SGA, Jokic among at least 168 out NBA-wide Fri.

TheOklahoma City-Denvergame could have starred the NBA's two most recent MVPs: the reigning one in Thunder guardShai Gilgeous-Alexanderand a three-time winner in Nuggets forwardNikola Jokic. Except they both sat out.

They weren't alone.

All the other regular starters for the Thunder and Nuggets were ruled out too. And around the NBA, no fewer than 168 players -- including 14 members of theMemphis Grizzlies-- were held out Friday night because of injury or illness.

Every team was playing game 81 -- the next-to-last game -- of their seasons Friday night. They are all off Saturday and then play Sunday to close the regular season.

Some teams had something to play for Friday. Some did not. Sometimes, that didn't seem to matter.

"If we didn't clinch [the No. 1 overall seed] coming into tonight, everybody would be playing," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault told reporters before the game. "We've earned the right through 80 games to manage their bodies and stuff like that."

Oklahoma City already had the No. 1 seed for the entirety of the postseason wrapped up, so rest and health appear to be the priority for the Thunder.

The Nuggets entered Friday still having seeding to play for, and in Jokic's case, there's still award eligibility to obtain. He needs to play in one more game, so it would seem likely that the Nuggets will play him Sunday so he can get on the ballot for MVP, All-NBA and other awards.

"We're all aware of that," Nuggets coach David Adelman told reporters before the game. Postgame, he said "an adult conversation" would be had Saturday about the best course of action.

Some players got to award eligibility with a few extra minutes to spare.

San Antonio'sVictor Wembanyama, needing to play 20 minutes to reach the 65-game standard and be eligible for postseason awards, was taken out after hitting exactly that number of minutes -- then went back into the game, evidently having convinced the Spurs that he needed a bit more on-court work.

He finished with 40 points, 13 rebounds and five assists in 26 minutes during a139-120 winover theDallas Mavericks.

"If I had 65 [games] before, I for sure wouldn't have played," Wembanyama said.

Said Spurs coach Mitch Johnson: "We need as much on-the-job training, on-the-court experience together as we can. That's what we're trying to do without overdoing it."

There was also a record shooting effort Friday. Boston made 29 3-pointers,tying the recordfor 3s in a game. It was the fourth time in NBA history a team made 29 and the second time this week after theMemphis Grizzliesdid it Monday in a loss to theCleveland Cavaliers.

"Hopefully, we didn't use them all up in one game," Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said.

Play-in dress rehearsal for Warriors?

Not everybody was resting for the playoffs.

Golden State was building for the postseason -- or at least what it hopes will be a playoff run. The Warriors are going to the play-in tournament and tuned up by gettingStephen Curry,Draymond GreenandKristaps Porzingisin the starting lineup together for the first time this season.

"We'll just take a look at that tonight," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "We have a season full of data and film on some of the combinations. But some of the decisions we have to make, there's no data. It's just kind of a hunch, so we have to give some of that a look tonight."

Jazz, Grizzlies combine to use 13 players

TheUtah Jazzused seven players in its147-101 winover the Grizzlies -- and was the deeper team. Memphis had only six players.

It wasn't the game of the year, to put it mildly.

"Congrats to the Jazz," Memphis coach Tuomas Iisalo said. "They played a really good game. Shot the ball really well. We knew we had limited bodies going into this game. Guys gave everything they had, but you could see they were extremely fatigued."

Jazz coach Will Hardy called the game a great way to end Utah's home schedule.

"Just a fun night," Hardy said.

Playoff picture becomes clearer

TheAtlanta Hawksbecame the 11th team to grab one of the 12 guaranteed playoff spots, rolling past a Cleveland team that satDonovan Mitchell.

"It feels great," guardCJ McCollumsaid after the Hawks clinched either the No. 5 or No. 6 seed spot in the East. "The guys did a great job of rallying together."

In other playoff-related news:

• Boston secured the No. 2 seed in the East, behind No. 1 seedDetroit(which had previously clinched).

•New Yorklocked up the No. 3 seed in the East.

• Cleveland is certain to be the No. 4 seed in the East after that loss to the Hawks.

•Charlottewill be in the play-in tournament after falling to Detroit.

•Orlandowill be in no worse than the 7-vs.-8 play-in game in the East.

•Miamiis locked into the 9-vs.-10 play-in game in the East.