Head coach JJ Redick delivered strong support for Luka Doncic when arguing for his MVP case right now. The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA and currently hold a lead for the third seed. Previous concerns over the team falling too low in the standings ended up seeing the ship turning around for a best-case scenario from the season’s mid-point.
Redick shared the following comments before tonight’s game against the Washington Wizards about his superstar:
“If we continue to finish the season the way we’re playing right now, and he continues to play that way — to me, he is the MVP. His fitness right now is probably as good as it’s been since he was a first or second-year player. He’s the engine that’s driving all of our winning.”
The blunt honesty from Redick credits Doncic for being the main reason for the Lakers’ overall success this season. Luka’s video game stats make him one of the most unstoppable offensive players in the league today. Redick praised Doncic for getting into great physical shape and leading the team through the most difficult stretch of the season.
Why Luka’s MVP Case Has Become Controversial
The MVP topic has become polarizing for multiple players in the conversation. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is considered the strong favorite, but other players have raised their cases. San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama argued for his MVP narrative a few weeks ago and started to gain more momentum.
Doncic is the most interesting name that can be argued as high as one and as low as five in the MVP rankings. A recent comment from Luka claimed confusion over dropping in the NBA.com MVP ladder, despite playing some of the best basketball of his career. Redick felt like he had to argue in defense of Doncic after he dropped last week in the rankings.
Nikola Jokic is the other main name that often gets slotted in over Luka due to how much he carries the Denver Nuggets’ offense. Some voters will hold it against Doncic that he doesn’t play effective defense and that he has two other All-Star caliber teammates on his roster.
Can Luka Realistically Win The MVP?
This season remains a difficult one for Luka to move ahead of Shai and the other strong MVP candidates. Doncic will have to finish the season nearly perfectly and hope that voters get fatigue over some of the favorites.
Gilgeous-Alexander is likely getting the award due to his Oklahoma City Thunder being the best team in the league. Injuries to Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams throughout the season saw Shai having to deliver strong performances every night to keep his team’s win pace up.
Luka’s best bet is to go after the MVP next season when the narrative will be stronger, and the Lakers add more talent in the offseason around him. This year may have started the momentum that Redick is referencing, but Doncic will likely have to wait another season for a real shot at his first MVP Award.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post JJ Redick Shares Why Luka Doncic Deserves NBA MVP Award appeared first on Heavy Sports.