The NBA released its Week 23 MVP ladder on Friday, and the standings raised a few eyebrows. Luka Dončić, who sat second in the rankings just a week ago, found himself sliding to fourth. After the Los Angeles Lakers’ 116-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night, Dončić was asked about the drop, and he did not take long to respond.
Luka Dončić Frustrated Over MVP Slide Despite Historic Scoring Season
When the question was put to him, Dončić barely paused. He said he was genuinely confused by the shift and expressed that he does not know what more he can do to improve his standing.
“Yeah, hopefully, but the better I play, the more I go down in ratings, so I don’t know what more I can do,” Dončić said during the press conference.
When looking at the numbers, it is tough to argue with him. Dončić is the leading scorer in the NBA this season, averaging 33.7 points per game. He sits third in the league in assists at 8.2 per game and ranks among the league leaders in three-pointers made. He has surpassed 40 points in 15 games this season, including a 41-point performance against the Nets.
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Over his recent stretch of play, he has maintained high-scoring consistency. That kind of sustained production is not something most players achieve even once in a while. So who is ahead of him, and why?
Victor Wembanyama has climbed to the top of the ladder. Wembanyama is averaging 24.2 points per game and ranks among the league’s top 15 scorers, but that is not in the same conversation as Dončić offensively. However, the one area where Wembanyama genuinely separates himself is defense.
He leads the NBA with 3.1 blocks per game, an impact that is hard to dismiss. While Dončić has never been praised for his defensive effort, the gap in two-way production is becoming a central theme in the race. In second place is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is averaging 31.5 points per game but still has not caught Dončić in the scoring column.
In third is Nikola Jokić at 27.8 points per game. Again, that does not match Dončić’s scoring output on that end. However, Jokić leads the league in rebounding (12.8 per game) and assists (10.8 per game). This provides a balanced viewpoint for voters.
If scoring output counted for more, Dončić would likely be in a different position on the ladder. All this suggests that MVP rankings are not just about scoring. The overall impact, especially defense and all-around play, is being valued more, which may explain why Dončić has slipped despite his incredible offensive season.
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Friday night also brought more drama. During the third quarter against the Nets, Dončić received his 16th technical foul of the season following a double-technical exchange with Ziaire Williams. While an earlier 16th technical foul against the Orlando Magic was rescinded by the NBA on March 22, this new infraction triggers an automatic one-game suspension.
Unless the NBA rescinds this latest foul upon review, Dončić is set to miss the Lakers’ upcoming game against the Washington Wizards. On one hand, his MVP stock is sliding; on the other, he may now be forced off the floor. It was not the Friday night Dončić was hoping for.
