Stephen A. Smith lays out intriguing Lakers' Luka Doncic MVP case

ESPN analyst highlights Doncic's historic production during Lakers' winning streak

Mar. 21, 2026 at 5:34pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith outlined a compelling case for Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic as a legitimate MVP contender, pointing to Doncic's historic production during the Lakers' current eight-game winning streak, including averaging 40.9 points and 7.4 assists per game over that span - numbers no Lakers player has ever achieved.

Why it matters

Doncic's recent dominant stretch has sparked MVP buzz, with Smith arguing his efficiency and consistency make him a top candidate despite the Lakers' earlier inconsistency this season. Doncic's play has also raised questions about the Lakers' status as a Western Conference contender.

The details

Smith highlighted Doncic's scoring outbursts, including a 60-point game against the Miami Heat, and noted that he has scored at least 30 points in each game of the Lakers' eight-game winning streak. Doncic is currently leading the league in scoring at 33.4 points per game and ranks third in assists.

  • Over the Lakers' current eight-game winning streak

The players

Luka Doncic

A 27-year-old star player for the Los Angeles Lakers who is making a strong MVP case with his historic production during the team's current winning streak.

Stephen A. Smith

An ESPN analyst who outlined Doncic's compelling MVP case on his show.

Shaquille O'Neal

A former Lakers star who never had a stretch of play as dominant as Doncic's current run.

Kobe Bryant

A former Lakers star who never had a stretch of play as dominant as Doncic's current run.

Magic Johnson

A former Lakers star who never had a stretch of play as dominant as Doncic's current run.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Did you know that Luka Doncic averaging 40.9 points and 7.4 assists? Did you know that what he has done over this eight-game span, that no Lakers has ever done in history? Not Shaquille O'Neal, not Kobe Bryant, not Magic Johnson. Nobody… Luka has 100 points over the last two games. In each game of this eight game winning streak, he's scored a minimum of 30. It ain't like he scored 50 one day and 20 the other. No, he's consistently scoring over 30 every single damn game.”

— Stephen A. Smith, ESPN Analyst

“Luka Doncic averaging 40.9 points and 7.4 assists… What he has done over this 8-game span, no Laker has ever done in history. Not Shaquille O'Neal, not Kobe Bryant, not Magic Johnson. Nobody… He's a league MVP candidate.”

— Stephen A. Smith, ESPN Analyst

What’s next

The Lakers (45-25) will look to extend their winning streak to nine games when they visit the Orlando Magic (38-31) on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. PT on NBA TV.

The takeaway

Luka Doncic's historic scoring and playmaking during the Lakers' winning streak has put him firmly in the MVP conversation, despite the team's earlier inconsistency this season. His dominant play has raised questions about the Lakers' status as a Western Conference contender.