Luka Dončić, Cade Cunningham win appeals, will be eligible for end-of-season NBA awards

Atlantic76ersCelticsKnicksNetsRaptorsCentralBucksBullsCavaliersPacersPistonsSoutheastHawksHeatHornetsMagicWizardsSouthwestGrizzliesMavericksPelicansRocketsSpursNorthwestJazzNuggetsThunderTimberwolvesTrail BlazersPacificClippersKingsLakersSunsWarriorsScores & ScheduleStandingsThe Bounce NewsletterNBA DraftPodcastsFantasyNBA OddsNBA PicksWhat To Know About The First RoundLatest Power RankingsThe Bucks' Season From HellPlayer Poll: Who Will Win Title?NBA Season Both Cade Cunningham and Luka Dončić will be eligible for end-of-season honors including All-NBA recognition. Chris Schwegler / NBAE via Getty Images Share article30Luka Dončić, who missed two games in December to travel to Slovenia for the birth of his daughter, and Cade Cunningham, who suffered a collapsed lung that limited him to 64 games, have won their appeals and will be eligible for end-of-season NBA awards, the league announced Thursday. Both players are expected to make All-NBA teams, while Dončić is an outside candidate for MVP. The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association didn’t contest the filings, a league source told The Athletic. Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards filed an appeal as well, but an independent arbitrator ruled against him. Dončić suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain in his 64th game of the NBA regular season, one fewer than the 65 required to be considered for end-of-season awards like MVP and All-NBA. He was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the season and is considered out “indefinitely” as the Lakers are set to begin the playoffs Saturday against the Houston Rockets. The morning after Dončić was injured, sources close to the NBA’s leading scorer told The Athletic that his team is aware of a clause in the 65-game rule for an “Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge.” Later in the day, Dončić’s agent, Bill Duffy of WME Basketball, issued a statement obtained by The Athletic saying Dončić missed just two games — a back-to-back — to fly to Slovenia for the birth of his second daughter before rejoining the Lakers. “Luka has gone to great lengths to show up for his team and this league this season,” Duffy’s statement read, in part. “His record-breaking season deserves to be noted in the history books, despite last night’s unfortunate injury and other extraordinary circumstances. We look forward to working with the NBAPA and the league office to ensure a fair outcome in this matter.” Dončić and Cunningham had to file their protest no later than Monday, the day after the regular season ended. A “challenge expert” — chosen by the NBA and NBPA — would evaluate their appeals and determine if “the sole remedy shall be that the player is deemed eligible for the Applicable Generally Recognized League Honors.” Dončić did miss one game this season because of a mandatory suspension following his 16th technical foul. In his first full season with the Lakers, Dončić averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists. He led the league in shots made and taken per game. He converted 36.6 percent of 10.8 3-point attempts per game, and his 694 3-point shots are 149 more than any other Laker in franchise history has attempted in a season. Cunningham averaged 23.9 points and 9.9 assists per game en route to leading the Pistons to 60 wins and the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms