The NBA’s 65-game rule was introduced to promote availability and protect the integrity of major awards. Now it may end up reshaping the MVP race entirely.
Under league guidelines, players must appear in at least 65 games to qualify for end-of-season honors. With roughly a quarter of the season remaining, several MVP frontrunners are walking a tightrope, and that might hand Cade Cunningham the award.
Cunningham has played in 49 of his team’s 55 games, missing just six. That gives him a cushion of 11 more games before he becomes ineligible. According to projections from Tom Haberstroh, he is on pace to finish with 73 games played. In an award race increasingly influenced by durability, that matters.
His numbers are elite. Cunningham is averaging 25.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 9.8 assists while shooting 46.3% from the field. He is leading the Detroit Pistons to the best record in the NBA at 42-13. The Pistons’ resurgence has been one of the season’s biggest storylines, and Cunningham sits at the center of it. Even without the rule, he would have a compelling case. With it, his path may be even clearer.
Now compare that to the other top candidates.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, widely considered the current frontrunner, has played 49 of his team’s 60 games. He can only miss six more contests. He is on pace to hit 67 games, barely clearing the threshold. The problem is timing.
Shai has already missed the last seven games and was reported on February 20 to be out at least another week. If he misses the next three games before returning around the 27th or 28th, that leaves him with only three more allowable absences the rest of the way. One additional setback could derail his eligibility entirely. For a player leading a title contender, that is a massive variable.
Luka Doncic is also in danger. He has appeared in 44 of 56 games, meaning he can only miss five more. At his current pace, he projects to finish with 64 games, which would fall short. With nagging injuries and several back-to-backs remaining for the Los Angeles Lakers, the margin for error is razor-thin.
Then there is Victor Wembanyama. He has played 43 of 56 games and can miss only four more. His projected total sits around 63 games, which would disqualify him not only from MVP consideration but also from Defensive Player of the Year eligibility. For a player anchoring a rising contender, that would be a frustrating technicality.
Finally, Nikola Jokic has played 42 of 58 games and can miss just one more before becoming ineligible. He is on pace for only 59 games, meaning his MVP hopes may effectively hinge on perfect health down the stretch.
Here is the irony. Three of these four superstars play for legitimate contenders. The Thunder are defending champions. The Spurs and Nuggets are serious threats. The Lakers remain in the playoff mix. Each of those teams relies heavily on its franchise player.
Cunningham does as well. The difference is availability.
The 65-game rule was designed to reward players who show up consistently. If injuries continue to sideline the other frontrunners, the award may default not to the flashiest narrative, but to the healthiest star. And right now, that star is Cade Cunningham.
