Luka Dončić is doing what Luka Dončić does-lighting up the stat sheet and putting the league on notice. Only this time, he’s doing it in purple and gold.
In his first full season with the Los Angeles Lakers, Dončić is delivering the kind of production that keeps MVP voters glued to the box score. Through 33 games, he’s averaging a scorching 33.3 points per game, along with 8.6 assists and 7.5 rebounds, shooting 46.4% from the field. That’s elite company, and it’s not just empty numbers-he’s been the engine behind a Lakers squad that’s sitting at 25-16 and very much in the thick of the Western Conference race.
But as the MVP conversation heats up, so does the scrutiny. And one of the loudest voices weighing in is Celtics legend Paul Pierce, who recently took aim at Dončić’s defense-or lack thereof. According to Pierce, Luka’s offensive brilliance won’t be enough to crown him the league’s best player unless he starts bringing more on the other end of the floor.
“If we started seeing Luka rev it up on the defensive end like right now, we would be talking about him being the best in the league,” Pierce said in a recent interview.
It’s a fair point. Luka’s offensive toolkit is as polished as anyone’s-we’re talking step-backs, cross-court lasers, post-ups, and floaters in traffic.
But defense? That’s where the conversation gets complicated.
His effort and lateral quickness have long been areas of concern, and while he has the size and basketball IQ to be a capable defender, the consistency just hasn’t been there.
Still, it’s hard to ignore the numbers. Luka dropped 39 points against the Hornets on January 15, even in a losing effort, and followed that up with 25 points and seven assists in a win over the Raptors on January 19. He’s been healthy, available, and productive-three key ingredients for any MVP campaign.
And let’s not pretend voters haven’t overlooked defense in the past. Steve Nash won back-to-back MVPs largely on the strength of his offensive wizardry, and Luka’s case could follow a similar script if the Lakers keep winning and he keeps putting up video-game numbers.
Zooming out, Dončić’s career arc is already one for the books. Now in his eighth NBA season, he’s played 483 games and averages 28.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 8.3 assists. Drafted third overall in 2018 by Atlanta before being traded to Dallas for Trae Young, he won Rookie of the Year in 2019, made five straight All-Star appearances from 2020 through 2024, and led the league in scoring in 2023-24 with 33.9 points per game.
So, is Luka a legit MVP contender? Absolutely.
But if he wants to quiet the critics and take that next step into the “best player in the league” conversation, he’s going to have to show more on the defensive end. Until then, he’ll keep dazzling with his offensive brilliance-and forcing us all to ask, how much does defense really matter when you’re this good at everything else?