The NBA MVP conversation has primarily revolved around last season's winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, three-time recipient Nikola Jokic and Defensive Player of the Year favorite Victor Wembanyama, but Luka Doncic is forcing voters to accept his candidacy. The five-time All-NBA First-Team selection has been amazing as the Los Angeles Lakers continue their eight-game winning streak. Perhaps his latest masterpiece will make people reevaluate their awards chances.
A day after scoring 40 points against the Houston Rockets, Doncic paced the Miami Heat with 60 points on 18-of-30 shooting in a 134-126 road win on Thursday. Despite the team's late arrival to South Beach (or early, depending on who you ask), the 27-year-old guard displayed the best offense he has to offer. He also totaled seven rebounds and five steals, showing his continued impact on the court.
Amid a spectacular March in which he scored 327 points over an eight-game span, Doncic is raising an important question. Why isn't he getting more attention in the MVP race? Lakers head coach JJ Redick replied.
"Because he complains to the refs, I don't know," he said in the postgame press conference, according to the NBA Courtside X account. One might speculate that Redic might be being sarcastic, but it's not so absurd to think that Doncic's reactionary behavior earns him a certain level of support from fans and writers.
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The 2023-24 scoring champion is one of the worst offenders when it comes to irritating the officials about no-calls. Instead of creating ruckus in the court, he will repeatedly argue his point heatedly. Doncic has improved in this area recently, but he remains under intense scrutiny due to his many blowups.
However, if he maintains his current level throughout the remainder of the campaign, even an ill-timed expression of emotion may not be enough to rule him out. Doncic was averaging an NBA-leading 33.0 points a game with 8.5 assists, 7.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals entering Thursday's contest with the Heat. He's shooting 36.6 percent from 3-point range, burying opponents with a step-back jumper that seems unstoppable at times.
Most importantly, No. 77's stellar numbers are carrying his team forward. The Lakers are currently in third place in the Western Conference with a 45–25 record. If they continue to win games, Luka Doncic may have a legitimate chance to snatch the MVP crown from Gilgeous-Alexander's head.
