65‑game rule still biting
The NBA’s 65-game eligibility rule is still shaping late-season lineup decisions and adding roster intrigue as teams push for seeding down the stretch. Analysts say the rule is changing how coaches allocate minutes and manage load for stars who are borderline on the 65-game threshold. (nytimes.com)
The CBA requires players to appear in at least 65 regular-season games and log a minimum of 20 minutes in those games to be eligible for MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, All‑NBA and All‑Defensive honors, with a maximum of two “near‑miss” games where 15–19 minutes will still count. (nbcsports.com) (nbcsportsphiladelphia.com) There is a narrow season‑ending‑injury exception: a player with 62 qualifying games can remain eligible if those appearances represented at least 85% of his team’s games before the injury was ruled season‑ending. (espn.com) (nbcsportsphiladelphia.com) League analysts and award trackers from ESPN and Sporting News say the 65‑game threshold has become a central variable in the MVP and All‑NBA races and that voting conversations now factor games‑played math alongside on‑court performance. (espn.com) (espn.com) Detroit’s Cade Cunningham was diagnosed with a collapsed left lung on March 19 and will be re‑evaluated in two weeks, an absence the Pistons described as an “extended period.” (nba.com) (nba.com) Cunningham had appeared in 61 games this season and—because one recent outing lasted only five minutes and therefore didn’t meet the 20‑minute threshold—was credited with 60 qualifying games when he was sidelined, putting his All‑NBA and MVP eligibility at risk with roughly 14 regular‑season games remaining for Detroit. (freep.com) (freep.com) Coaching voices have pushed back publicly: Golden State’s Steve Kerr said the rule “needs to be revamped” while pointing out Draymond Green’s season includes multiple sub‑20‑minute appearances, and Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff warned “guys should not have to feel they have to play hurt or injured.” (yahoo.com) (sports.yahoo.com) Because All‑NBA and DPOY selections are tied to contract and supermax eligibility negotiated in the 2023 CBA, missing the 65‑game mark can cost players tens of millions of dollars in future pay tiers, a factor teams and agents are watching as seeding and minute plans collide in the final weeks. (espn.com) (espn.com)
