Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Victor Wembanyama are dominating the NBA's MVP race to start the season. However, recent injuries have already taken a toll on the candidates.
Antetokounmpo left Monday night's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers early due to a groin strain and is expected to miss one to two weeks. Giannis was in such bad shape that he had to be removed from the game early as the injury threatened his availability for an additional five games before returning on December 1st. Wembanyama also suffered a calf strain against the Golden State Warriors this past Friday and will be re-evaluated in two to three weeks.
This could potentially knock both players out of MVP consideration entirely if they remain sidelined longer than expected. The NBA's new rule that requires players to play at least 65 games, including 20 minutes in 63 of them, to be eligible for MVP, Defensive Player of the Year or the All-NBA teams has taken its first hit with these injuries.
Wembanyama played just 12 games before missing two consecutive games. He would have only been able to miss eight more games across the remainder of the season before becoming ineligible for MVP if his calf strain is prolonged. The 65-game requirement could be a major setback in Wembanyama's quest to repeat as DPOY.
Antetokounmpo has already missed three games this season, including Thursday's loss against the Philadelphia 76ers, and played only 13 minutes before departing against the Cavaliers on Monday. He will miss at least five more games if he remains sidelined for two weeks. Antetokounmpo would be out for Milwaukee's next five games before returning on December 1st, reducing his margin for error.
With how well Gilgeous-Alexander, Doncic and Jokic are playing over the first month of the season, it may prove difficult for Antetokounmpo and Wembanyama to top them even if they remain eligible. The number of games played and total minutes tend to be tiebreakers in ultra-close MVP races.
However, the 65-game requirement might not only affect the MVP race but also other awards such as All-NBA consideration. Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder forward who earned his first All-NBA nod last season, is already in danger of missing out on another due to a wrist injury that has forced him to miss 16 games this year. LeBron James, who has 21 straight All-NBA nods and counting, is also in grave danger of seeing his streak snapped this year.
James missed the Lakers' first 14 games this year due to sciatica on his right side and can now miss only three more games over the Lakers' final 67 to remain eligible for All-NBA. However, with James turning 41 in late December, the odds are firmly against him reaching the 65-game threshold.
The injuries could have a ripple effect on contracts and team chemistry if multiple stars wind up ineligible for these awards.
Antetokounmpo left Monday night's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers early due to a groin strain and is expected to miss one to two weeks. Giannis was in such bad shape that he had to be removed from the game early as the injury threatened his availability for an additional five games before returning on December 1st. Wembanyama also suffered a calf strain against the Golden State Warriors this past Friday and will be re-evaluated in two to three weeks.
This could potentially knock both players out of MVP consideration entirely if they remain sidelined longer than expected. The NBA's new rule that requires players to play at least 65 games, including 20 minutes in 63 of them, to be eligible for MVP, Defensive Player of the Year or the All-NBA teams has taken its first hit with these injuries.
Wembanyama played just 12 games before missing two consecutive games. He would have only been able to miss eight more games across the remainder of the season before becoming ineligible for MVP if his calf strain is prolonged. The 65-game requirement could be a major setback in Wembanyama's quest to repeat as DPOY.
Antetokounmpo has already missed three games this season, including Thursday's loss against the Philadelphia 76ers, and played only 13 minutes before departing against the Cavaliers on Monday. He will miss at least five more games if he remains sidelined for two weeks. Antetokounmpo would be out for Milwaukee's next five games before returning on December 1st, reducing his margin for error.
With how well Gilgeous-Alexander, Doncic and Jokic are playing over the first month of the season, it may prove difficult for Antetokounmpo and Wembanyama to top them even if they remain eligible. The number of games played and total minutes tend to be tiebreakers in ultra-close MVP races.
However, the 65-game requirement might not only affect the MVP race but also other awards such as All-NBA consideration. Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder forward who earned his first All-NBA nod last season, is already in danger of missing out on another due to a wrist injury that has forced him to miss 16 games this year. LeBron James, who has 21 straight All-NBA nods and counting, is also in grave danger of seeing his streak snapped this year.
James missed the Lakers' first 14 games this year due to sciatica on his right side and can now miss only three more games over the Lakers' final 67 to remain eligible for All-NBA. However, with James turning 41 in late December, the odds are firmly against him reaching the 65-game threshold.
The injuries could have a ripple effect on contracts and team chemistry if multiple stars wind up ineligible for these awards.
these guys were already dominating the MVP race and now they're gonna be out for weeks or even months? it's like, can't a guy just get a break around here? 
. and yeah, the 65-game rule is definitely gonna be a tough hill to climb for them now... don't even get me started on jalen williams' wrist injury, that's like, what's the point of being all-nba if u can barely play due to a minor issue? 
and lebron james is already getting older, i mean, 41 is no joke... hopefully he can make it happen but it feels like a long shot at this point 
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. He's one of my favorite players to watch, but with this groin strain he's gonna miss some big games. It's like, imagine not being able to play in the playoffs or make a deep run in the playoffs 
. And I don't know if anyone can replace him on the court. The 65-game rule is pretty harsh, you feel? I get that they want players to put in effort and all, but it's like, come on! Can't we just have some flexibility or something? 
. These superstar injuries are going to have major implications not just on their MVP chances but also the entire team dynamics and contract negotiations. It's like, if Giannis is out for two weeks, who's going to be the real leader on that Milwaukee Bucks squad? 
And what about LeBron's streak? I mean, he's been getting All-NBA nods since we were all still in diapers 
and Victor Wembanyama's calf strain is super worrying too - he's already so young and talented, I feel bad for him 
. And what about LeBron James? dude's got 21 straight All-NBA nods, that's insane 
. It'll be interesting to see how all this plays out 
.