The 65-Game Rule Impact

As the NBA season reaches its final weeks, the focus has shifted beyond mere performance to the league's stringent 65-game eligibility requirement. To be considered for major year-end honors, athletes must participate in at least 65 games during the 82-game schedule. This mandate has significantly altered the landscape of award races, already disqualifying several high-profile stars, including Giannis Antetokounmpo and Stephen Curry.


With less than a month of action remaining, the attention is now on stars teetering on the edge of this threshold. Injuries continue to plague key players, leaving some of the league's most impactful performers in danger of becoming ineligible.


Players Nearing the Eligibility Limit

Under the current league regulations, missing 18 games effectively rules a player out of contention for season-ending awards. Here are some notable players currently close to that limit:

  • Nikola Jokić (Nuggets): 16 games missed, hampered by a month-long absence due to a left knee injury.
  • Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers): 16 games missed following a recent recovery from a back injury.
  • Devin Booker (Suns): 16 games missed due to right hip and ankle issues.
  • Evan Mobley (Cavaliers): 15 games missed, largely due to recurring calf strains.
  • Victor Wembanyama (Spurs): 15 games missed early in the season with knee and calf ailments.
  • Kawhi Leonard (Clippers): 15 games missed related to foot and ankle complications.
  • Luka Dončić (Lakers): 12 games missed, including a recent hamstring issue before the All-Star break.
  • Cooper Flagg (Mavericks): 12 games missed, recently returning from a left foot sprain.
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder): 11 games missed, recently sidelined by an abdominal strain.
  • Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves): 11 games missed due to knee inflammation and previous leg injuries.
  • Cade Cunningham (Pistons): 7 games missed, though his status is currently uncertain due to an indefinite absence following a lung injury.

Confirmed Ineligible Stars

Several standout players have already accumulated enough missed games to mathematically eliminate them from consideration for year-end awards. This list includes:

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jimmy Butler, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Joel Embiid, Josh Giddey, LeBron James, Lauri Markkanen, Ja Morant, Austin Reaves, Domantas Sabonis, Franz Wagner, Jalen Williams, and Trae Young.