DALLAS — Luka Doncic followed his historic 60-point, 21-rebound, 10-assist triple-double in the Mavericks’ Tuesday night thriller over the New York Knicks by hydrating with water, a protein shake and beer and sifting through his own highlights on social media and NBA TV while relaxing in the locker room.
How did everyone else recover?
At least some wagered enough money on Doncic’s MVP odds to restore his status as the favorite in some sportsbooks to win the NBA’s most prestigious individual regular-season award.
According to BetOnline, Doncic (+270) surpassed Boston’s Jayson Tatum (+275) for first-place in the MVP hierarchy after propelling the Mavericks’ wild win Tuesday.
BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook and PointsBet also now list Doncic with the second-best odds, ahead of two-time reigning MVP Nikola Jokic and former MVPs Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant.
Doncic’s continued rise as the season approaches its midpoint prompts questions about whether the Mavericks will jumpstart their middling season to help Doncic meet traditional MVP resume expectations or whether Doncic’s unprecedented production will reframe the NBA’s typical approach to determining ‘most valuable.’
Just like he’s rewriting NBA history.
“We’re lucky,” coach Jason Kidd said. “I’ve said this before: We can’t take him for granted, and again, people get their money’s worth when they come to watch him play. He puts on a show. But he’s all about winning. He believes he can win every night, and as a teammate and as a coach, that’s what you want in the locker room.”
And on your MVP ballot?
ESPN released the first of its three mid-season MVP “straw polls” on Dec. 16, surveying 100 reporters across U.S. and international outlets — including most MVP voters — to provide a realistic view of leaders for the award.
Often, voters select the best player from one of the best teams that season, and ESPN’s first batch of results supported the approach:
1. Jayson Tatum (47 first-place votes) as the Boston Celtics opened the first two months as the NBA’s hottest team.
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo (36) as the Milwaukee Bucks jockeyed with the Celtics for Eastern Conference and overall supremacy.
3. Luka Doncic (10) as he led the league in scoring and ranked top-5 in assisting, but the Mavericks’ record hovered around .500.
No shame in Doncic’s standing, which would mark the highest finish in MVP voting of his career. He also slotted fifth last season, sixth in 2020-21 and fourth in 2019-20.
But the difference between those above Doncic — and those below, such as Golden State’s Steph Curry, Denver’s Jokic and Brooklyn’s Durant — is the supporting cast on their respective rosters, all others in the final iteration of championship expectations.
Tatum plays alongside All-Star Jaylen Brown, reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, and a crew of Celtics veterans that reached the NBA Finals last season.
The Bucks’ two-way trio of Antetokounmpo and All-Stars Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday led their 2021 title run.
Even Jokic, winner of the last two MVPs, receives support from Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon to form the Nuggets’ Western Conference-leading core.
No slight to Spencer Dinwiddie and Christian Wood, who’ve emerged as the Mavericks’ most dependable Doncic sidekicks and made clutch 3-pointers in the last 27 seconds of regulation Tuesday, but Dallas rotation does not match the potential, production and depth surrounding other top MVP candidates.
Against the Knicks, Doncic accounted for 47.6% of the Mavericks’ points (60 of 126), 44.7% of the Mavericks’ rebounds (21 of 47) and 50% of the Mavericks’ assists (10 of 20), the first game in the last 25 seasons in which a player has accounted for at least 40% of his team’s totals, according to ESPN Stats and Info.
While joining former MVP James Harden as the lone 60-point triple-doublers in NBA history, Doncic’s stats also marked the second game in his career he beat Dallas’ four other starters, combined, in points (60-57), rebounds (21-20) and assists (10-9).
Doncic tallied 10 of the Mavericks’ 16 points in the last minute of regulation and seven of 11 in overtime despite playing all but 12 seconds of the 29 minutes after halftime — the third consecutive game he skipped his typical start-of-the-fourth-quarter breather to ensure they won.
The Mavericks have lost all three times they elected to rest Doncic on back to backs this season, including one at home to the Western Conference-worst Houston Rockets
Hard to argue, and perhaps bet, against Doncic as the most valuable player to his team’s chances at winning on a nightly basis.
“He’s so competitive,” Kidd said. “He’s going to will his team. You saw that tonight. I don’t think he gets tired when he’s competing. Now, when it comes to practice… [laughs]. No, I think he just — [I’m] just in awe to see a young player like that.”
