What is the 65-game rule in the NBA? A closer look at latest restricting impacting stars' awards
The NBA's 65-game rule was introduced before the season started in an effort to invoke greater player participation in light of the recent load management controversy.
However, despite being passed by the NBPA, the rule has been subject to criticism from players.
The 65-game rule requires players to play at least 65 games in the season (85% of the total games) to qualify for season awards and All-NBA team selections. Of the 65, a player is required to play 63 games with at least 20 minutes and two games with between 15 and 20 minutes. If the player plays only 14 minutes, even in one of the two games, and exits due to injury, he will not be qualified for the awards.
The awards affected by the rule include MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, the All-NBA teams and the All-Defensive teams.
One of the reasons that the 65-game rule has come under heavy criticism is because so many star players have already been disqualified from the awards race.
Joel Embiid is one of the most prominent names affected. He was a frontrunner in the MVP race from the start. He was averaging 35.3 points per game before he went down with a knee injury on Jan. 30. But he was already in jeopardy because he had missed 12 games before the injury.
Donovan Mitchell, Jimmy Butler, Kyrie Irving and Jamal Murray are other big names who have been disqualified by the rule.
Players have a clause like All-NBA team selections in their contracts, so they are in jeopardy of missing millions of dollars because of the 65-game rule.
Tyrese Haliburton calls 65-game rule "stupid"
Tyrese Haliburton was on the brink of missing out on a lot of money in addition to the All-NBA team selections because of the 65-game rule. In January, the Indiana Pacers star faced a hamstring injury and missed 10 of the next 11 games.
Haliburton blasted the 65-game rule in an article in The Athletic.
“I think it’s a stupid rule, like plenty of the guys in the league, but this is what the owners want, so as players, we gotta do our job and play in 65 games if we’re able to,” Haliburton said.
“So, that’s what I gotta do, take care of my body to be able to play in those games, and I think you’re seeing other players in the league kind of face the same thing. As long as the owners are happy.”
Haliburton has had a breakout season. The Pacers guard has played 56 games, needing nine more in the Pacers' remaining 13 games to qualify for the end-season awards and make an extra $41 million from his contract.