Luka Doncic is playing arguably the best basketball of his so far brief tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers, but his MVP odds remain far back behind the other top candidates for the award.
While Doncic has been leading the Lakers to a six-game winning streak, with his numbers only increasing, he remains a distant favorite to win the MVP award.
With less than a month to go in the regular season, Doncic’s stats outmatch those of the MVP favorite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but he is still a ways back in the odds for the award.
Luka Doncic MVP Odds Amid Strong Performances
In a post by ClutchPoints on X, the account described the MVP race as ‘baffling,‘ specifically as it relates to Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Oklahoma City Thunder star has been the odds-on favorite to win the award for most of the year, but looking at the numbers, Doncic leads him in most statistical categories.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the odds-on favorite on multiple betting sites, despite the numbers all favoring Luka Doncic 👀
PPG: 🔸 Luka: 32.8 🔹 SGA: 31.6
RPG: 🔸 Luka: 8.0 🔹 SGA: 4.5
APG: 🔸 Luka: 8.5 🔹 SGA: 6.7
SPG: 🔸 Luka: 1.5 SPG 🔹
“PPG: Luka: 32.8 SGA: 31.6 RPG: Luka: 8.0 SGA: 4.5 APG: Luka: 8.5 SGA: 6.7 SPG: Luka: 1.5 SPG SGA: 1.4 SPG 3PM: Luka: 3.9 SGA: 1.7,” the account wrote.
Yes, Gilgeous-Alexander recently beat Wilt Chamberlain’s record for the most games in a row with at least 20 points, and he is shooting an astounding 54.9% from the field this season.
However, much of the case for him being leading the MVP odds comes with the team’s overall success, as the Thunder have had the best record for most of the year. They have a ten-game lead over the Lakers in the West.
But in that same vein, the Lakers have been on a roll, climbing up the Western Conference standings, while Doncic is consistently putting in some of the best performances the league has seen. That included a near 50-point triple-double against the Chicago Bulls, while he won Player of the Week by way of averaging 37.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 11 assists per game.
On most major sportsbooks, Doncic ranks behind Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, and Cade Cunningham in MVP odds. But with how well he’s been playing, along with the team’s success, as the regular season comes to a close, the Slovenian is making a strong case to win the award.
Should Luka Doncic Be A Favorite In The MVP Race?
Team success usually plays a major role in MVP voting. Some would say it’s even more important in the race for the award, as Jokic lost out last year to Gilgeous-Alexander, and remains behind him in the odds this season despite averaging a near triple-double for a prolonged stretch.
But that could be due in part to voter fatigue, and as Doncic is arguably making his best MVP case this season, the stats back him up as being a top favorite for the award.
After the Lakers’ latest win against the Houston Rockets, in which Doncic finished with 36 points on 51.9% shooting along with six rebounds, four assists, and two steals, head coach JJ Redick said the star is “playing as well as anybody in the NBA right now.”
Additionally, speaking on his show, Run It Back, former NBA player Chandler Parsons said Doncic deserves to be in the MVP conversation, strictly on how well he’s been playing, and the success he’s brought to the Lakers this season.
“How can you not talk about this guy in (the MVP race) now?” he said. “Like him or hate him, you gotta put Luka Doncic in the MVP conversation.”
Chandler Parsons says Luka deserves MVP consideration for the position he’s put his team in out West 🗣️
Do you agree? 🏆
Khobi Price of the New York Post added that Doncic’s plus/minus matches that of Gilgeous-Alexander and is higher than Jokic, as it’s usually a traditional statistic to measure a player’s impact on the court.
“And almost as importantly, Doncic has the same individual plus/minus (plus-8.1) as MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a better one than Nikola Jokic (plus-7.2), who’s the favorite to finish as the runner-up in the MVP race,” he wrote.
But while he remains far behind Gilgeous-Alexander in the MVP odds this season, the Lakers’ recent success is hard to ignore as it relates to the race for the award.
Doncic also leads the NBA in scoring, while third in assists. He might not take home the MVP this season, but he is probably making his best case for the award of his career.
Los Angeles is on a six-game winning streak, is 9-1 in their last ten, and is third in the West.
Luka Doncic MVP Odds: ‘Baffling’ Stats Emerge Favoring Lakers Star Over SGA