JJ Redick’s take on low Luka Doncic MVP buzz will raise eyebrows

The NBA MVP conversation has primarily revolved around last season’s winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, three-time recipient Nikola Jokic and Defensive Player of the Year favorite Victor Wembanyama, but Luka Doncic is forcing voters to acknowledge his own candidacy. The five-time All-NBA First-Team selection has been astounding while leading the Los Angeles Lakers through an eight-game winning streak. Perhaps his latest masterpiece will have people reevaluating his award chances.

One day after scoring 40 points against the Houston Rockets, Doncic torched the Miami Heat for 60 points on 18-of-30 shooting in Thursday’s 134-126 road win. Despite the team’s late arrival in South Beach (or early, depending on who you ask), the 27-year-old guard unleashed the best brand of offense he has to offer. He also totaled seven rebounds and five steals, which speaks to the comprehensive impact he consistently has on the court.

Amid a magnificent March, which has seen him score a whopping 327 points in an eight-game span, Doncic is raising an important question. Why is he not getting even more attention in the MVP race? Lakers head coach JJ Redick offered an answer.

“Because he complains to the refs, I don’t know,” he said in the postgame press conference, per the NBA Courtside X account. One can surmise that Redick is likely being sarcastic, but it is not so absurd to think that Doncic’s reactionary behavior costs him a certain level of support from fans and writers.

https://twitter.com/NBA__Courtside/status/2034827350186094848

The 2023-24 scoring champion is one of the worst offenders when it comes to griping to officials about no-calls. Instead of hustling down the court, he will frequently argue his point in a heated manner. Doncic has improved in this area lately, but he remains under intense scrutiny because of his many outbursts.

Though, even ill-timed expressions of emotion may not be enough to deny him if he maintains his current level through the remainder of the campaign. Doncic was averaging an NBA-leading 33.0 points game to go along with 8.5 assists, 7.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals entering Thursday’s showdown with the Heat. He is shooting 36.6 percent from 3-point range, burying opponents with a step-back jumper that seems invincible at times.

Most importantly, No. 77’s gaudy numbers are boosting his team up the standings. The Lakers are currently in third place in the Western Conference with a 45-25 record. If they continue to win games down the stretch, Luka Doncic may have a legitimate chance at snatching the MVP crown off Gilgeous-Alexander’s head.

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