The Los Angeles Lakers picked up another victory, this time against the Brooklyn Nets and largely because of Luka Doncic.
Doncic leads the NBA in scoring, but has managed to up his average even more with his massive performances in the past month. Against the Nets, Doncic continued to show why he’s in the MVP race as he dropped 41 points on an efficient 15-of-25 from the field including 5-of-10 from the 3-point line.
While Doncic can’t be stopped from scoring, he is somehow falling behind in the MVP race. Following the win against Brooklyn, Austin Reaves called it insane that his co-star seems to be losing the public battle.
“He continues to drop in MVP race which is insane to me, so I guess it don’t really matter,” Reaves said on the court after the win. “Maybe he’s gotta score 60, I don’t know.”
Doncic acknowledged he would like to win MVP but admitted he isn’t sure what else he can do to sway voters at this point.
“Yeah, hopefully, but the better I play the more I go down in ratings so I don’t know what more I can do,” Doncic answered in Spanish.
There seems to be an inherent bias against Doncic and Los Angeles players, largely in part due to their massive national presence. With the Lakers playing like a true title contender as of late, they’ve gotten more air and screen time which may be influencing voters and fans to look elsewhere.
There’s no doubt that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama are all deserving of the award but it’s hard to dismiss what Doncic has done. Not only does he have Los Angeles in position to host the opening round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, he’s also got them firing on all cylinders offensively.
Opposing defenses have no answer for this version of Doncic, and the Lakers have found ways to fit in around him. Doncic was tabbed as an MVP candidate prior to the 2025-26 season, and he’s made good on those expectation no matter what outside voices might say.
It’s hard to imagine what else Doncic needs to do to earn more consideration, but he’s certainly done a good job of at least forcing himself into the conversation.
JJ Redick backs Luka Doncic for NBA MVP
Head coach JJ Redick has gotten everything he could have ever hoped for from Doncic this season. Redick has had nothing but praise for Doncic and recently backed his case for MVP.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
