In recent weeks, Nikola Jokic has surged in the MVP race as the Denver Nuggets star is contending with the San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama and the frontrunner for the award, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
SGA has maintained his lead as the favorite in odds, and most expect he will win his second consecutive MVP award, following in the footsteps of Jokic. However, a debate has emerged about how much of a season an NBA player must play to remain eligible for the award.
Injuries have struck other contenders, including the Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic, the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards, and the Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham. Without playing at least 65 games for the season, those individuals won’t be eligible.
Of them, Doncic could still have a chance at eligibility, as he is attempting to file a grievance for an exception after missing two games this season due to the birth of his daughter, considered a personal event rather than an injury.
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Meanwhile, Jokic remained in the conversation as a potential vote-getter with his final game approaching. However, the Nuggets’ injury report for Sunday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs revealed he is “questionable” to play.
That news arrived after Jokic didn’t play in Friday’s game against the Thunder, who are currently the top team in the Western Conference.
According to reports, Denver’s big man needs to play just 15 minutes on Sunday to keep his eligibility for the MVP award. Interestingly enough, he would face Wembanyama in the game, after a recent battle between the two bigs and MVP contenders in which the Nuggets prevailed 136-134 in overtime.
Wemby is also on his team’s injury report as a game-time decision due to a rib injury. However, many players could sit out Sunday’s games as teams look to rest their key starters and stars ahead of the postseason.
In addition to Jokic’s MVP votes, the game brings postseason implications for the Nuggets. As of this writing, the team is 53-28 and sits in third place in the Western Conference standings. However, a loss on Sunday could drop them to fourth, and another team could overtake them for that No. 3 seed in the West.
Some believe that a serious issue needs to be addressed regarding the NBA’s 65-game requirement for postseason awards consideration. With Jokic needing to play only 15 minutes, it seems possible he could play, but one has to wonder if it’s worth the risk in the Nuggets’ final game.
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