After the Los Angeles Lakers pulled off a stunning Game 1 upset over the Houston Rockets on Saturday, the league announced the three finalists for the NBA MVP award. Surprisingly, superstar Luka Doncic was not among them.
Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs, and three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets were named as the final three candidates. This decision has sparked a lot of discussion, especially given Doncic’s impressive performance this season.
Luka Doncic’s Eligibility
Doncic’s eligibility for the regular-season award was uncertain, as he played only 64 games before suffering a Grade 2 hamstring injury that ruled him out for the final stretch of the 2025-26 campaign. However, the league recently approved his participation under the Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge, which allows players to be considered for major awards despite missing significant portions of the season.
This challenge was also approved for Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham, while Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves was denied. Although Doncic isn’t in the running for MVP, he’s still eligible to make the All-NBA First Team. His performance this season has been outstanding, with averages of a league-best 33.5 points per game, along with 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. He also shot 47.6 percent from the floor and 36.6 percent from beyond the arc.
Luka Doncic’s Return Remains Uncertain
The real question now is whether Doncic will be able to return to the court for the Lakers in the first round of the NBA playoffs. He continues to work his way back from the hamstring injury, and the team is giving him more time to get his body right.
The Lakers’ win in Game 1 provided some relief, as they were able to take advantage of the absence of Rockets superstar Kevin Durant, who is dealing with a right knee contusion. The return of Austin Reaves, who has an oblique strain, is also up in the air. The Lakers remain optimistic about the prospect of their two best players returning at some point in the first round, but have not set an official return date for either player.
Lakers Ride High After Game 1 Win
In the meantime, the Lakers are riding high after the Game 1 win. Luke Kennard and LeBron James led the way, with Kennard finishing with a playoff career-high 27 points in Saturday’s win. James came two rebounds shy of a triple-double, with 19 points, 13 assists, and eight rebounds.
Game 2 will take place at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday, with the Lakers hoping to take a commanding 2-0 lead before the series shifts to Houston for Game 3 and Game 4.
