3 things Luka Doncic must do to make a case for the Kia NBA MVP award for the 2021-22 NBA season
In just three NBA seasons, Luka Doncic has already become one of the best players in the NBA. This rapid ascent has put him in line for a shot at the 2021-22 NBA MVP award. His resume is already stacked with a Rookie of the Year, two All-Star appearances and two All-NBA teams. The next step for Doncic is not just personal success but also having more team success.
In the last two seasons, Doncic has averaged 28.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 8.7 assists. He has already proven to be the best player on the Dallas Mavericks, and in the playoffs, he has shown he can be the best player on the court in any matchup. In a first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers, Doncic averaged 35.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 10.3 assists, pretty much willing the series to seven games.
The Dallas Mavericks took a huge #NBASundays win, defeating the LA Clippers 124-73 👏
Luka Doncic led the Mavs with 24 PTS, 9 REB & 8 AST 💫 https://t.co/jc7mq5GOYo
Doncic is still very young at just 22 years old, and has many years left to play in the NBA. He is part of the future stars of the NBA, and if anything, has already become a household name. Despite that, the Mavericks have not had the success you would think a team with a player of his caliber would have had.
The Mavericks have not fully figured out how to maximize Doncic as a player, but this season could be the one. These are three things that might need to happen for Doncic to win his first MVP award.
#3 Luka Doncic takes advantage of being the primary option
It's clear that the Mavericks offense has run through Doncic over the last two seasons, and that will likely not change this season. With new head coach Jason Kidd being a decibel under former head coach Rick Carlisle, Doncic's role will probably be the same.
Luka Doncic is currently at +500 odds to win MVP this year
PUT THE HOUSE ON IT https://t.co/P9n6qfKiIr
Doncic's role is almost the perfect situation for someone who wants to win an MVP award because to win, you need to succeed at being the leading man on a team. Doncic has already done that, leading his team in points and assists and second in rebounds.
Filling out the stat sheet at a high rate is a great way to prove how valuable it is to your team because you do everything. Doncic is in that situation and should take advantage of it by carrying his team more and more throughout the season.
#2 Luka Doncic improving his three-point shooting
Despite Luka Doncic slowly becoming one of the best scorers in the NBA, he has still not completely found his outside shot. On 8.1 attempts from three, Doncic is 33%, which isn’t bad but to contend for an MVP award, that will need to improve.
Luka Doncic was in his bag tonight.
He’s now shooting 43% from three in the Mavs’ last 20 games. 🔥🔥 https://t.co/0NgyywM1ra
Last season his three-point shooting improved, going up to 35% on 8.3 attempts, which will be good enough if that stays the same. But in last year's playoff series, Doncic showed what he could do if he had a more consistent three. In seven games, Doncic averaged 10.9 three-point attempts and made them 41% of them. If this is something we see more out of Doncic, it would be a total game-changer.
Doncic can already make tough shots and deep threes, so finding his shot more consistently would add another level to his game. On top of that, he is already a fantastic creator and finisher in the paint. Having the defense worrying about the three-ball will make it easier for Doncic to score and dish out assists.
Doncic has only missed one offensive weapon, and that is consistency. Even without that, Doncic is seen as an MVP candidate. If he gets that consistency, his MVP candidacy gets that much more serious.
#1 Can Luka Doncic help the Mavericks be a top team in the West
Often, a team's success could directly correlate to if a player is in the MVP race. The same goes for Luka Doncic unless he averages a triple-double like Russell Westbrook, the MVP in the 2016-17 season, who was the MVP with a seventh seed team.
Luka Doncic is shooting better from the floor than the FT line in the playoffs.
38.0 PPG
8.7 RPG
9.0 APG
51.9 FG%
45.9 3P%
48.1 FT% https://t.co/0qXwnNdDxM
In the last two seasons that Doncic has been the team's star, the Mavericks have been a seventh seed and a fifth seed in the Western Conference. Both seasons they left in the first round, and even though the playoffs cannot play a factor, having a higher seed might lead to more success in the playoffs.
This might not all be on Doncic’s shoulders, though. The Western Conference is tough, and order to secure home-court advantage in the first round is tough. The front office has not provided Doncic with the talent to push into the elite teams in the West.
But if the Mavericks were somehow able to elevate to that level, a lot of that would be because of how good of a season Doncic would need to have. Doncic is the driving force of the team, and any success will depend on his play. This, in a way, makes him already one of the most valuable players in the NBA to his team.
Also Read: What is Luka Doncic’s Current Contract?