David Adelman defends Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic amid the 65-game rule discourse

David Adelman defends Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic amid the 65-game rule discourse originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The 65-game rule in the NBA has become a hot topic this season, especially with the players affected. This rule was made to limit teams from practicing load management. Unfortunately, it has also affected players who were simply injured.

The two players who could miss out are the past two MVP award winners, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. They are only a few games away from being disqualified from any award, which could hurt the awards' reputation amongst the fans.

Adelman makes a strong case to defend SGA and Jokic from the 65-game rule

After two seasons of Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander dueling for the MVP award, a third edition might get cut short. That is due to the rule wherein they are required to play at least 65 games to qualify for a regular-season award. Both players are dangerously close to the threshold, with Jokic one game away, and SGA has six games left.

Considering that Gilgeous-Alexander is having the most efficient season for a 30+ points per game scorer, and Jokic is posting insane advanced statistics, seeing that not get rewarded might be the final straw for some people.

MORE: Thunder get great news regarding return for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Nuggets head coach David Adelman has come to both players' defense, as he wants them not get penalized for simply getting injured. He was in the spotlight on the more egregious violations, like load management.

"The rule wasn’t made for them. They both got hurt. They both always play. So, that part of it, maybe we have to take a look at that. I really mean that. That's one of the best things about both guys," Adelman said ahead of the Nuggets vs Thunder game on Friday.

"That's one of the most impressive things about both guys. So, when both guys get hurt, I just don't see that as rest. I think there’s a difference, and I know why the rule is in. It's to clean things up."

Moving forward, people will always have valid concerns with the MVP race and the other awards. This issue with Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander could be the tide that turns on this rule in future seasons.

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