The NBA’s 65-game policy for postseason awards such as MVP, All-NBA, defensive player of the year, an all-defensive team and most improved player is in its second season.
Last season, Joel Embiid was ineligible to win league MVP for a second straight season as he played in 39 games. Embiid averaged a career-high 34.7 points.
So, who has already surpassed 65 games, who is close and who won’t reach that number for postseason awards? The Arizona Republic is tracking award candidates going into Saturday’s games to see where they stand in gaining eligibility for postseason honors.
Already reached 65 games
Jaden McDaniels (Minnesota Timberwolves) 68 games. All-Defense candidate. One of the NBA’s premier defenders made all-defensive second team last season.
Naz Reid (Minnesota Timberwolves) 67 games. Sixth man candidate. Won it last season. Averaging career highs in points (14.7), rebounds (6.1) and assists (2.2) this season.
Jalen Green (Houston Rockets) 67 games. All-NBA candidate. Leads team in scoring at 21.1 points a game. With the Rockets looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2019-20, Green will likely field some votes for All-NBA and maybe even most improved.
Payton Pritchard (Boston Celtics) 66 games. Most improved, sixth man candidate. Averaging a career-high 14.1 points and shooting 41.5% from 3, Pritchard is a prime candidate for multiple individual awards.
Christian Braun (Denver Nuggets) 66 games. Most improved candidate. Has doubled his scoring average from last season (7.3) to this season (career-high 15.3).
Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves) 65 games. All-NBA. NBA’s fifth-leading scorer at 27.2 points a game, a career-best.
Pascal Siakam (Indiana Pacers) 65 games. All-NBA. Seventh straight season averaging 20-plus points. Shooting career-high 39.9% from 3.
Close to 65 games (Almost there)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) 64 games. Leading candidate for MVP, All-NBA. Averaging 32.8 points for top team in the West. Looking for first MVP. Will make first-team All-NBA.
James Harden (Los Angeles Clippers) 64 games. All-NBA. Averaging 22.4 points and 8.7 assists, Harden helped hold it down for Clippers when Kawhi Leonard was out with injury.
Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat) 64 games. All-Defense. Adebayo made first team All-Defense last season. He remains one of the league’s top defenders.
Derrick White (Boston Celtics) 64 games. All-Defense. Celtics are fifth in defensive rating this season thanks in large part to White’s ability and play on that end.
Tyler Herro (Miami Heat) 63 games. All-NBA. First-time All-Star is averaging career-high 23.8 points this season.
Alperen Sengun (Houston Rockets) 63 games. All-NBA. First-time All-Star is averaging a double-double for first time in his career – 19.2 points and 10.4 rebounds.
Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics) 62 games. All-NBA. He’s fifth in the NBA in scoring at 27.3 points a game. Tatum will receive some MVP votes, but not nearly enough for what he brings.
Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons) 62 games. All-NBA. First-time All-Star is 10th in the NBA in scoring at 25.9 points in leading Detroit back to playoffs for first time since 2018-19.
Darius Garland (Cleveland Cavaliers) 62 games. All-NBA. Averaging 21 points on 47.6% shooting (40.8% from 3), Garland playing huge role for NBA-best Cavs.
Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks) 62 games. All-NBA. He’s averaging 23.9 points and leading the NBA in assists at 11.5 a game. Award worthy numbers for sure.
Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) 61 games. MVP. All-NBA. Averaging a triple double – 29 points, 12.8 boards and 10.3 assists – the three-time MVP could easily win a fourth this year.
Jalen Williams (Oklahoma City Thunder). 61 games. All-NBA. First-team All-Star is averaging career-high 21.3 points for top team in West.
Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks) 61 games. All-NBA. Out with an ankle injury, Brunson is eighth in NBA in scoring at 26.8 points. Playoff-bound Knicks have 17 games left.
Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns) 61 games. All-NBA. Suns are having down season at 31-36, but Booker is 11th in the NBA in scoring at 25.8 points a game.
Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers) 60 games. All-NBA. MVP. Leading scorer at 24.2 points a game for the NBA’s best team. Will likely get MVP votes as well.
Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies) 60 games. All-NBA. All-Defense. DPOY. He won defensive player of the year two years ago. Now a first-time All-Star who is averaging a career-high 22.6 points, Jackson Jr. will be in the running for awards.
