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Lakers’ Luka Doncic drops mic on MVP case after JJ Redick starts campaign
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- Lakers’ Luka Doncic drops mic on MVP case after JJ Redick starts campaign
Lakers' Luka Doncic drops mic on MVP case after JJ Redick starts campaign appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Wearing a muted-colored short-sleeved polo shirt, Luka Doncic looked more like an unassuming substitute teacher during the postgame conference on Tuesday than a high-scoring assassin for the Los Angeles Lakers .
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But make no mistake, Doncic's game in recent weeks has been anything but meek. He just dropped another 40-point lesson to lead the Lakers past the Cleveland Cavaliers , 127-113, at Crypto.com Arena.
With Doncic at the forefront, the Purple and Gold are 13-1 in their last 14 games and have clinched a spot in the playoffs for the fourth straight year. He is averaging close to 40 points amid their surge, prompting Los Angeles coach JJ Redick to campaign for Doncic in the MVP race.
But when asked if he wanted to make a strong case for himself, similar to what San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama did recently , the 27-year-old Doncic was modest in his response .
"I never did that, and I'm not the one voting, so (I don't know). But I think I've been playing pretty well and we've been winning, so that's it. That's all I got to say," said the six-time All-Star.
While he was reluctant, his teammate, Rui Hachimura , was not. Hachimura was generous in touting Doncic's undeniable impact in his first full season with the Lakers.
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"You can see he's the MVP. I don't really know anything about it, but all I can say is that he's the MVP of this league. What he does, what he brings to the game, every game, literally, and just how talented he is offensively," said Hachimura, noting that Doncic has also improved his defense.
"He's been amazing."
Doncic, who prioritized his physique in the offseason, tied Michael Jordan with his scoring barrage in March and broke the team record set by the late Kobe Bryant .
He is on pace to win his second scoring title in three years, as he is averaging 33.8 points on top of 7.8 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 1.6 steals.
Related: Lakers' Luka Doncic jokes that he hurt himself on rare dunk that passes Austin Reaves
Related: Lakers' JJ Redick rejects Pat Riley, Phil Jackson comparisons after 100th career win
