The final game of the regular season is here! But for the Knicks, the job’s already done (at least for the Regular season). All thanks to the Pacers loss on Friday, New York’s now cemented to the 3rd seed in the East. So today’s matchup against the Nets? Pure vibes. No playoff implications, and no seeding drama.

The Knicks come in on a bit of a slide — three straight losses — but that’s not the focus right now. With the first-round matchup against Detroit locked in, all eyes are on health. And the big question is: Will Jalen Brunson play?

Well, that’s still up in the air. Brunson recently came back from a sprained ankle, and with nothing on the line tonight, Tom Thibodeau might just decide to keep him in bubble wrap. The same goes for OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and even Karl-Anthony Towns. Thibs hasn’t made any official calls, but safe to say the Knicks will lean toward caution.

And honestly, who could blame them? After months of Thibs and the organizational mantra screaming “NEVER BACK DOWN NEVER WHAT!”, the moment the team realized there was nothing left to fight for — at least for now — it makes total sense if they took their foot off the gas. Might even be the healthiest decision they’ve made all season.

Especially considering Jalen Brunson has been that guy at home lately — averaging 25.6 points, 6.4 assists, and 1.8 rebounds in his last five games at MSG. If there’s ever been a time to hit pause and protect your top dog, it’s now.

The Nets, on the other hand, are just trying to avoid a season sweep. At 26-55, it’s been a rough ride in Brooklyn, and they’ll be looking to salvage a little pride in this one. So while the stakes aren’t high, there’s still some intrigue. Whether Brunson suits up or not, it’s New York vs New York — and that always hits a little different.

With all that in mind, let’s take a quick look at who’s actually expected to suit up — and who’s probably getting the night off.

New York Knicks Injury Report

And yep, that ‘let’s chill for a sec’ mentality is showing up in the injury report too. Jalen Brunson is listed as questionable with that ankle that’s been nagging him. He just got back, so throwing him into a meaningless game would be pretty reckless. The same goes for OG Anunoby, who’s dealing with a right thumb sprain. It’s not the kind of thing that’ll keep him out long-term, but in a game that doesn’t affect playoff seeding? No need to risk it.

Josh Hart has also popped up on the report with a knee issue. Normally, he’s the kind of guy who’d play through a hurricane, but even Thibs might be thinking, “Let’s not tempt fate tonight.” And finally, Karl-Anthony Towns is questionable too, working through a knee concern of his own. If we’re being honest, it would be more surprising to see any of these guys on the floor than not. The Knicks know what time it is — and right now, it’s rest o’clock.

Now let’s take a quick check at the depth heading into this Brooklyn matchup — because if those questionable tags turn into DNPs, the Knicks’ rotation might be running real light tonight.

New York Knicks Depth Chart

With a handful of key guys potentially sitting out, here’s how the Knicks’ depth could shape up against the Nets — assuming the questionable crew stays sidelined.

Even with the Knicks possibly resting some key players, Brooklyn still faces a tough challenge. The Nets rank 27th in effective field goal percentage, making them one of the worst shooting teams this season.

Brooklyn’s weak interior defense is another major issue. They allow teams to shoot 56.8% from two-point range. This could be problematic against a Knicks team that scores 62% of their shots inside the arc. Even with some starters out, New York’s inside game could be too much for the Nets to handle.