#nba-mvp-race

#nba-mvp-race

There is a new candidate for MVP this season that is dominating the race, and it wears the number "65". A few years ago, the NBA set a threshold of 65 games played for any player to be considered for any individual award. The threshold was part of the league's effort to cut down on the perceived "load management" that was becoming very unpopular among the fanbase, but the decision has yielded unintended consequences.

Nikola Jokic injured his knee on Monday night and is expected to miss the next month, which has a profound impact on the NBA MVP race. In the short term, it narrows the field down to one huge favorite in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. But in the long run, this trend of injuries could end up widening the field to include players previously not even in the hunt.

Victor Wembanyama is one of the NBA's best players, but does he have a real chance to win his first MVP award this season after missing the past two weeks with a calf injury? The odds are against him -- he enters December at 150-1 to win the award on DraftKings Sportsbook -- but the San Antonio superstar shouldn't be counted out.