — two of the league’s most recent MVP winners — were both sidelined, along with every other regular starter from their teams, News.Az reports, citing ESPN.
And they weren’t alone.
Across the league, rosters were heavily depleted, with the Memphis Grizzlies alone missing 14 players. The timing was no coincidence: all 30 teams were playing their 81st game, with one final matchup remaining before the postseason begins.
For top teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder, the priority is clear — stay healthy.
Having already secured the No. 1 overall seed, the Thunder opted to rest key players rather than risk injury. Head coach Mark Daigneault made it clear the decision was strategic, not circumstantial, emphasizing the importance of long-term readiness over short-term results.
Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets face a slightly more complex situation. Jokic still needs one more game to qualify for major awards like MVP and All-NBA honors, making his expected return in the final game crucial.
While many stars sat out, Victor Wembanyama made the most of his time on the court.
The young star needed just 20 minutes to meet the 65-game eligibility threshold for postseason awards — and hit that mark precisely before briefly exiting. He later returned and delivered a dominant performance, finishing with 40 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists in just 26 minutes.
His night highlighted the delicate balance teams are trying to strike between development and preservation.
Despite the absences, there were still standout moments.
The Boston Celtics caught fire from beyond the arc, knocking down 29 three-pointers, tying an NBA record. It marked the fourth time in league history that a team reached that number — and the second time in just one week.
As the regular season nears its end, the playoff bracket is becoming clearer:
Further down the standings:
Not every team chose to rest players.
The Golden State Warriors used the night to test combinations ahead of the play-in tournament, experimenting with lineups featuring Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.
With the postseason looming, teams are making final adjustments — whether through rest, experimentation, or pushing for seeding advantages.
Friday night wasn’t about competition — it was about survival, strategy, and timing. With the playoffs just days away, teams across the NBA are prioritizing health over headlines, even if it means record-breaking numbers of absences.
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