Luka Doncic returned to the Los Angeles Lakers lineup on Monday against the Atlanta Hawks, fresh off missing the Detroit Pistons game, and immediately led his team to another win with a top-tier scoring and playmaking performance. We are talking about a guy who has been known for his offensive dominance for the longest time, and he proved it again, making an amazing performance look routine.
Doncic’s Historic Start Continues With Another Masterclass
Before this Hawks game, Doncic was already averaging over 40 points per game, but get this, it hasn’t even touched his ability to be a playmaker. In fact, that playmaking was even more on point Monday night. He put on a clinic, nearly snagging a triple-double with 32 points, eight rebounds, 10 assists, five steals, and two blocks. Seriously, five steals and two blocks too? That’s not just scoring, that is impacting every single part of the game. It is no wonder he is arguably the most dominant player in the league this season. Sure, Victor Wembanyama might have something to say about that with his own start, but Doncic is absolutely putting up a historic streak to kick off the 2026-27 season.
Kessler Says What Everyone Is Thinking: Luka Is The MVP
One player who knows all about the benefits of playing with Doncic is Walker Kessler, and he had a good performance himself, dropping a strong double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Kessler attributed his strong night directly to playing alongside Doncic. He didn’t hold back after the game, saying, “Even when he’s scoring 40, he’s still looking for guys. Tonight the assists worked out for him. Right now he’s the best player in the NBA. And I think he’ll be the MVP. Playing with a guy like that… He just impacts the game in every possible way.” And honestly, who could argue? Carmelo Anthony is already naming Luka Doncic as the NBA MVP favorite for the 2026-27 season. He has cemented himself as one of the league’s best, and it looks like it will be a fun race to track between him and Wembanyama for that MVP trophy.
The Lakers have a new challenge ahead as Luka Doncic continues his scoring streak, proving he might just average over 40 points per game this season. Keep an eye on the MVP race; it is going to be wild.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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