JJ Redick on Luka Doncic being an NBA MVP candidate
· Yahoo Sports
Luka Doncic has never played better basketball, at least since he joined the Los Angeles Lakers 13 months ago. He had already been on a tear in the month of March when he exploded on Thursday for 60 points on 18-of-30 field-goal shooting, 9-of-17 from 3-point range and 15-of-19 from the free throw line. Thanks largely to him, the Lakers defeated the Miami Heat 134-126 to extend their winning streak to eight contests.
Doncic is averaging 40.9 points a game during this streak, and he continues to lead the NBA in scoring average. Still, it seems extremely unlikely he will win this season's MVP award, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder, last season's MVP, is the heavy favorite to win the honor again.
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Lakers coach JJ Redick reminded people that Doncic deserves more serious consideration for the MVP award than he has been getting.
"He's playing as well as anyone in basketball," Redick said of Doncic. "He's really elevated his play at a really important time for our team. He's elevated the play of his teammates. I think there's a trust level that we all have -- coaches, teammates -- with him closing games for us. He's been fantastic, and I think he's one of the best and should be in the MVP conversation.
"Hopefully people will start talking about that because he's having as good a season as anyone."
After Thursday's game, a reporter asked Redick why Doncic isn't more prominently featured in the MVP conversation.
"Because he complains to the refs," Redick said, sarcastically. "I don't know."
On the season, Doncic is averaging 33.4 points on 47.7% field-goal shooting and 37% from 3-point range, 7.9 rebounds, 8.4 assists and 1.6 steals a game. He's starting to play his best basketball at the time of year that one should be starting to peak, and he has delivered in crunch time during L.A.'s current winning streak.
This could be just the beginning of a monster spring for him, regardless of how far his team ends up going in the NBA playoffs.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: JJ Redick on Luka Doncic being an NBA MVP candidate