RiloAlDente | Spurs

72 | 4 hours ago

How does Luka have more blocks than Ayton 😭

Fri814 | Lakers

69 | 4 hours ago

Sorry! Title should say steals not blocks my bad my bad

orhantemerrut

-9 | 4 hours ago

Then delete and re-post it, my dude.

Fri814 | Lakers

12 | 4 hours ago

The bio has always said steals and I made an edit correcting my mistake, relax

WalrusInMySheets | LAL

4 | 4 hours ago

OP meant to put steals in the title

SwizzGod | Lakers

4 | 4 hours ago

He’s rotating very well at times. Don’t get it twisted Ayton has been good on defense.

SmokeOddessey | Lakers

1 | 4 hours ago

he doesn’t lmao

Akipella | Warriors

1 | 4 hours ago

Per game, Luka has only played 12 games

Edit: nah they just meant steals

SmokeOddessey | Lakers

5 | 4 hours ago

nah OP meant steals not blocks

Akipella | Warriors

1 | 4 hours ago

That makes more sense XD

Akipella | Warriors

43 | 5 hours ago

He’s in the convo, the problem is just Jokic and SGA are already too established as to why they deserve it I feel. Also the Lakers will need to have an insane regular season run. Nuggets might win 60 games, OKC might win 70, and so Lakers should want at least 60 themselves if Luka is to have a chance

Western-Election-997 | Lakers

57 | 4 hours ago

What’s funny is MVP fatigue is supposedly what helped Embid and SGA win over Jokic but the reverse is true for Luka.

He actually gets negative MVP fatigue while continuing to have insane stat lines on a team less stacked than Thunder/Nuggets by far

WalrusInMySheets | LAL

9 | 4 hours ago

We are not less stacked than the Nuggets

Ok_Possible_5702

23 | 4 hours ago

Lakers are absolutely less stacked than the Nuggets. Extremely top-heavy (where LA has the advantage), but every single player after the top 3 is at best equal if not advantage Denver.

Cluster03

2 | 3 hours ago

Ayton and Rui are better than any combo of Braun, Cam J and tim hardaway.

Ok_Turn6757 | Lakers

12 | 3 hours ago

Gordon is probably more valuable than both

Cluster03

7 | 3 hours ago

Gordon is in the top 3. So between Luka/Jokic, Ar/murray and Bron/Gordon. And even then he isnt more better or more valuable than Ayton. So the Lakers have the top ⁴⁄₅ no matter how you slice it.

Ok_Turn6757 | Lakers

1 | 3 hours ago

Jamal Murray says hello

Cluster03

1 | 3 hours ago

I edited it lol I meant reaves/murray so point stands.

Ok_Turn6757 | Lakers

4 | 3 hours ago

Jokic~>Luka

Murray~>Reaves

Gordon<Bron

Cam Johnson~Ayton

Braun~Rui

Valenciunas>Hayes

Bruce Brown~>Gabe

THJ~Jake Laravia

Payton watson~Smart

Lakers have a better top 3 but it’s a team game, the Nuggets just have more depth

Western-Election-997 | Lakers

1 | 4 hours ago

The are go check the power rankings, Lakers are over performing but top 2 teams ranked coming in the West were OKC and Denver

WalrusInMySheets | LAL

6 | 4 hours ago

I don’t give a damn about power rankings lol

Dependent-Effect6077

3 | 4 hours ago

OKC are top dogs for sure I’m not sure there’s that big a gap between the Lakers and Nuggets

Denver are probably a bit more well-rounded but nothing crazy

Lmao1903 | NBA

1 | 4 hours ago

OKC team is on another planet, not just because of names, but in terms of team building. You have JDub, Chet, Caruso, Dort, Cason, all all-defense 1st team level defenders at any given day and then some other really good defenders on your roster, you are going to be insane. Obviously still good players on the other side of the ball and not just good defensively. They got bench players who would start for a lot of teams

Western-Election-997 | Lakers

1 | 4 hours ago

Really, no one has ranked Lakers near top of power rankings while Nuggets have been near top since start of season

GriffinQ | WAS

3 | 4 hours ago

That really doesn’t mean a ton and will likely change soon if they keep winning.

Nuggets are without Braun and Gordon for what will likely be an extended period. If the Lakers get Ayton back soon, they’re the deeper roster.

