Luka Doncic Already Building MVP Case With His Fifth 40-Plus-Point Game This Season

Luka Doncic‘s impressive start to the season continued Monday against the Miami Heat, where he finished with 42 points in a 138-117 win.

This was Doncic’s fourth 40-plus-point game in his past five appearances, raising his league-leading scoring average to 38.8 points per game.

Miami star Giannis Antetokounmpo praised his performance, and he ranks fourth in points per game with 28.4.

“Obviously, he’s one of the best scorers to play this game, if not the best,” Antetokounmpo said after the game.

A reporter interrupted Antetokounmpo’s answer, hoping for additional context.

“Right now?”

“Not right now. Of all time. I feel like some people are scared to say that, but he’s got to be up there,” Antetokounmpo replied.

The numbers support Doncic’s case; his career scoring average of 29.32 is behind legends like Michael Jordan, who averaged 30.12 points per game, and Wilt Chamberlain, who averaged 30.07 points per game.

Doncic’s fifth straight game with 20-plus points in the first half made him the first Lakers player since Kobe Bryant in 2007 to do so.

Doncic has proven he belongs in the conversation of the greatest scorers to play the game; he is on pace to win his second straight scoring title and his third career title. In the playoffs, he doesn’t disappear, averaging 30.9 points per game in the postseason.

“It just feels almost anything he shoots, whether it’s a circus shot or regular step-back 3, or it’s a tough floater, it just seems like everything he’s shooting is going to go in,” Doncic’s teammate Quentin Grimes said. “… I don’t think I’ve ever been on the court when everything somebody shoots, you think it’s going in. So, kind of crazy little heater he’s on for sure.”

In Doncic’s past five games, he has averaged 43.4 points while shooting 53.2% overall, 44.7% from 3 and 89.1% from the free-throw line.

Doncic finished with 13 assists; he handled Miami’s double teams easily and was blitzed on seven possessions when using on-ball screens. The Lakers scored on six of those.

“It’s a really good offense that we’re playing right now,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said, pointing out the Lakers’ 39 assists were the most they’ve had since he took over as their coach in 2024-25. “And a lot of that, of course, is Doncic and what he’s able to do and bend the defense. And his shotmaking creates a lot of problems, and then he can make every pass.” 

 Doncic didn’t say much about his personal play, instead focusing on the Lakers’ standing in the Western Conference.

“Obviously when we win, it feels way better,” Doncic said. “But obviously, it feels good.”