Luka's MVP Case Is Clear, And Stephen A. Is Right To Shout About It
Look, Stephen A. Smith gets a lot of grief, and sometimes it’s deserved. But when he went on about Luka Doncic being a legitimate MVP candidate, he wasn’t just blowing smoke. He was speaking some hard truth that a lot of folks seem to be overlooking, fixated on the usual suspects. Luka is doing things this season that we haven't seen in a long time, and he’s doing it almost by himself.
Think about it. The Mavericks aren't exactly stacked with All-Stars. Kyrie Irving is a phenomenal talent, sure, but he's missed significant time, playing in just 37 games as of early March. Yet, Doncic has kept Dallas competitive, hovering around the play-in picture, often dragging them to wins single-handedly. We saw it on February 28th against the Raptors when he dropped a casual 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 16 assists in a 136-125 victory. That's a triple-double where he was also the primary scorer. That's MVP stuff.
**The Numbers Don't Lie, They Scream**
Forget the narratives for a second and just look at the stat sheet. As of early March, Doncic is averaging around 34.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 9.7 assists per game. Those aren't just great numbers; those are historic numbers. Only Oscar Robertson has ever averaged a triple-double for an entire season (30.8 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 11.4 APG in 1961-62), and Luka is knocking on that door, especially in points and assists. He's already had multiple 70-point games in his career, including a ridiculous 73-point explosion against the Hawks on January 26th. He's also the first player in NBA history to record six consecutive 30-point triple-doubles, doing it from February 26th to March 7th. That's not just good, that's unprecedented.
And yeah, I know, the Mavericks' record isn't top-tier like Denver or OKC. They were 34-28 by March 7th, seventh in the Western Conference. That's often the biggest knock against Doncic's MVP case. But who else on that roster is consistently delivering at an elite level every single night? The guy's usage rate is through the roof because he *has* to be. He’s carrying an offensive load that would break most players, and he’s still putting up these video-game numbers. Nikola Jokic is fantastic, Giannis Antetokounmpo is a force, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is having a breakout year. All worthy. But none of them are shouldering the same singular burden as Doncic and still producing at this level. That’s the true measure of "valuable."
**The MVP Criteria Needs a Reset**
The MVP award, by definition, goes to the *most valuable player*. Not necessarily the best player on the best team, though that often coincides. It's about who means the most to their franchise's success, who elevates their team beyond what it should be. And by that metric, Doncic is absolutely in the conversation. Take him off the Mavs, and they're a lottery team, no question. Take Jokic off the Nuggets, and they're still competitive, still deep. It’s a harsh truth, but it’s real.
Thing is, if the Mavericks can climb to a top-four seed in the West, which is a big ask but not impossible if Kyrie stays healthy, then Luka should absolutely win MVP. His raw statistical dominance combined with the gravity he commands every single possession is unparalleled right now. He's putting up numbers that are only rivaled by Wilt and Oscar, and he's doing it in the modern era of defense and analytics.
My bold prediction? If Dallas finishes above .500 and makes the playoffs as a top-six seed, Doncic *will* win the MVP. He's too good to ignore, and the league is finally starting to catch up to what Stephen A. has been yelling about.