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Today marks the 86th birthday of John Havlicek, who passed away in 2019. His career remains one of the most underrated in NBA history, winning eight championships over 16 years (six alongside Bill Russell) and scoring a total of 26,395 points. Havlicek ranks 22nd in historical scoring but finished behind only Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson in his career. He was a 13-time All-Star, an 11-time All-NBA selection, and an eight-time All-Defense member, boasting an impressive resume.
Never Stop Ranting
Examining the Flaws in the 65-Game Rule
There appears to be enough exceptions in the 65-game rule that Victor Wembanyama could still qualify for awards, despite dealing with a rib contusion. The Spurs’ standout left Monday’s game against the 76ers after only 16 minutes, failing to meet the minimum 20-minute mark necessary for it to count toward the 65 games.
Wemby has participated in 61 games where he played 20 or more minutes. However, recent findings might help him reach the required 65:
- Players can have limited exceptions for games played with 15 to 19 minutes. Wemby has two such games, which could bring his total to 63, provided both exceptions are granted.
- Interestingly, participation in the NBA Cup final counts toward the 65-game tally, a game Wemby played in, increasing his count to 64.
While Wemby is questionable for tonight’s game against Portland due to his rib issue, it’s not considered serious. If he misses this game, he’ll need to play a minimum of 20 minutes in either Friday’s match against Dallas or Sunday’s game against Denver to secure eligibility.
In summary, Wemby might lack enough 20-minute games to hit 65 but could meet enough exceptions to qualify. Similarly, Luka Dončić is just one game shy of 65 due to a hamstring injury but is appealing the two games he missed for the birth of his child. This appeal will push back award voting until resolved. Other players, like Cade Cunningham, have faced injuries without similar exceptions to count toward their season.
It’s crucial to remember that to qualify as a scoring or rebounding leader, a player only needs to participate in 58 games (or 70% of their team’s games). Therefore, while Luka might become the scoring champion, he may miss out on awards eligibility, and Wemby may lead in blocks but miss out on Defensive Player of the Year honors.
