Luka Doncic has positioned himself firmly in the thick of the NBA‘s MVP conversation, currently sitting third in the latest mock race, and the next several weeks could present an opening for the Los Angeles Lakers superstar to gain ground.
With Nikola Jokic expected to miss at least four weeks after suffering a left knee injury in a loss to Miami at the end of 2025, the dynamics at the top of the award race may shift as the calendar turns.
Doncic closed December with a stretch of performances that reinforced his MVP credentials, even if the month was defined more by consistency than domination. He delivered a 45-point triple-double against Utah, followed that with 43 points and 13 assists versus the Clippers, and poured in 41 against Milwaukee. Those outings helped him maintain his position as the league’s leading scorer and underscored his nightly ability to control games in multiple ways.
Doncic has been dominating the league
The 24-year-old continues to flirt with triple-doubles on a regular basis, averaging close to one for the season. His production has placed him in rare statistical company, carving out a space alongside some of the league’s all-time greats. That level of output, paired with Los Angeles reliance on him as the engine of its offense, keeps him squarely in the MVP picture as the season approaches its midpoint.
One factor looming over the entire race is the NBA’s 65-game minimum requirement for award eligibility. The rule, designed to incentivize availability and ensure that regular-season honors reflect sustained participation, has already become a focal point as injuries mount around the league.
That context brings renewed attention to Jokic’s situation. The Denver Nuggets star suffered what was diagnosed as a hyperextended knee in Miami, a best-case outcome given initial concerns. Even so, his status will be reassessed in four weeks, a timeline that likely sidelines him for most, if not all, of January. If that absence stretches further, it could place his eligibility in jeopardy, despite his reputation as one of the league’s most durable and dependable superstars.
Nikola has always been reliable for Denver
Jokic has built a career on consistency, rarely missing extended time and setting an exceptionally high bar for MVP consideration. As of now, he remains firmly entrenched at the top of the MVP Ladder, and he will not be displaced until he is either mathematically unable to reach 65 games or another player makes an overwhelming case to surpass him.
Still, opportunity often arises from circumstance. With Jokic unavailable, the spotlight naturally shifts to the next tier of contenders, and Doncic is well positioned to capitalize. If he continues his scoring surge, flirts with triple-doubles, and leads the Lakers through a strong January, the gap could narrow considerably.
For now, Doncic remains third in the race, chasing an MVP that has eluded him despite multiple elite seasons. Jokic remains the standard, even from the sideline. But with weeks of games ahead and the margins as thin as ever, the MVP conversation is far from settled, and Luka Doncic has a clear path to make it more complicated.
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