Luka Doncic has always been one to talk. 

Whether he’s talking trash with opponents, jawing at the referees, or chirping at fans, Doncic is in a constant yap. 

This season, though, it seems like his game has been doing the loudest talking. 

The Atlanta Hawks have been one of the pleasant surprises in the Eastern Conference this early into the 2026-27 season. But, it was the Hawks who were surprised with Doncic, who may have only scored 32 points, but managed to contribute in every other aspect of the game including defense (five steals and two blocks). But of course, when things went down the wire, Doncic went with his bread and butter to help hand the victory to the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Doncic is averaging nearly 40 points per game (39.3) on great efficiency (49.8/40.7/88.1 shooting splits) especially considering the best individual defenders and the most sophisticated defenses blanket him every game. 

It remains to be seen if Doncic can keep this pace partly not just because of injury concerns, but also because of the generally long grind that is the NBA regular season. That he can score in a variety of ways certainly helps his case. Against Atlanta, the Slovenian didn’t convert on many of his 3-point attempts, but he was effective in attacking the paint and creating for himself and his teammates. In fact, Doncic only had seven free throw attempts against the Hawks, his lowest this season. That variety is an offensive marvel and a defensive headache. And with Doncic healthy, it’s much worse for the rest of the league. 

The dazzling offense and the 10-2 start the Lakers are currently on have ignited MVP conversations and this case appears to be Doncic’s best yet. LeBron James has left and Los Angeles has tweaked the roster to Doncic’s liking. Social media had their thoughts, but right now, it seems like Doncic and the Lakers are having the last laugh. 

However, Doncic will need to play in 65 regular season games to qualify for the MVP award. He has so far missed two games (both Los Angeles wins), but it’s clear he still has influence even when he sits out. His closest competitor for the award this year seems to be Victor Wembanyama, who himself is having a monster of a start to the season. It remains to be seen if he too can reach 65 games, but the race could go down to the wire. 

Nonetheless, it’s amazing to see Doncic on another MVP type of run, one that could surpass the past seasons in which he was very much in consideration for the NBA’s highest individual award. The improvements on defense have been remarkable and his critics have suddenly turned into believers. 

Then again, Doncic could lose out on the award once again for reasons within and beyond his control. And then he can raise the bar again the following season, restarting the cycle once again. 

This time, though, it feels different. Luka Doncic is out to break the cycle and he’s doing it on his terms.