Luka Doncic Back in Driver's Seat For NBA MVP Race?
Luka Doncic entered the season as the most popular pick to win the 2022 NBA MVP award. He was the frontrunner for quite some time, especially during his historic streak of beginning the season with nine consecutive games scoring at least 30 points. A lack of team success has diminished his candidacy compared to his peers.
The Dallas Mavericks had hovered around the .500 mark often in the month of December, but they are beginning to create some separation amid a four-game winning streak. Doncic has set the tone and sent shockwaves throughout the NBA after recording the first ever game with at least 60 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 assists against the New York Knicks on Tuesday in the Mavs' 126-121 win.
Doncic is averaging 33.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 8.8 assists on the season after his historic performance. No player has averaged that stat line during a single-season. Even if he stays above averages of at least 32 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists, he'd join Michael Jordan as the only players in the history of the NBA to do so for a season.
According to BetOnline.ag, the latest MVP odds feature Doncic in the top spot with +260 odds. The top players behind him include Jayson Tatum (+275), Nikola Jokic (+375), and Giannis Antetokounmpo (+500) with the rest of the players having +900 or worse odds.
Given that team success is the greatest factor limiting Doncic's current MVP campaign, it's important to put into context that the 19-16 record is deceiving on the surface. The Mavs are 19-13 in games that Doncic actually plays.
As long as the Mavs can continue to rack up wins, there should be nothing stopping from Doncic from being the first Mavericks player to win MVP since Dirk Nowitzki in 2006-07.
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