Rockets to Rest Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr. vs Grizzlies

The 2025-26 NBA regular season is nearly in the books. There's just one game left on the schedule. For everyone.

And it's been a great regular season, which means the postseason will be a treat for sports fans and especially basketball fans. The Houston Rockets face off against the Memphis Grizzlies for the fourth time of the season and enter the matchup 3-0 on the year.

This game will be much different, on the Rockets' side, however, as the team will be resting Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun, Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson. This makes sense, as the Rockets are firmly entrenched in the fifth seed in the Western Conference standings.

Regardless of whether they win or lose in the final game, it won't change that fact. So it makes sense to give rest to the players, where possible.

Thompson leads the entire league in minutes played this season and Durant ranks second in the same category (which is insane for a 37-year-old, I might add). Sengun has also had a rough bout with injuries this season, which has limited his effectiveness through certain stretches of the season.

Smith has played 35.1 minutes per contest, which ranks eighth in the NBA this season. He's certainly been a key player for the Rockets, as the team has gone 13-4 when he scores at least 20 points. The team is also undefeated when Smith scores 30 points, and are 3-0 when he scores at least 25 points.

If the playoffs were to start today, the Rockets would be facing the Los Angeles Lakers, but there will certainly be a significant amount of change and shake-up in the standings on the final day of NBA action across the league Sunday.

The Denver Nuggets matchup against the San Antonio Spurs will have a significant outcome on the Rockets' opening round postseason matchup. If the Nuggets beat the Spurs, the Rockets will be facing the Lakers in the first round.

If the Nuggets lose to the Spurs, the Rockets will be facing Denver in the first round. Much like the Rockets, Denver has opted to rest their key players, as Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun and Cam Johnson are all listed as out for tomorrow's game between Denver and San Antonio.

The Nuggets have Nikola Jokic listed as questionable for the match but may be incentivized to play him, in order for Jokic to reach the NBA's 65-game mandate, which went into effect this season, as a way to mitigate load management. If Jokic sits on Sunday, he'd be ineligible to receive any end of season awards.