Mavs’ Luka Doncic Moves to No. 2 on NBA MVP Ladder

The NBA’s MVP competition is one that will undoubtedly come down to the wire this season. Although there are many players that have a good chance of winning the trophy this season, one individual in particular stands out in the most current rankings.

Superstar Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks is that one player. Behind Nikola Jokic, the standout center for the Denver Nuggets, Doncic has climbed up to the No. 2 slot on the Kia NBA MVP Ladder, which was released this week by Michael C. Wright over at NBA.com.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is just behind Doncic on the list, having slipped from the No. 2 position. Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was tied for third place with Doncic last week, and Jayson Tatum complete the top five.

Jokic isn’t going to take home the trophy by storm, even though he appears to be the betting favorite to win it a third time. With roughly ten games remaining in the season, anything may happen, especially because voters base their decisions on team performance and standings positions that are still up for grabs.

the third-most 30-point triple-doubles in NBA history for five-time All-Star Doncic. The 25-year-old has more 30-point triple-doubles than the four active players with the most MVP honors combined: James Harden, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, and LeBron James.

Thanks to a recent 9-1 run, the Mavericks are presently sixth in the Western Conference. During that time, Doncic’s strained left hamstring caused him to miss a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, which was the sole loss.

When Dallas plays the Sacramento Kings on Friday night, one of the teams vying for the final slot outside of the NBA Play-In Tournament, they have a great opportunity of securing that position in the standings. A victory there would help Doncic’s chances of winning MVP in addition to guaranteeing a postseason berth.

Given that Jokic and the Nuggets don’t appear to be slowing down, Doncic will need to do exceptionally well in order to pass him on the NBA MVP Ladder. Starting that journey with more 30-point triple-doubles while the Mavericks keep rolling in wins would be ideal.