The Los Angeles Lakers should be motivated to help Luka Doncic get his first Most Valuable Player honor after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was ruled out through the All-Star break. The reigning MVP won’t play in the All-Star Game and could miss additional time. NBA players have to appear in 65 games to be eligible for awards. The door just swung open for Luka to grab the award.
Doncic is more than deserving. He leads the NBA in scoring and is producing monster numbers. The Lakers need to help him. They are just sixth in the Western Conference and fighting to avoid the Play-In Tournament. Team success, narrative, and otherworldly stats usually decide the MVP. Luka has two of the three, but needs Los Angeles to play better.
Doncic was second in the NBA’s latest MVP ladder behind only SGA. The Thunder's superstar missed his third game of the season on Wednesday night and will sit out four more before the All-Star break. His window to play 65 is quickly closing. If it does, the Lakers superstar is suddenly the frontrunner.
Luka Doncic’s MVP odds just got a surprise boost
Doncic is averaging 33.4 points, 8.7 assists, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.5 steals in 36.0 minutes per game this season. All of those numbers are better than Gilgeous-Alexander’s, but the reigning MVP is leading the top team in the NBA and just won the championship. His abdominal strain may be what flips the race in Luka’s direction.
It is shaping up to be a two man battle for MVP. Nikola Jokic can only miss one more game the rest of the season and still be eligible for awards. Victor Wembanyama has already sat 14 of a possible 17. Cade Cunningham could make a push, but it feels a bit too soon for his narrative to fully develop. That leaves just Luka and SGA to fight it out.
Doncic finally has the narrative. He got in the best shape of his life after the shocking trade from Dallas. Luka is leading the league in scoring as the face of the Lakers. LA would be in the lottery without him. He is the best shot creator in the world, and fans know number 77 will eventually win MVP. The Lakers are just starting to build around him, so the best is yet to come.
This could be the year. Doncic is in his prime, and the competition could drop off quickly after the All-Star break. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is out with abdominal strain, and there was no definitive timetable for his return. If the injury lingers, SGA could be out of the race. The defending champions have zero reason to rush him back. They believe he is the best player in the world and the goal is to repeat as champs.
Luka is not chasing the award. He knows winning it is important for his legacy, but Doncic wants to win over getting an individual honor. The Don has already made six All-Star appearances and made first-team All-NBA five times. He is a legend. Winning the MVP is the next step, and 2026 could be the year.
The Los Angeles Lakers should do everything possible to lift Luka Doncic to the award. He is in the running and needs a couple more marquee performances during Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s absence. Doncic always puts up monster numbers, and the award is on the plate. It is time for Luka to feast.