These NBA analysts just can't have their cake and eat it too. If the Los Angeles Lakers are this team who has overachieved what the statistics say they should be, then fine. However, if that is the case, that has to come from somewhere. That is where Luka Doncic has his MVP case made for him.
The Lakers have a negative net rating through 56 games played. Their mark of -0.7 should indicate a trajectory for a team being much worse than they have been in practice. Instead, they are 34-22 on the season, holding down a playoff spot in the competitive Western Conference.
MVP cases are often tough to make for players who are not on one of the top seeds in the conference. Doncic should know that firsthand from having his electric 2023-24 campaign ignored due to that factor. Even so, winners have come from spots beyond the top-three spots.
Every time an analyst wants to call the Lakers frauds, it is important to then have the conversation of what has led them to boasting a record above their station. One could argue the answer is Doncic. If that is the conclusion, is that not value?
If the Lakers are overachieving, Luka Doncic is the MVP
Tim Bontemps and the crew of The Hoop Collective were more than happy to discuss the shortcomings of the Lakers during a recent edition of the show. It's not that those critiques are not valid, but Los Angeles are still 12 games above .500, which is where their net rating suggests they should be. It's willfully dismissive to not try and figure out why.
Bontemps even hinted at the reason why the Lakers are where they are without giving up the whole argument. It's what NBA analysts have quietly tried to do all year. The downplay in recent weeks of Doncic's greatness has been absurd.
"Yes, they are a great clutch team, which is not a shock when you have Luka and you have LeBron [James]," Bontemps said. "... You have guys who are going to make good decisions in those situations with all the experience they have."
Bontemps even went on to reduce the clutch success to 'a lot of luck and a lot of randomness.' Which is odd, because the Lakers happen to get a lot of it, in that case, with a record of 16-3 in those games.
So, is it about luck or is it about who's out there?
The Lakers have, by far, the best win percentage (84.2) in those games. There just always seems to be a convenient 'truth' to discount what Doncic has done this season. For those in Los Angeles still getting used to the Luka experience, this is unfortunately nothing new.