Amen Thompson (Houston Rockets) 60 games. All-Defense. Most improved. Averaging a career-high 14 points on 55% shooting, Thompson is averaging 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks.
50-59 games (Have a little more work to do)
Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers) 59 games. All-Defense. DPOY. The first-time All-Star just won NBA defensive player of the month in February to mark the first time ever a player has received the monthly honor twice in one season. First year of the monthly honor, but still.
LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers) 58 games. All-NBA. Out with a groin injury, James continues to defy age. The 40-year-old is averaging 25 points, 8.5 assists and 8.2 rebounds.
Karl-Anthony Towns (New York Knicks) 58 games. All-NBA. Having one of his best seasons in his first year in New York in averaging 24.2 points on 52.4% shooting, 13.2 rebounds and shooting a career-best 42.2% from 3.
Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) 57 games. All-NBA. Making 4,000 career 3s alone puts Curry in award contention. With him and recent addition Jimmy Butler, Golden State is on the rise. He’s averaging 24.3 points and 6.1 assists as well.
Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings) 57 games. All-NBA. He’s tied with Jokic for most double-doubles this season with 51. Sabonis also leads the league in rebounding at 14.1 boards a game.
Damian Lillard (Milwaukee Bucks) 55 games. All-NBA. He’s averaging more points than LeBron James and Stephen Curry at 25.2 in his second season with the Bucks.
Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics) 55 games. All-NBA. Averaging 23 points, Brown earned respect in winning finals MVP last year. That may play a role in voting for All-NBA this year.
Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns) 54 games. All-NBA. He’s seventh in the NBA in scoring at 26.7 points a game, has reached 30,000 career points, but the Suns are a below-.500 team.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks) 53 games. All-NBA, MVP. All-Defense needs 12 games to reach 65. The Bucks have 17 games left. Clear MVP numbers – 30.5 ppg, 12.1 rpg., 5.9 apg.
Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers) 52 games. All-NBA. He’s having a career year in averaging 26.3 points, but is currently out with low back sprain and finger sprain.
Out of award contention
Kyrie Irving (Dallas Mavericks) Games played 50. All-NBA. Needs 15 games to reach 65. The Mavs have 14 left. Irving is out with a season-ending knee injury. So he won’t reach 65 games in what has been a standout season as he’s averaging 24.7 points and shooting 40.1% from 3.
Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs). Games played 46. All-NBA. All-Defense. DPOY. Needs 19 games to reach 65. Spurs have 17 games left. The NBA’s top shot blocker at 3.8 blocks a game was averaging 24.3 points and 11 rebounds. Making his first All-Star appearance, Wembanyama is out with a season-ending blood clot in his right shoulder.
Norman Powell (Los Angeles Clippers). Games played 46. All-NBA. Most improved. Needs 19 games to reach 65. Clippers have 15 games left. Already an All-Star snub, Powell isn’t eligible to make All-NBA, but is having a career year in averaging 23.8 points.
Anthony Davis (Dallas Mavericks). Games played 43. All-NBA. All-Defense. DPOY. Needs 22 games to reach 65. Mavs have 14 games left. Davis is currently out with a groin injury and may not return this season. Averaging double-double of 25.7 points on 52.8% shooting and 12 rebounds to go with 2.2 blocks, Davis was award-worthy.
LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets). Games played 43. All-NBA. Needs 22 games to reach 65. Hornets only have 16 games left. Averaging a career-high 25.5 points, Ball won the fan vote for NBA All-Star East starting guard. Plays for a bad team, but he’d get All-NBA votes.
Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies). Games played 43. All-NBA. Needs 22 games to reach 65. Grizzlies have 15 games left. When healthy, Morant is must see, averaging 22.3 points and 7.4 assists, but he’s hasn’t been healthy enough for postseason honors.
Luka Doncic (Los Angeles Lakers). Games played 35. All-NBA. Needs 30 games to reach 65. The Lakers only have 17 games left. The NBA’s fourth-leading scorer at 27.4 points a game has been first-team All-NBA the previous five seasons. That string of excellence will end this season.
Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers). Games played 19. All-NBA. Needs 46 games to reach 65. The 76ers only have 16 games left. One of the game’s best has been ruled out for the season with multiple injuries.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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