OKC Thunder Rests Starters Against Denver Nuggets

Oklahoma City clinches top NBA record, looks to help Denver's playoff positioning

Apr. 10, 2026 at 11:26am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a basketball game between the Thunder and Nuggets, with the players and court action broken down into overlapping planes of vibrant team colors.The Thunder's strategic decision to rest their starters against the Nuggets adds an extra layer of intrigue to the final days of the NBA regular season.Oklahoma City Today

The Oklahoma City Thunder, who have already clinched the best record in the NBA, are resting most of their key players for their final two regular season games, including Friday's matchup against the Denver Nuggets. This move is seen as an effort to help the Nuggets maintain their current No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, keeping them on the opposite side of the bracket from the Thunder.

Why it matters

The Thunder have already secured home court advantage throughout the playoffs, so they have little to gain by playing their starters in these final two games. By resting their top players, they are essentially conceding the game to the Nuggets, who are still jockeying for playoff positioning in the crowded Western Conference.

The details

Oklahoma City will be without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Alex Caruso, Isaiah Hartenstein, Chet Holmgren, and several other key contributors. This leaves the Thunder with a limited roster of role players, including Lu Dort, Jared McCain, and Kenrich Williams. The Nuggets, meanwhile, are still uncertain about the availability of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon for this game.

  • The Thunder's final two regular season games are on Friday, April 10 against the Nuggets and Sunday, April 12 against the Suns.
  • The Nuggets are still fighting for playoff positioning, with a chance to finish as high as the No. 3 seed or as low as the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.

The players

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

The Thunder's star point guard and leading scorer, who will be rested for this game.

Nikola Jokic

The Nuggets' All-Star center, who is listed as questionable for this game as Denver continues to jockey for playoff positioning.

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What’s next

The Nuggets will look to take advantage of the Thunder's resting players and secure a win that could help them maintain their position in the Western Conference playoff race. The Thunder, meanwhile, will turn their focus to resting up for the playoffs, where they will look to make a deep run and potentially capture their first NBA championship.

The takeaway

This game highlights the strategic maneuvering that can occur at the end of the NBA regular season, as teams with playoff positioning already secured look to help or hinder their potential postseason opponents. The Thunder's decision to rest their starters could have a significant impact on the Nuggets' playoff seeding, demonstrating the complex dynamics at play in the final days of the season.