Western-Election-997 | Lakers

1 | 3 hours ago

No the Nuggets would still be deeper they are just injured

SlimmySlinky

-8 | 4 hours ago

Fatigue happens when a player plays at the same elite top level year after year. Jokic and SGA keep taking their games to the next level.

Lukas hasn’t done that yet.

Western-Election-997 | Lakers

9 | 4 hours ago

He already did that when he averaged 34/9/10 on 38% from 3, that was next level clown.

SlimmySlinky

-4 | 4 hours ago

Yep, that’s why he was an MVP contender that year, buddy. 🤡

Dependent-Effect6077

5 | 4 hours ago

Plus I feel that voters these days tend to value efficiency/advanced stats more than raw volume it’s the same reason why Luka didn’t win in ²³⁄₂₄ despite having by the most impressive PTS/REB/AST line

Jokic and SGA are both absolute gods in both of those categories (Jokic because his shooting efficiency is off the charts and SGA because his scoring efficiency is great and his turnover avoidance is off the charts) both have impact metrics that haven’t been seen since peak LeBron and Steph

TCTCTCTCTCTC7

5 | 4 hours ago

He’s in the convo, the problem is just Jokic and SGA are already too established as to why they deserve…

This is not always a good thing. Abdul-Jabbar, for example, won a few MVPs, and voters got tired of him winning, and started handing them out basically to random players, like Dave Cowens and Bill Walton. Even more unconscionably, in years during the Seventies when Abdul-Jabbar didn’t win, he finished 5th and 4th twice.

In ‘82, Abdul-Jabbar posted 24/9/3/3 on near league-leading efficiency, for the West #1 seed, and voters were so sick of him winning by then that he finished __tenth__, in the company of Dan Roundfield and Kelly Tripucka.

There is absolutely no justification for some of those voters’ votes.

O’Neal won just one, and then voters started giving them to people like Iverson and Duncan, with even Jason Kidd and Jermaine O’Neal attracting more votes.

They say “Familiarity breeds contempt”, and NBA MVP voters have exhibited that before.

AtreusIsBack | NBA

1 | 3 hours ago

Yeah, another thing the voters care about is a rise story. Jokić and SGA didn’t come into the league playing at All-NBA level. Both went through a growth period in order to reach an elite level, while Luka was great from the start. And the voters lean towards a more “feel good story of a player rising to stardom over the years”, which is what really helps SGA.

Ok_Possible_5702

3 | 4 hours ago

Luka and Jokic are more similar players than Luka and SGA, in the sense that both Europeans are offensive savants who are very pass-oriented. For Luka to get ahead of Jokic, I think he probably needs to get the Lakers ahead of the Nuggets in terms of team record.

Luka vs. SGA - team record will obviously be in favor of OKC. But if Luka wins the scoring title, he’ll most certainly have every main counting stats ahead of SGA (assists and rebounds are not much of a competition), and that’s how I think Luka could get ahead.

Akipella | Warriors

3 | 4 hours ago

And it would be Luka’s first MVP.

AddictedToThisShit

1 | 31 minutes ago

He had every counting stat ahead of SGA in 2024 and they still had him 3rd in the vote

TheFestusEzeli | TOR

0 | 4 hours ago

It’s not even a knock on Luka but SGA/Jokic were the top 2 in the MVP race last year and both have improved their play this year. Advanced stats aren’t everything but its almost comical looking at EPM/WS/WS48/BPM/VORP the last two years, there is an absolutely insane gap between the two and everyone else.

Luka’s already in the MVP convo but his best chance to get really deep into it is to hope Jokic somehow falls off hard. I think you can angle an argument for him against SGA but Jokic putting up 30/13/11 on absurd efficiency and much lower usage completely blocks off Luka atm.

Marcus-ichiJo

-1 | 4 hours ago

The moment Joker fell off Wemby is already there by 3 years, Luka might have none.

GriffinQ | WAS

4 | 4 hours ago

There is also a very real possibility that Wemby will not play the necessary number of games to win these awards.

TraditionalError9988

-9 | 4 hours ago

Agreed. And leading just one’s team, while great, isn’t what Joker is up to.

Dude does that for his team too, the other year he had the most points, rebounds and assists for the playoffs, the FIRST player to ever do that.

So no MJ, Kobe, Bird, Magic, Hakeem, Kareem, Wilt or anyone, only Joker has done that.

