168 NBA Players Out Fri; Jokic, SGA Sit
Why it matters: 168 NBA players were out on Friday, impacting award eligibility and team strategies for the final regular season game.
- 168 NBA players were sidelined on Friday night, including 14 members of the Memphis Grizzlies, due to injuries or illnesses across all 30 teams playing their 81st game.
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic, recent MVPs, both sat out, with Thunder coach Mark Daigneault stating their No. 1 seed allowed for body management, while Nuggets coach David Adelman noted an "adult conversation" was needed for Jokic's award eligibility.
- Victor Wembanyama played exactly 20 minutes to meet award eligibility, then re-entered the game to finish with 40 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists in 26 minutes, with Spurs coach Mitch Johnson emphasizing the need for "on-the-job training."
- Boston tied the NBA record for 3-pointers in a game with 29, marking the fourth time in league history and the second time that week a team achieved this feat.
- Golden State started Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Kristaps Porzingis together, tuning up for their play-in tournament bid, indicating not all teams were resting for clinched playoff spots.
The NBA's penultimate regular season night saw an unprecedented 168 players sidelined due to injuries or illness, including stars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic, as teams prioritized rest or award eligibility. While some, like the Thunder, had clinched top seeds and opted for rest, others, like the Nuggets, strategically managed player time for award qualifications, highlighting varied team priorities at the season's close.
