Lakers’ Luka Doncic added to injury report for Nets game as 65-game limit looms

Luka Doncic has been one of the best players in the NBA this season. That’s especially true over the last few weeks, as the Los Angeles Lakers star has performed at an MVP level. Doncic is firmly in contention to win his first MVP award this season… if not for one major rule change over the last two years.

Heading into the Lakers’ game against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night, Luka Doncic has surprisingly popped up on the injury report. Brett Siegel’s post notes that Doncic is dealing with soreness in his hamstring, and that he’s “questionable” to play against Brooklyn. The Lakers have already clinched a Play-In berth and are looking to clinch an outright playoff spot. Resting Doncic here should be fine… right?

Well, that’s a harder decision than it sounds. Doncic has already missed 12 games this season due to injuries. Under the NBA’s new rules implemented in the 2023-24 season, players need to have played in at least 65 games this season in order to qualify for individual awards. The Lakers star has already played in 61 games, needing just four more games to be eligible for the MVP award, among other things.

This 65-game limitation has been a major talking point over the last few weeks. There’s significant pushback from the players about this rule, with the NBA Players’ Association recently calling for this rule to be abolished. While the rule is intended to discourage players from sitting out games for arbitrary reasons, it also unfairly punishes the other players who are dealing with actual injuries. Lakers star LeBron James’ 21-year streak of All-NBA selections is already over due to this rule, for example.

Still, the rule is there for a reason. Doncic just has to play in four more games to qualify for the award, anyway. The Lakers might also need him down the stretch: despite sitting at third place in the West, the crowded nature of the conference means that one slip-up could be the difference between a first-round home game and playing in the Play-In tournament.

The post Lakers’ Luka Doncic added to injury report for Nets game as 65-game limit looms appeared first on ClutchPoints.