The Los Angeles Lakers are off to a great start behind the superstar play of Luka Doncic. NBA insider Zach Lowe revealed that Doncic is his top MVP candidate two weeks into the season. Luka entered the season with a lot of motivation to prove himself more after some questions about whether he can lead a team to title contention. Early season wins and incredible statistical performances show Doncic having a viable chance.
Lowe revealed the following honesty about where he’s leaning for MVP this season:
“+21 with Luka on the floor, -17 per 100 with Luka off the floor. What else can you say about Luka? MVP favorite as of now, and just unguardable, completely unguardable.”
Many pundits view Victor Wembanyama as the strong MVP favorite since his San Antonio Spurs are expected to be the best team in the league. Wembanyama’s elite two-way play and dominance from his size creates an easier MVP narrative.
However, Lowe is not wrong about Doncic looking like the best offensive player in the league. Luka’s only co-star is Austin Reaves with the rest of the roster consisting of flawed role players. Wembanyama has a talented deep core that just reached the NBA Finals and improved the roster since then.
Luka Doncic’s Place In Official MVP Odds
Official betting odds currently see Doncic and Wembanyama as the clear top two favorites with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander behind them. Various sites have it in different orders, but ESPN has recently placed Luka above Wemby to have the lowest MVP odds right now.
Current NBA MVP leaders, per ESPN betting odds:
Doncic: +200
Wembanyama: +220
Gilgeous-Alexander: +400
Nikola Jokic: +900
Jayson Tatum: 10-1
Doncic is in first place with an extremely slight advantage over Wembanyama. Gilgeous-Alexander is just a little behind those two, but everyone else is further in the distance out of reach. Jokic’s usual MVP contention is likely ending this season due to the Denver Nuggets falling behind the true top Western Conference teams. A lot can change after two weeks, so these odds are just for the time being. However, it does show that Luka has a much better chance now than before the season when it comes to betting odds.
How Luka Doncic Can Win The MVP
Media narratives are important in building a case for MVP, beyond just being the best player in the league. Doncic is already one of the greatest NBA players in NBA history to not win the MVP Award. The Lakers must continue winning behind the trio of Luka, Reaves and Walker Kessler.
Wembanyama and Gilgeous-Alexander also have top selling points for their MVP case. SGA’s Thunder sees injuries to Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and others to see their success difficult behind just one superstar.
San Antonio has a chance to put up a dominant winning record in the West, especially after injuries hurt the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves as top threats. All three players will have a strong chance, but Doncic is on pace to have his first real shot at the MVP Award.
Popular NBA Insider Makes Bold Luka Doncic MVP Prediction