The NBA’s new player participation policy has successfully made star players around the league stay available to hit a minimum threshold of games for awards consideration. But players with actual injuries have been penalized severely, as Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell is now ineligible for awards after missing his 18th game of the season.
Many stars around the NBA face this problem, most notably Joel Embiid. Embiid’s MVP campaign was derailed after he seemingly forced himself to play while injured to not lose his eligibility. Jimmy Butler is also ineligible but openly declared he didn’t care about All-NBA selections anyway. Other notable stars to have missed 18 or more games this season include Kyrie Irving, Bradley Beal, and Julius Randle, among others.
Mitchell missed his seventh straight game with a left knee bone bruise tonight as the Cavaliers lost 111-117 to the Phoenix Suns. Minor injuries throughout the season had caused Mitchell to miss 11 before this stretch. He is averaging 28.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.8 steals per game this season, but will now be out of the running for the All-NBA recognition he deserves.
Mitchell had a genuine shot at making the All-NBA team for his incredible performances in Cleveland this season. He led the team to one of its best stretches of wins this season while Darius Garland and Evan Mobley were out injured. They have gone 9-9 in the 18 games Mitchell has missed and 32-15 when he’s available.
With the Cavaliers pushing up on the No. 2 seed in the East, he’d be a shoo-in for an All-NBA selection if he was eligible. Unfortunately, the Cavaliers superstar will miss out on the honor.
More Stars Could Miss Out On Eligibility
Mitchell is the latest casualty of the new 65-game requirement for post-season awards but more star players may join him very soon. One player on the bubble of eligibility is Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns. Despite Booker averaging 27.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 6.8 assists for the Suns, he could be out of the All-NBA race if he misses four more games.
Tyrese Haliburton rushed back from a hamstring injury to keep himself eligible for All-NBA as it could result in supermax eligibility if he makes the All-NBA team. The league’s assist leader, Haliburton can only miss five games more to keep himself in the running for his first All-NBA selection.
Stars like Trae Young and Karl-Anthony Towns might not have made the All-NBA team this season but their incredible contributions will fall under the 65-game mark after their regular-season-ending injuries. KAT can miss 13 more games while Young has only five games left.
Thankfully, many of the MVP candidates and All-NBA locks are about to reach the 65-game requirement to solidify their position. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic have played 63 games already this season, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Edwards have played 62 games, and Jayson Tatum has played 60 games. Right outside the 60-game mark, we have the likes of Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James, and Luka Doncic, who have all played 57 games.
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