Missing one more game will make you ineligible for awards! LeBron James urges the NBA to change the rule: The intensity of games today is different.

On January 28th Beijing time, LeBron James discussed the NBA’s 65-game rule for awards during his recent podcast, openly urging the league to eliminate it. Up to now this season, LeBron has been absent for 17 games, and missing another will result in losing eligibility for awards. As the race for the 2025-26 NBA MVP heats up, many previous top contenders are likely to miss out on various honors due to not meeting the minimum games played.

LeBron said, “Just imagine when they announce the All-NBA First, Second, and Third Teams, and the list doesn’t include Jokic, Giannis, or if my teammate Doncic misses out because he didn’t play enough games — that’s absolutely ridiculous.”

“We’re not just talking about a player’s legacy, but also their family’s honor. Picture a player having the best season of his career in a contract year, with a chance to secure a supermax deal or even extra years on that contract, only to lose it all because he played 64 games instead of 65. That one game difference wipes out all that hard work. It’s a devastating blow; anyone would break down under that pressure.”

“I hope we can find a more reasonable solution. The NBA today is completely different from before. I want everyone, especially fans, to understand:Players in the 80s and 90s who played 82 games are not comparable to players playing 82 games now. The pace, offensive and defensive speed have changed drastically; the intensity of today’s games is entirely different from the past.Because of this, players today are more prone to soft tissue injuries. I hope medical teams can develop ways to address these injuries, as it’s crucial for the league.”

LeBron then recalled his early days in the league: “When I first entered the NBA, players mainly worried about high ankle sprains. Back then, the paint was crowded with four or five players, and you didn’t dare drive full speed to the basket for fear of landing on someone’s ankle. Players like me, McGrady, and Carter, who rely on athleticism, sometimes held back from attacking the rim — a high ankle sprain meant missing four to six weeks.”

“But now, those injuries are less common because the style of play favors spacing, the court is more spread out, and the pace is faster. Instead, calf strains and similar injuries have become more frequent. So, I really hope the medical field can overcome these challenges. At the same time, I want fans to realize that today’s game is very different from the past. As NBA players, we obviously want to be on the court as much as possible.”

The pace of NBA games has reached the fastest level in history. This season, 29 out of 30 teams average over 100 possessions per game. Looking back to the 2015-16 season, only 13 teams reached that mark.

A faster pace means players are more susceptible to injuries, especially soft tissue ones like hamstring and calf strains. Even after recovery, these injuries tend to recur.

Take Giannis as an example: since the 2024-25 season began, he has suffered four calf strains.

Although the NBA introduced the 65-game rule to ensure stars don’t miss key games, linking award eligibility and contract incentives to this rule has had unintended consequences — it’s also one reason many superstars have missed extended time this season.