By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
As the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season enters its final 48 hours, the availability of Europe’s biggest stars has become the primary storyline for both postseason seeding and individual award eligibility. The Denver Nuggets have listed Serbian center Nikola Jokic as questionable for Friday’s matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to right wrist injury management. The Joker must appear in one of the team’s final two contests to remain eligible for season-ending awards, a crucial factor as the team also seeks a single victory to clinch the Western Conference’s third seed.
The conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder, having already secured homecourt advantage throughout the Playoffs, presented by Google, will proceed with caution. The top-seeded squad has ruled out German center Isaiah Hartenstein for left soleus injury management and Belgian guard Ajay Mitchell due to left ankle injury management.
Meanwhile, French sensation Victor Wembanyama is listed as questionable for the San Antonio Spurs against the Dallas Mavericks with a left rib contusion. Similar to Jokic, Wembanyama requires one more appearance to meet the league’s games-played requirement for award consideration and is expected to reach that threshold.
In Los Angeles, Slovenia’s Luka Doncic is expected to miss the Los Angeles Lakers’ final games with a left hamstring strain, leaving his own award eligibility in question. Head coach JJ Redick noted that the Ljubljana native is in relatively good spirits while rehabilitating in Spain.
In the Eastern Conference, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been ruled out by the Milwaukee Bucks for their final home game against the Brooklyn Nets due to a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise. This leaves the Greek Freak with only one opportunity to return this season when the team faces the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.
Roster adjustments continue across the league as teams solidify their positions. Czechia’s Vit Krejci has been upgraded to questionable for the Portland Trail Blazers ahead of their clash with the Los Angeles Clippers, while Latvia’s Kristaps Porzingis is expected to return for the Golden State Warriors despite right knee soreness. However, his Dutch teammate Quinten Post remains sidelined. France’s Rudy Gobert will rest for a second straight game now that the Minnesota Timberwolves have locked in sixth place, and the Miami Heat are unlikely to risk Serbian forward Nikola Jovic, who is nursing a left ankle sprain, with their tenth-place seeding already secured.
For teams removed from the postseason picture, the focus shifts to recovery. Croatia’s Karlo Matkovic is questionable for the New Orleans Pelicans against the Boston Celtics, while the Washington Wizards continue to manage ailments for the French duo of Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr, as well as Serbia’s Tristan Vukcevic. While Lithuania’s Matas Buzelis may return for the Chicago Bulls, France’s Noa Essengue is officially out for the season. Other sidelined European players include Russia’s Egor Demin and Israel’s Danny Wolf of the Nets, Spain’s Santi Aldama of the Memphis Grizzlies, Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Jusuf Nurkic and Finland’s Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz, Croatia’s Ivica Zubac of the Indiana Pacers, Lithuania’s Domantas Sabonis of the Sacramento Kings, and Switzerland’s Yanic Konan Niederhauser of the Los Angeles Clippers.