Luka Dončić has been integral to the playoff-bound Los Angeles Lakers’ stupendous run this season. The guard’s sizzling form has seen the side dominate and rack up wins, punching their postseason ticket.
After their latest win against the Cleveland Cavaliers, which saw the facilitator score 42 points, the Slovenian was asked about his thoughts on why he deserved to win the NBA MVP. Dončić made it clear he wasn’t going to lobby for the honors.
Luka Dončić Remains Focused on Winning Amid NBA MVP Chatter
Speaking to reporters after the win, Dončić was asked about his case for the NBA MVP. To which the guard responded, “I mean, I never did that. So, I’m not the one voting. I think I’ve been playing pretty well; we’ve been winning. That’s it, that’s all I gotta say.”
According to Lakers reporter Mike Trudell, the All-Star playmaker also broke late Lakers legend Kobe Bryant’s record of most points scored by a single Lakers player in March. The five-time NBA champion had held the record with 578 points.
Per Underdog NBA, Dončić averaged 37.5 points last month to score 600 or more points in a month in league history.
After the game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick lavished praise on his star’s performance against the Cavaliers. “Luka has had as good a month as anybody that I can remember in modern NBA, at least since I’ve been part of it. Certainly, LeBron [James] has had those, [James] Harden has had those, Steph [Curry] has had those, but he just played phenomenally this month.”
The 27-year-old has constantly been in the MVP discussion, though there have been analysts sharing why they wouldn’t consider him a winner. Most attributed to his defense, and stated that while his efforts signalled intent and improvement, a well-rounded player had more weightage with the votes.
As for Dončić, he is letting his game do the talking by averaging a league-high 33.8 points per game, along with a healthy 7.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists. His efforts have been instrumental in helping LA win consistently and hit the 50-win mark in a stacked Western Conference.
Dončić’s take comes after the likes of MVP candidates Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama responding to the same question. While the San Antonio Spurs star had three reasons to make his case, Gilgeous-Alexander took the same route as Dončić, opting for a crisper take.
The Lakers will hope that their star trio of Dončić, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves can continue to lead the side in the playoffs. After their first-round exit at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves last year, the Purple and Gold will be keen to make amends.
