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The penultimate round of the NBA regular season felt more like a maintenance day than a true competition, with teams clearly prioritizing rest over intensity.
A staggering 168 players were sidelined. In the Denver Nuggets' game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, along with several other key starters, sat out, significantly slowing the pace of the match.
Oklahoma, having already secured the top seed, opted for full roster management. While Denver still has playoff seeding at stake, there's also the matter of individual awards for Jokic.
Meanwhile, Victor Wembanyama played as usual to meet the 65-game threshold, delivering a strong performance and highlighting just how crucial this rule has become.
Nevertheless, the playoff picture is gradually becoming clearer, with spots and matchups locking in across both the Eastern and Western Conferences.
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