Hell, look at what Joker did last year. Not per game totals, but pure totals.

Joker had the 3rd most points in the NBA last year.

Joker had the 4th most rebounds in the NBA last year.

Joker had the 2nd most assists in the NBA last year.

NONE of the other 4 dudes in the top 5 for most points were also inside the top 5 for rebounds or inside the top 5 for assists.

Joker was in the top 4 actually of those 3 counting stats for the entire league.

SGA scored the most points in the NBA last year but he wasn’t in the top 5 for boards or in the top 5 for assists.

Leading your team in all those categories is really good, Joker made a run at leading the entire NBA in the most points, boards and assists in the same season. NO, he didn’t, but no one else was in his range last year for points, boards and assists.

None of the other 4 dudes in the top 5 for most rebounds were in the top 5 for scoring or top 5 for assists.

None of the other top 4 dudes for most assists were in the top 5 for most boards or top 5 for most assists.

Joker was alone in the top 4 for all of those. In the entire freaking NBA.

Agree that Joker and SGA are a cut above even Giannis and Luka at this point.

Training-Tip-4459

1 | 8 minutes ago

I ain’t reading allat but the first thing I read about the playoffs stats, Luka literally did it the very next season ya dunce.

SalazarSlytherin___ | 76ers

43 | 4 hours ago

Luka was robbed in 2024. 33.⁹⁄₉.⁸⁄₉.2 for the season, scoring champion and he was blitzed 2.5x more than the 2nd highest player in the NBA.

FakeRTZFan

6 | 5 hours ago

60+ wins + better efficiency

Classic_Reference_92

43 | 4 hours ago

Efficiency is only problem for spreadsheet nerds regarding Luka. He is by far the most doubled/blitzed player in the league and the whole team gets an insane boost by constantly playing 4 vs 3 offence. Stats don’t show you everything.

ScionAurelius | Canada

-9 | 4 hours ago

You got a source on that double/blitz stat? Because last I saw it was ANT last season.

Ok_Turn6757 | Lakers

6 | 3 hours ago

Luka was injured last season. Check the mind the game podcast on luka blitzes, they talk about how it hasnt been close this decade

FakeRTZFan

-12 | 4 hours ago

Look at Joker’s stats and tell me luka is better atm lol

Repulsive-Throat5068 | Lakers

12 | 4 hours ago

So did Luka deserve it in 2024?

FakeRTZFan

-8 | 4 hours ago

Probably but his team did not win enough to appeal the voters

Ok_Turn6757 | Lakers

9 | 3 hours ago

Winning only 7 less games despite being the 2nd most injured team in the west was a knock on Luka??

Classic_Reference_92

10 | 4 hours ago

🤓🤓🤓 What about looking at games and not at excels

D1HATER3002

-12 | 4 hours ago

I watch games and Jokic is much better than Luka

GriffinQ | WAS

11 | 4 hours ago

No one in basketball is “much” better than Luka. You can prefer Jokic or SGA or Giannis but none of them are heads and shoulders above each other.

D1HATER3002

-9 | 4 hours ago

There is definitely gap between Luka and Jokic.

GriffinQ | WAS

4 | 3 hours ago

“Definitely gap” and “much better” are wildly different things.

Jokic is much better than Jimmy Butler. He is likely a little better than Luka. They are firmly in the same tier of player.

ThingsWereBetterBe4

-17 | 4 hours ago

lol Luka stats are also most overrated thing about him

Go watch those games in playoffs vs Wolves. He dropped like 40 10 10 and played losing ball the whole game. Actually 3 games he plays real bad and put up insane stats. And 1 game they won not great stats but played good

Lukas a great player but his stats are a lot of BS

lawschoolthrowaway36 | Lakers

0 | 4 hours ago

Do you think Luka’s efficiency would improve if he were on a team with a net rating of +17 (historic dominance) while he sits on the bench and rests?

It’s odd to me that SGA’s team being utterly dominant while he isn’t even in the game doesn’t factor in to how people discuss things like his efficiency. He is rarely ever being forced back into games after the opponent went on a huge run. His team just destroys their opponent while he recharges for his next stint because their defense throttles everyone, including while he sits

TheFestusEzeli | TOR

8 | 4 hours ago

Luka’s barrier into the MVP conversation isn’t SGA, it’s Jokic. He is putting up 30/13/11 on absurd efficiency, blocking Luka’s argument about like team vs individual against SGA a bit. SGA has a good argument against Luka and Jokic, Luka and Jokic both have a good argument against SGA, but I can’t see any reasonable way to argue that Luka should be MVP over Jokic at this point in time.

