Luka Dončić’s NBA MVP discussion continues to make headlines ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers superstar’s return to action against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.
The Slovenian guard has been one of the frontrunners to win his maiden MVP this season, along with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC Thunder), Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets), and Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs).
Evaluating Luka Dončić’s MVP Chances as the Regular Season Concludes
Speaking on his “Hoops Tonight” podcast, analyst Jason Timpf had a grim take on Dončić’s NBA MVP chances. “Luka has zero shot to win the MVP this year,” Timpf said. “Luka has been great on defense post-All-Star break, but he was bad on defense before that.”
Timpf’s argument comes from how voters will view the season’s performance as a whole and from the fact that Dončić made more defensive efforts after the All-Star break.
While it is well-documented that the mercurial guard’s defensive lapses in the past were a key reason he did not win MVP, it is fairly safe to say he has improved on that end of the floor this season. However, it is also difficult to measure defense. Wembanyama and Jokić are well ahead of the Lakers star in that aspect.
MORE: JJ Redick Crowns Luka Dončić MVP, Claims Lakers Star Has Returned to ‘1st or 2nd-Year’ Fitness Level
Earlier, Lakers head coach JJ Redick believed Dončić deserved to win MVP. Per ESPN: “If we continue to finish the season the way we’re playing right now, and he continues to play that way, to me, he is the MVP,” Redick said ahead of their matchup against the Washington Wizards.
“I think when we started 15-4, you could have made an argument that he was the MVP then,” Redick added. “Well, he’s been the MVP for two of the three segments of the season.”
This season, Dončić averages 33.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game in 62 appearances. Despite missing Monday’s game against the Wizards to serve a mandatory suspension for his 16th technical foul of the season, the guard is well on his way to meeting the league’s criteria of 65 games to be eligible for the award.
Dončić’s MVP odds took a tumble after Wembanyama leapfrogged the All-Star playmaker. Numbers aside, the mercurial guard has been instrumental in making the Lakers a serious contender this season with his prolific scoring and elite playmaking. At the time of writing, L.A. is on pace to get past the 50-win mark, bettering its 50-32 record from last season.
On the game front, the Lakers take on the Cavaliers on the second night of a back-to-back at home. They later hit the road for a two-game stretch, taking on the OKC Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks. They return home to host the Thunder again.
