Stein: The N.B.A., as you noted, has said that statistics from play-in games fall into their own category. In a span of about 40 days, Tatum had two 50-point games in the regular season and then a 50-point game in play-in competition. But when we talk about his career total, it remains two 50-point games. Q: I understand that the Most Valuable Player Award is based on the regular season, but it seems silly not to account for the playoffs. Along with incorporating the play-in tournament, tying awards to regular-season performance adds meaning and value to the 82-game schedule, which is a constant worry for the league office.

Source: New York Times May 26, 2021 12:56 UTC