Draymond Green didn’t blink when asked about Luka Doncic’s MVP chances after the Los Angeles Lakers’ season-opening win over the Golden State Warriors. He saw enough in Wednesday’s 127-105 loss at Crypto.com Arena to know Doncic is operating at a different level. But Green also made the case that the race itself may already be working against him.
Doncic put together a loud opener, finishing with 28 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals in 30 minutes. It was the kind of all-around performance that usually plants a player firmly in the center of the MVP conversation, especially early in the year.
Green, though, told The Athletic’s Sam Amick that the conversation around Doncic is different because of how established he already is.
“I don't think there's anything that he can do (to win it). By the way, it's not a knock on him.
I don't think there is anything that he can do. If they're the one, two, three seed, great.
It's still Luka Doncic. No one is going to be surprised that Luka Doncic's team is the fourth seed.
Nobody. He's that good.
There's no element of surprise,” said Green.
Green expanded on that point by suggesting the league can grow numb to the same level of greatness showing up year after year.
“I just think, ultimately, he gets screwed because of it, and it's probably a little unfair. Anybody else puts those numbers up, and they're walking away with the MVP.
Like, home free. That's why I made the comparison to Bron (LeBron James).
He's got, what, four MVPs? You're telling me he wasn’t the best player in the NBA for at least 10 seasons?
It's greatness fatigue.”
That view comes after Doncic finished fourth in MVP voting last season. He helped the Lakers win 53 games while posting a league-best 33.5 points per game, along with 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.6 steals. His season ended early because of a hamstring injury, which also kept him out of the playoffs.
Even with that production, Doncic was not a preseason favorite in a survey of MVP picks. Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs, Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves led that annual poll.
The Lakers’ history at the top of the award is long, with five MVP winners in franchise history: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.
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