"As we approach the midpoint of the NBA regular season -- on Thursday, the Atlanta Hawks will become the first team to reach 41 games -- the league's rule requiring 65 qualifying games for the biggest individual awards is making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Nikola Jokic's bid for a fourth MVP, which had him as a slight favorite over reigning winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, almost certainly ended with a hyperextension of his knee last Monday."
"Last season, Cade Cunningham (All-NBA third team) and Evan Mobley (both Defensive Player of the Year and All-NBA second team) triggered escalators that increased their rookie extensions to 30% of the cap rather than the 25% that would otherwise be the maximum. We'll keep an eye on similar situations while running through the current leaders, contenders and long shots for each of the NBA's most prestigious individual honors -- for now."
As the NBA nears the midpoint, Atlanta reaches 41 games and the 65-game award eligibility rule is influencing award races. Nikola Jokic's hyperextended knee likely ended his fourth-MVP bid, while Victor Wembanyama's two missed games after his New Year's Eve hyperextension could disqualify him. Several recent All-NBA selections — Tyrese Haliburton, Jayson Tatum and Jalen Williams — are already out, and Giannis Antetokounmpo faces the risk of missing enough games. All-NBA selections affect supermax escalators, as seen when Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley triggered rookie-extension increases to 30% last season. Similar cases among leaders and contenders merit attention.
Read at ESPN.com
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