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Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic walks off the court after the Lakers defeated the Miami Heat in an NBA basketball game, Thursday, March 19, 2026, in Miami.

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Doncic and Cunningham eligible for NBA awards after appeals of 65-game rule. But Edwards is not

Doncic and Cunningham eligible for NBA awards after appeals of 65-game rule. But Edwards is not

The Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic and Detroit’s Cade Cunningham will be eligible for awards such as MVP and All-NBA this season despite falling short of the 65-game minimum. The league and the National Basketball Players Association announced the ruling on Thursday. Doncic played in 64 games and Cunningham played in 63. But the league and the union both agreed that each should be on the ballot based on the “extraordinary circumstances provision” in the collective bargaining agreement. An appeal to get Minnesota's Anthony Edwards on the ballot failed.