DALLAS — Is Luka Doncic the NBA MVP?
The answer to that question seems to depend on who you ask.
If you're the Mavericks organization, Mark Cuban, MFFLs, or those who cover Dallas, the answer seems to be a resounding yes. But, for some reason, it seems the MVP race has been locked up for months with no change in sight.
As of April 8, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, a two-time winner (2021, 2022), is the overwhelming betting favorite (-4000) to get the third of his career. Jokic has been the favorite to win MVP since early February, leading the Nuggets in a battle with the Timberwolves for the top spot in a very contentious Western Conference.
Doncic, however, leads the NBA in scoring by a comfortable margin (33.9 points per game, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are tied for No. 2 with 30.4 points per game), leads the NBA in 30-plus-point triple doubles (16, Jokic is No. 2 with 11), and is one-half of the dynamic duo featuring Kyrie Irving that has led Dallas to 15 wins in their last 16 games.
The Mavericks' red hot run in the last month of the season has Doncic rising up the MVP ladder – he's now projected to finish second in the voting after being slated fifth back in early March.
The "Luka for MVP" train is coming fast down the tracks, however, with Cuban serving as the trains conductor. In the past few weeks, the former Mavericks governor has posted on X calling for Doncic to be named MVP nearly daily.
Before Dallas' win against the Miami Heat on Wednesday, the entire team wore “Pravi MVP” shootaround shirts, which in Slovenian means "Real MVP" or "True MVP."
Doncic's right-hand man, Irving, as well as trade deadline addition P.J. Washington, sang the Slovenian's praises after the win against the Heat.
"Credit to Luka for the season he’s had. He’s a special player and I’m just excited to be able to play with him and watch his greatness each and every night. He’s the real MVP,” Washington said.
"(Luka was) really being more vocal, challenging his teammates, challenging me and doing it in his own way and I think that’s the true sign of an MVP," Irving added. "His stats speak for themselves. He's first in a lot of different categories … Me as a brother of his, I have the upmost love and support to give him during this time because I want to see him win MVP."
A panel of 100 reporters and broadcasters who cover the league will rank their top five candidates for MVP on their ballots early next week.
Only one player in Dallas Mavericks history has ever won MVP: Dirk Nowitzki in 2007. Could Doncic be the second? Mavs nation seems to think so, and to them, it's a no-brainer.
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