Doncic at risk of joining LeBron on the NBA exclusion list

With the LA Lakers’ game against the Spurs – a bruising defeat at Crypto.com Arena punctuated by a Victor Wembanyama showcase – one of the NBA’s longest-running streaks of the 21st century came to an end under the weight of a relentless schedule that spares no one, not even legends. LeBron James no longer meets the minimum eligibility criteria for end-of-season awards, marking the first time in the Akron native’s professional career that he has fallen short of that threshold.

Why is LeBron excluded from NBA awards?

Of the 82 regular-season games that shape the league’s most prestigious honors – MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player and All-NBA, among others – a player must appear in at least 65. James has now surpassed 18 absences. He is not alone. Luka Doncic, the Lakers’ other superstar and an early contender for the 2025/26 MVP, can miss only seven more games if he hopes to qualify for the league’s various award lists.

James dealt with nerve irritation that developed into sciatica during the opening weeks of the season. A subsequent injury followed. Between those early setbacks and back-to-backs in which he was deliberately rested to avoid overtaxing a body that, while genetically blessed, still belongs to a man over 40, the absences have mounted.

To underscore their approach, the Lakers sat their entire starting five against San Antonio. With the schedule congested and the All-Star break looming, exertion must be managed carefully. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will not appear in the All-Star Game, while James will attend – though few expect him to deliver a career-defining performance in an exhibition setting.

What is the reason behind the 65-game rule?

Head coach JJ Redick has followed medical guidance and relied on James’s own feedback when ruling him out of games. The 65-game rule was enshrined in the current collective bargaining agreement at the urging of commissioner Adam Silver, designed to curb excessive rest for star players during the regular season – games for which fans and broadcasters pay a premium.

“The rule obviously stinks for players who are having great seasons,” said Spurs coach Mitch Johnson before facing the Lakers. At 41, James is averaging 21.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.1 steals across 35 games. Missing out on NBA end-of-season honors is uncharted territory for him. He was Rookie of the Year in 2004 and had been selected to one of the three All-NBA teams for 21 consecutive years – a streak that will now end.

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