Does Luka Doncic's stronger performance lead to a lower MVP ranking?

The MVP competition has recently reignited, with Victor Wembanyama's statement and his superhuman performances making him the primary rival to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Luka Doncic, in this context, appears to have been caught in the crossfire.

In the most recent MVP list, Victor Wembanyama directly moved to first, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is second, Nikola Jokić third, and Luka Doncic fell from second to fourth. Although Doncic's chances of winning MVP this season are extremely slim, he delivered a historically great month of games in March, yet his MVP ranking dropped two spots, which is hard to understand.

Doncic said in an interview: "I hope to win MVP, but when I play better, my MVP ranking actually goes lower, so I don't know what else I can do." It's worth noting that the MVP rankings only reflect the official website's perspective, not all media and voters, and the final MVP vote depends on the views of most media members.

Today the Lakers defeated the Cavaliers, wrapping up March perfectly, and Luka Doncic again displayed excellent form. He missed shots early but ended the first quarter with 14 points, scoring at an astonishing pace. In the first quarter, Doncic seemed to effortlessly reach double figures.

In the second quarter he typically eased off, then scored 15 points in the third quarter, leading the Lakers to a surge that stretched the lead to over 20 points. The Lakers exploded for 45 points in the third quarter, Austin Reaves regained his touch, Lakers' defense sparked fast breaks, LeBron James and Reaves connected like James and Wade, and the Lakers' offense flowed unstoppably.

The Lakers' recent form has been astonishing. Ignoring earlier games against weaker teams, today they faced a full-strength Cavaliers squad aiming to rise in the East, yet were thoroughly suppressed. Everyone played their role: offense handled by Doncic and Reaves, defense a collective effort, team chemistry peaking this season.

With playoffs approaching, the Lakers' current state undoubtedly boosts fans' confidence. Especially core player Luka Doncic, who delivered his best monthly performance ever, possibly in peak physical condition, visibly leaner compared to last year.

Today Doncic scored 35 points in three quarters, finishing with 42 points after the Cavaliers narrowed the gap in the fourth, plus 12 assists and zero turnovers for a perfect night. On the final play, Doncic sprinted ahead on a fast break, smiling as he received the ball because he knew he could finally dunk.

That dunk capped March perfectly. Today's game added many milestones for Doncic. With 42 points today, he reached exactly 600 points in March, second in history behind Michael Jordan's 676 in 1987. Notably, Doncic played 594 minutes in March, averaging a point per minute.

Since the new century, Doncic's 600 points in a month also ranks second; first belongs to James Harden who scored 610 in January 2019—both insane monthly performances. In Lakers history, Doncic became the highest single-month scorer, even though he was suspended for one game.

He has now scored 30+ points for 13 consecutive games, a career best. His 16 40-point games this season lead the NBA. In March, Doncic averaged 37.5 points, 8 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 2.3 steals—absolutely MVP-level performance.

Today he also became the third youngest player to reach 15,000 points, behind teammate LeBron James first and Kevin Durant second, each about a year apart. If Doncic's career lasts long enough, 30,000 points seems attainable; 35,000 or more is too distant.

Not exaggerating, the Lakers in March truly looked like a championship contender. Next they face two games against the Thunder, the real tough tests—playoff-level battles. The outcome will directly shape fans' playoff expectations for the Lakers.

Regarding MVP ranking, Doncic can't control where others place him. He just needs to keep playing this way, overcoming all doubts, and eventually reach his desired destination.