Sports

Is Luka Doncic the NBA MVP after 60-point night? ESPN experts weigh in

Published

4 hours ago

20 March 2026

NewsAdmin

The Los Angeles Lakers are rolling. Led by star guard Luka Doncic’s 60 points and LeBron James’ triple-double, the Lakers got past the Miami Heat 134-126 on March 19 for their eighth consecutive win.

The triumph was even more impressive considering it came just one night after a big 124-116 road victory over the Houston Rockets.

Doncic knocked down 18-of-30 shots, including 9-of-17 on 3-pointers, and contributed seven rebounds, three assists and five steals. The scoring output tied for the second most of Doncic’s career. Additionally, he has scored at least 30 points in each game of the Lakers’ win streak.

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On ESPN’s “First Take,” NBA analysts Stephen A. Smith and Brian Windhorst tackled the topic of whether Doncic should be considered a top candidate for league MVP.

“I don’t think we have a choice,” Smith said. “I’m ashamed that I hadn’t brought up Luka for league MVP consideration sooner than this morning. That ends now. That gets corrected right now. Luka Doncic has been sensational.”

James recorded 19 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists while tying Robert Parish’s all-time NBA record for games played with 1,611. Los Angeles erased a 15-point deficit to hand the Heat their third straight defeat.

Windhorst praised the Lakers for their toughness and resolve in the back-to-back efforts.

“I can’t tell you how much I loved watching them compete the last three games, and Luka especially,” Windhorst said. “The way he approached this game was absolutely awe-inspiring.”

Windhorst added, “Some of the shots that he made in this game were absolutely incredible.”

Still, Windhorst said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder is his leader in the NBA MVP race. Gilgeous-Alexander won the award in 2024-25.

“Shai plays both ends, and his consistency is unbelievable,” he said.

According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Doncic has surged into second place in NBA MVP odds. Gilgeous-Alexander still leads at -1000, trailed by Doncic (+1500), the San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama (+2500) and the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic (+3500).

At 45-25, the Lakers sit in the third place in the Western Conference. They return to action at 7 p.m. ET Saturday on the road against the Orlando Magic.