For any basketball player in the NBA, becoming league MVP is one of the best accolades one can win. Many superstars have tried their level best to win it and have come close to losing it for various reasons.
This season, Luka Doncic seems to be on the verge of losing out, as MVP voters are looking past the Dallas Mavericks superstar’s incredible performances during this 2023-24 season.
The main question that lies in front of the 25-year-old superstar is: What do MVP voters look for? One of the most important aspects of being the Most Valuable Player of the League is that the player has guided his team to the top echelons of any conference. This means that where the player’s team finishes at the end of the season matters.
But should team seeding take away from appreciating an otherworldly performance? To be fair, several players are team MVPs. They might be putting up the best numbers of any other teammate, but the team might be nowhere near the top playoff seeds. This does take the gloss off of the unreal efforts that the individual has put in. But Luka Doncic is not any other player, and neither are his numbers.
If numbers are the reason for a player to get a surefire MVP award, Doncic has answered that question with aplomb. With his Mavericks currently 8th in the West, Doncic has recently moved up the KIA MVP Ladder. So, this confuses the reality of what voters are looking for. Where is the Slovenian struggling to make his mark?
Luka Doncic has the numbers
Currently, Luka Doncic is averaging 34.1 points, 9 rebounds, 9.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. Those are astronomical numbers for any player.
Russell Westbrook won MVP by delivering a triple-double season (image via All Things Mavs/X)In NBA history, no former MVP in league history has more points than Doncic currently has. Last year’s MVP, Joel Embiid, was close in points, but his assists numbers were nowhere near that of Doncic.
The former Euro League MVP can achieve a triple-double season if he keeps up with this pace. One has to go back to 2016, when Russell Westbrook took the MVP honors while registering a triple-double season. Before that, one has to go back all the way to 1964 to witness Oscar Robertson‘s incredible MVP season. The Hall of Fame point guard averaged 31.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 11 assists.
But Doncic is producing similar, if not better, numbers so far. Yet the Dallas Mavericks superstar is currently fourth in the MVP race. The argument for Doncic based on numbers alone is good enough to put him at the top of the ladder. Therefore, is his team’s performance letting him down?
Dallas Mavericks are not winning enough
The Dallas Mavericks are currently 8th in the Western Conference. It is a low seed for a team whose star player is vying for the MVP trophy.
However, should it deter voters from putting Luka Doncic at the top? Especially when the West is extremely competitive and playoff seedings are changing every day. A couple of weeks ago, the Maverick’s position was seen as an indication that maybe they were letting Doncic down.
Luka Doncic needs his Dallas Mavericks to win more games (image via Dallas Mavericks/X)Since the start of February, the Mavericks have had a 15-7 record. However, this record has not helped them gain any ground in the standings, as almost every other team in the West is also playing lights out to gain positions.
What is working primarily against Doncic is that, except for the Westbrook MVP season, no other MVP-winning player’s team has ever ranked below 4th in their conference. Add to that, they do not have that many games left to try and leap into the top 4.
The Mavericks traded for PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford at the trade deadline to bring more help to their production. So far, those moves are helping the team well. However, is the Mavericks’ seeding another problem in the 25-year-old’s way?
Comparison to other MVP frontrunners
At the moment, the leader of the race is two-time MVP winner Nikola Jokic. Behind him is young Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Close friend and 2-time MVP Nikola Jokic is the current MVP frontrunner (image via NBA/X)Then Milwaukee Bucks superstar and another former league MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo, stands, tied with Doncic in 3rd place. Gilgeous-Alexander and the Greek Freak are easier obstacles to Doncic’s MVP hopes.
But the real challenge is with the Denver Nuggets superstar and last year’s Finals MVP. He is also close to posting a triple-double season if he continues at this pace. His efforts, along with those of his star teammates, have ensured that the Nuggets are close to first in the West. However, it is not just his numbers and his team’s seeding. It seems the Joker’s intangibles have given him that edge at the top, which cannot be quantified.
Last season, the Serbian finished second in the MVP standings. But how he led his team to their first-ever NBA title is still fresh in the minds of everyone. It could be possible that voters are in his corner based on what his numbers do not say. But Doncic has many intangibles too.
MVP voters have to get on board the Luka Doncic train
Notably, it is still unclear as to what is holding Doncic back. Will he slide up the rankings if his team moves up a few spots on the playoff ladder? Or will he benefit from triple-double numbers? What if Nikola Jokic also ends up with a triple-double season?
Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic is performing at a historic level, but MVP voters look awayThe factors mentioned above could be obstacles. But it does not take away from the fact that Doncic is having an unreal season. And if he does not win the MVP award with these historic performances, then the question arises as to what more he needs to do.
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