NBA awards eligibility tracker: Kyrie Irving ineligible for year-end awards after lacking 18 video games – CBS Sports activities

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Forward of the 2023-24 season, the NBA launched a brand new participant participation coverage geared toward lowering load administration and “reinforcing that we’re an 82-game league,” commissioner Adam Silver mentioned. “Should you’re a wholesome participant on this league, the expectation is that you’ll play.”
Maybe essentially the most notable facet of the brand new guidelines is that to ensure that gamers to be eligible for main awards, they’ve to seem in at the very least 65 video games. For a sport to rely, a participant will need to have registered at the very least 20 minutes. Mentioned honors embody:
Because the season approaches the mid-way level, here is a take a look at which stars are both within the hazard zone or already eradicated from rivalry for lacking too many video games. 
The NBA’s help chief this season has now missed 12 video games as a result of a hamstring pressure he suffered on Jan. 8 in opposition to the Celtics. His preliminary return got here sooner than anticipated, but it surely turned out to be short-lived. After going for 21 factors and 17 assists in a loss to the Trail Blazers, he went again to the sideline, the place he is remained since. 
The veteran ahead has been the healthiest member of the Suns’ “Large Three,” and that is saying one thing. He is in the midst of one other spectacular scoring marketing campaign, however a couple of minor accidents right here and there have stored him out of seven video games up to now. Given his well being issues in current seasons — he hasn’t performed 65 video games since 2019, previous to his Achilles tendon tear — you need to marvel if he can maintain up within the second half. 
Booker bought off to a sluggish begin this season, lacking eight of the Suns’ first 10 video games as a result of an array of leg accidents; he harm his foot, ankle and calf within the span of some weeks. Since then, he is been again at an elite stage — he is averaging a career-high in assists — and has missed only one sport. Nonetheless, due to all of the absences early, he can solely miss eight extra video games if he needs to remain within the All-NBA dialog. 
Mitchell made his first All-NBA look final season, incomes a Second Workforce spot for serving to the Cavaliers make the playoffs for the primary time this century with out LeBron James. He’ll want to remain wholesome within the second half of the season if he needs to remain in that dialog, although. A hamstring harm and an sickness that left him in mattress for 4 days have stored him out of 9 video games already. 
Accidents are all the time a priority for the reigning MVP, who has by no means performed in additional than 68 video games in a season. After a dominant begin to the 2023-24 marketing campaign, Embiid is as soon as once more an the MVP favourite, however a collection of lower-body points in current weeks have raised issues about his capacity to get to 65 video games. He is missed 10 of the Sixers’ 43 video games up to now, which places him at a couple of 63-game tempo and removes a lot of his margin for error. Embiid can solely miss seven extra video games the remainder of the best way. 
The Warmth have been severely banged up this season, with star heart Bam Adebayo close to the highest of the record in missed video games. A hip harm stored him out for over two weeks at first of December, and all informed, he is already missed 10 video games. Whereas his affect on the defensive finish is plain, his hopes of constructing a fifth consecutive All-Defensive staff will relaxation on his capacity to remain on the court docket within the second half of the season. 
The Celtics are as soon as once more an elite defensive staff, thanks largely to the Latvian massive man, who arrived in a blockbuster commerce in the course of the summer season. It appears unlikely that he may have an opportunity to get into the All-Defensive conversations, nonetheless, as he is already missed 12 video games and has a prolonged harm historical past. The staff has been stopping him from enjoying in each halves of back-to-backs these days, and determine to be cautious together with his well being down the stretch. 
For somebody who claims that he does not begin “enjoying for actual” till after the All-Star break, Butler has made an All-NBA staff 5 occasions, together with three of the final 4 seasons. His odds of constructing the lower this time round are beginning to look slim, although as he is already missed 15 video games. To that time, it is value noting that Butler has solely performed 65 video games 4 occasions in his profession. 
Irving has performed properly for the Mavericks, although with the elite younger guards within the league these days he was all the time dealing with an uphill battle to make the All-NBA lower. In any case, he is now ineligible. A fluke foot harm stored him out for practically all of December and after a current thumb downside he is now missed too many video games. 
Beal’s first season within the desert has been cease and begin as a result of varied accidents. A again downside that started in coaching camp prevented him from making his debut till November, then nearly instantly pressured him again to the sideline for one more three weeks. Upon his return from that subject, he sprained his ankle and was dominated out an additional two weeks. All informed, he is already far surpassed the utmost variety of video games he might miss. 
The youngest Ball brother was off to an unimaginable begin this season earlier than struggling yet one more ankle harm in late November. He has since returned, however not earlier than lacking 20 video games over practically two months. Consequently, he has missed too many video games to be thought-about for any postseason honors. 
Morant just lately suffered a season-ending shoulder surgical procedure, however he was ineligible for any awards earlier than play even started. That, in fact, was as a result of the league suspended him for the primary 25 video games of the season as a result of a number of situations of brandishing a firearm on social media. Accidents and off-court issues stored him off ballots final season as properly, so this can be two consecutive seasons with none honors for the 2022 Most Improved Participant and All-NBA Second Teamer.  
CBS Sports activities will proceed to replace this story all through the rest of the season
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