Though I don’t get the point you are making here regardless, SGA sits the entire fourth while OKC’s backups and reserves play up 20-30 points, so its not like he is getting extra energy in game for better efficiency. If you are going off rest throughout the season, SGA has played 100+ minutes more than Luka this year.

FakeRTZFan

2 | 4 hours ago

My money on Joker atm, i don’t think being the best player on the most dominant team = mvp. What luka does rn is mvp’s material but Jokic is still ahead with way better efficency.

Consistent-Dingo-506 | Lakers

2 | 3 hours ago

I’ll be happy with either Jokic or Luka getting MVP. If you sit the entire 4th and your team never hemorrhages a lead or needs you back, you ain’t the most valuable player.

Classic_Reference_92

0 | 4 hours ago

Don’t try to argue dumb people, you’ll never win

thy_armageddon | Knicks

4 | 4 hours ago

The LA Lukas

Ok_Possible_5702

2 | 4 hours ago

what does he need to do better to really get into the MVP conversation?

He’s already in the MVP conversation (I think he would get some first place votes, if the season ended today).

To really make a serious push, he probably needs to win the scoring title, carry the Lakers ahead of Denver in terms of team record, and end up on good efficiency - it’ll never be great given his volume, but he needs to shoot the 3 at least at 35-36%.

inightyDAB | Luka Dončić

1 | 4 hours ago

SGA and Jokic lead advanced stats by so much that the only way I can see Luka winning is if LA wins both series against OKC and Denver AND the team overall becomes more convincing in terms of net rating, ORTG, DRTG, etc. I think there are a lot of people who are not convinced about this Lakers team despite our good record because our advanced analytics are not as good. I think that’s a function of our injuries to start the season and the fact that the team is kind of cobbled together despite some really good additions.

SlimmySlinky

1 | 4 hours ago

Team record.

[deleted]

1 | 4 hours ago

[deleted]

Fri814 | Lakers

0 | 4 hours ago

I think the general consensus is 1- Jokic 2- SGA 3- Luka but I’m curious what Luka can do to put himself in the conversation, I think it’s a bit unfair to say SGA is above him just because he has a better record, he has a much better supporting cast than Luka (having a defense at all)

TheFestusEzeli | TOR

1 | 4 hours ago

SGA’s argument is his absurd efficiency and advanced stats on top of team record right now. EPM has him as the best season in NBA history currently (which definitely will change), but he is having a ridiculously efficient season for a guard in both shooting and passing.

And in terms of narrative arguments, if Jokic didn’t exist there would be a constant debate between Luka and SGA, because I think its completely reasonable to have one over the other. But Jokic is just the blockade for Luka rn, I don’t see an argument for Luka over him.

lovinglife38

0 | 4 hours ago

SGA is #1, Jokic is close #2, Luka is a clear #3. SGA missing all-nba teammate J-dub. Who teammate is Jokic missing? no one.

Fri814 | Lakers

2 | 4 hours ago

I can’t think of even one argument why SGA is even close to Jokic in terms of mvp conversation, 29/13/11 on 73% TS in 34.8 mpg vs 32/5/6.5 on 67% TS in 33 mpg, Jokic is carrying his team to second best record in the west while SGA gets to sit the fourth quarter cause his team is insane

DragoniteGang | Timberwolves

1 | an hour ago

SGA has a higher EPM than Jokic. He currently has the best EPM season of all time surpassing 2016 Curry. Most GMs and voters point that metric as the best. There is a reason why Shai was ahead of Luka in 2024 despite Luka’s 34/9/10.

Gizmo_0919

2 | 4 hours ago

I’m not even a Jokic guy really but that is an… interesting take.

Jokic is having the best season in NBA history in most of the advanced metrics that tend to correlate with MVP. It’s not going to be close if it continues at this pace.

Lmao1903 | NBA

0 | 4 hours ago

I don’t think anyone’s going to be in the race if Jokic is shooting like this, like 30/13/11 or something on Jarrett Allen efficiencies who is like the 5th option that just dunks and gets easy lays.

