Luka Doncic Tops NBA MVP Ladder in Consecutive Weeks
Luka Doncic is producing an incredible season for the Dallas Mavericks. Given he was a common pick to be the MVP front-runner entering Game 1, the expectations were already high. However, it's safe to say that he's exceeding even the loftiest of projections.
With averages of 34.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 8.1 assists, Doncic is producing historic results. Despite his strong impact, the Mavs are 9-8 through their initial 17 games.
Last week, Doncic overtook the top spot on NBA.com's weekly MVP ladder. He remains in the top spot this week with Jayson Tatum, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Stephen Curry rounding out the top five.
The NBA’s leading scorer, Doncic dropped 42 points in Wednesday’s showdown against Tatum for his fourth 40-point outing of the season. The 23-year-old now ranks as the second-fastest player in NBA history (in terms of games played) to reach 7,500-plus points, 2,000-plus rebounds, and 2,000-plus assists, trailing only Oscar Robertson, who accomplished the feat in 254 games compared to the Dallas guard’s 280 outings. Still, the Mavericks are just 1-5 this season on the road, and they’ve dropped three of their last four with tough road games looming on the horizon at Toronto and Milwaukee.
The biggest factor that will impact Doncic's MVP candidacy remains the win-loss record of the Mavs. The team is currently 10th in the Western Conference standings, which is well below the typical standings ranking for an MVP winner.
Much of the Western Conference standings can be turned upside down in a matter of days with how tightly contested the teams' records are at the moment. The Mavs at least have Doncic to raise the floor of their team in ways many don't experience from one player — making it clear that he is emblematic of what it means to be an MVP.
Some of the Mavs' recent opponents have made comments in post-game media availabilities about the supporting cast around Doncic. Meanwhile, other stars in the running have much greater star-power in the lineup their team rosters around them.
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