The LeBron James and Luka Dončić era has begun in L.A. Can they take the Lakers higher in the West standings?
There’s a bromance brewing in Los Angeles, in case you’ve been living on another planet and haven’t noticed. LeBron James and Luka Dončić are on a mission to save the Lakers — not just soon, but like, this season.
It makes for a wonderful sight if you’re a Lakers fan — seeing James and Dončić connect for buckets was once reserved for the All-Star Game only, until now.
How does this relate to the MVP conversation? Lost in the Dončić trade is how tremendous James has been before and since. Don’t take what you’re seeing from a 40-year-old for granted. This is not normal. LeBron is delaying any inevitable meeting with Father Time and dropping hints of playing at this level for another season. He’s up to 24.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and nine assists per game and lands at No. 6 in this week’s Kia Race to the MVP Ladder.
It’s his highest ranking on the ladder, which unfortunately for his new teammate, means the Lakers will only have one on the rung this season since injuries have knocked out Dončić’s chance for eligibility.
No matter — Dončić will have ample chances in the future.
As for LeBron’s former teammate, Anthony Davis could remove himself from consideration for every season-ending award if his abdominal injury keeps him out of action for a lengthy stretch.
Setting the stage this week: It’s All-Star Weekend. It’s time for some fun. All the crucial matchups will be on Sunday for the All-Star Game, and speaking of that, won’t it be great to see Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, running neck-and-neck on the ladder, as teammates and putting all the MVP suspense aside? For a minute, anyway.
The stat to know: Anthony Edwards of the Timberwolves had three straight 40-point games, becoming the first to do so this season.
What they are saying: “He let me have my moment.” — Dončić on James’ choice to let him get introduced last in his Lakers debut.
Last week’s ranking: No. 1
Season stats: 32.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 6.1 assists
His case: He was brilliant in OKC’s crucial fourth quarter against Miami, getting 14 points with four assists, a pair of rebounds and a steal in the quarter. It isn’t often when OKC finds itself in a tight fourth quarter, but when it does, Gilgeous-Alexander usually helps the Thunder prevail.
Speaking of tight, the race between him and Jokić remains as such as the league pauses for the All-Star break. The sprint to the finish promises to be interesting, to say the least, because neither shows any hint of a lapse.
Last week’s ranking: No. 2
Season stats: 29.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 10.2 assists
His case: He has 25 triple-doubles this season (nobody else has more than 10). That makes him the third player to have 25 or more in a season, following Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook.
Even better, the Nuggets are on an eight-game win streak and are slowly creeping up toward second place in the West. That’ll only help “The Joker” and his MVP chances and should Denver get within reasonable distance of OKC, that could get him over the top.
Last week’s ranking: No. 3
Season stats: 31.8 points, 12.2 rebounds, 5.9 assists
His case: He hasn’t been on the floor enough lately to bolster his case, having missed the last six games with a calf strain that will keep him from playing in Sunday’s All-Star Game.
That said, Antetokounmpo had such a superior start that this can’t be held against him … unless the league’s No. 2 scorer fails to reach the minimum number of games needed to be considered for the NBA’s end-of-season awards.
Last week’s ranking: No. 4
Season stats: 27 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists
His case: If Antetokounmpo’s injury disqualifies him from award consideration, Tatum is the most likely candidate to move up. He had his best week of 2025, as his last three games attest: 40 points, 33 points and then 32 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists against the Spurs. Plus he had three turnovers total in those contests.
Its not surprise the Celtics have benefited, winning seven of eight to solidify themselves as a strong contender entering the All-Star break.
Last week’s ranking: No. 5
Season stats: 24.7 points, 13.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists.
His case: The “perils” of playing alongside a top scorer (Jalen Brunson) means you don’t always get the most touches. No matter — after a season-low nine-point output in a loss to Tatum and the Celtics, Towns responded with 40 and 44 points over his next two games.
And he’s still a premier rebounder (who has a chance to win that crown this season) and a solid defender. Therefore, he stays in the top five.
6. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
7. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
8. Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies
9. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
10. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
And five more (listed alphabetically): Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons; Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks; Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns; Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets; Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X.
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