Longjumping_Kale3013

1 | 4 hours ago

I think if the standings stay as they are, it is a 3 way tie IMO. SGA would currently get it due to OKC dominance. In order for Luka to win, he needs OKC to go on a losing streak. There’s probably not much more he can do. OKC is on pace for 77 wins right now. No way SGA doesn’t get mvp if OKC stays at this pace and he plays like he has been.

For Luka to win: LA needs more than 60 wins, and OKC needs less than 70. I think this is what it comes down to. Team success. Even though they are all 3 playing at the same level IMO

swimgood187

3 | 3 hours ago

Shai is too good. As a lakers fan I just hope the voters somehow have fatigue from him just having the greatest guard seasons ever and winning everything possible.

when_m00n

1 | 4 hours ago

Just keep on winning, that will put him into the MVP convo. I mean he is already there, but SGA and Jokic just have that big of a separation among the rest. It’s gonna be a tough race, especially if OKC ends the season with 70+ wins

AtreusIsBack | NBA

1 | 3 hours ago

3pt% has to move above 35%, there should be no excuse for him to stay below 35% the entire year.

beckychao

1 | 3 hours ago

Luka is in the MVP conversation, it’s just that Jokic/Giannis/SGA are also doing ballistic shit out there. The Bucks are inept without Giannis, he wills them to win on a nightly basis. Jokic is putting up some of the most absurd numbers we’ve ever seen. SGA is one of the most efficient offensive players ever. The competition this year is just dumb, one of the most crowded MVP races I’ve seen in a while.

Luka’s main weakness is still his defense, though. If he became an average or above average defender, like Curry did, he would make a better case for MVP. This is always Giannis’ point in his favor, he is a true two-way star. SGA is a good defender, too.

DragoniteGang | Timberwolves

1 | an hour ago

He beeds to improve his advanced metrixs which likely means less turnovers with better shootinf efficiency, and good defense.

You are not winning MVP in this league if you are shooting 61%TS while almost averaging 5 TOs regardless of your PRA because low turnovers is extremely impactful.

tekkonkreet | NBA

1 | an hour ago

He is in the conversation. I think the only way for Luka to leap frog shai and jokic for MVP award is for Lakers to defeat Thunder and Nuggets on their head to head matchup this season.

axnjxn00 | Magic

1 | an hour ago

Jokic and sga getting injured

Classic_File2716

0 | 4 hours ago

He needs to get close to the no 1 seed although that looks impossible with OKC . Win atleast 60 games and be in the top 3 .

StatusDimension8 | NBA

0 | 3 hours ago

Sga is just having an incredible season so its kinda tough…

ThingsWereBetterBe4

-9 | 4 hours ago

I saw him drop 35 10 10 in the playoffs last year and play 3 terrible games

Lukas stats and modern NBA stats mean nothing in teams of playing winning ball

Fri814 | Lakers

6 | 4 hours ago

Most teams would kill to have someone who drops 35/10/10 on a terrible night but he does need to improve his efficiency

chef_iblocka | Thunder

-13 | 5 hours ago

What does he need to do better to get into the MVP conversation?

He needs to do a better job at convincing voters that he’s better than Shai.

FailedAwards | Warriors

15 | 4 hours ago

That’s not gonna be possible if the thunder are playing so well shai can just chill in the third with 30 points with double fives

Western-Election-997 | Lakers

10 | 4 hours ago

Last I checked Jokic was leading the MVP race so even in your delusional world that wouldn’t be true

Fri814 | Lakers

5 | 4 hours ago

I meant more convincing voters he’s better than jokic, seems like he’s the clear favorite this year so far

Akipella | Warriors

1 | 4 hours ago

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/1p6z8uh/comment/nqu00bw/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Apparently some people already think it…

MogleyJones | Egypt

-8 | 4 hours ago

He’d have to drug them, because no sober person could ever think that

Repulsive-Throat5068 | Lakers

2 | 4 hours ago

Acting like there isn’t even an argument is delusional

Akipella | Warriors

-1 | 4 hours ago

Literally the thread I was just in an hour ago lol

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/1p6z8uh/comment/nqu00bw/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Lmao1903 | NBA

-1 | 4 hours ago

I guess if I was mentally handicapped I would think like you too, so good job I guess.

Luka now leads the lakers in points, assists, rebounds, and blocks