Luka Doncic dominated yet again as the Los Angeles Lakers took down the Brooklyn Nets 116-99 at Crypto.com Arena on Friday. Doncic recorded his second 40-point game in a row here and his sixth in total in March, and was asked in his postgame press conference what it would mean to win MVP this season.
“Yeah, hopefully, but the better I play, the more I go down in ratings,” Doncic said in Spanish, via Luka Updates. “So I don’t know what more I can do.”
Doncic was referring to the fact that he slipped in the KIA MVP Ladder on NBA.com. Writer Shaun Powell had him second behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Week 22, but then dropped him to fourth in Week 23.
Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic surged past Doncic, with the Frenchman taking top spot. Powell pointed to Wembanyama’s defensive impact as the reason for his being at the top, as he had 17 blocks in three games for the San Antonio Spurs.
As for Jokic, he put up ridiculous averages of 22.7 points, 17.3 rebounds, and 16.7 assists per game over the three games to go from fourth to third. You can see why Powell chose to move them up, but it is also understandable that Doncic doesn’t quite feel it’s fair. To find himself at fourth when he’s been so good in March would have stung.
Doncic is averaging 37.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 2.3 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game in March. The Slovenian’s exceptional play has led to team success, too, with the Lakers posting a 13-2 record in the month.
If we just look at Week 23, Doncic put up 36.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 2.7 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game in it. The 27-year-old was inefficient, though, shooting 42.7% from the field, which might have hurt him a little bit. Defense is another aspect Doncic often gets criticized for, but Powell actually praised him for his play on that end.
“The league’s leading scorer is nearly averaging a triple-double and is ripping through a torrid March with games of 60 points, 50 points, and three with 40 points. He’s averaging 39.5 ppg over his last 11 games. Also, he has elevated the Lakers to a lofty spot in the West and potential home-court advantage at least in the first round of the playoffs.
“One reason for the surge is that the Lakers’ defense — and Doncic’s defense — has improved since the season began. He’s averaging 2.5 steals over his last 11 games, which shows growth in Doncic. He didn’t always put defense first, partly because he burns more energy than most on offense.”
Powell demoting Doncic to fourth sure looks to be more about what Wembanyama and Jokic have done and less about what he hasn’t. That explanation won’t satisfy Lakers fans, though. Even Austin Reaves said in his courtside interview after the win over the Nets that he can’t understand why Doncic is dropping.
“And he continues to drop in the MVP race, which is insane to me,” Reaves said, via Spectrum SportsNet. “I guess it don’t really matter, maybe he’s gotta score 60, I don’t know.”
Doncic had 41 points (15-25 FG), eight rebounds, three assists, three steals, and one block against the Nets. There really isn’t a lot more he can do.
It appears unlikely at this point that Doncic wins MVP in 2026. The likes of Michael Wilbon have made it clear that he won’t get their vote. Doncic has never won the award and has only finished in the top three in voting once (2023). It looks like he’ll have to settle for it this time around as well.
As things stand, Doncic won’t get the opportunity to strengthen his case when the Lakers take on the Washington Wizards at Crypto.com Arena on Monday at 10 p.m. ET either. He picked up his 16th technical foul of the season against the Nets and now faces a one-game suspension.
