Luka Doncic has been knocking on the door of an elusive MVP trophy for the better part of his NBA career. He received all but two votes for Rookie of the Year in 2018-19 and has finished no worse in MVP voting than eighth in his six healthy seasons since—thrice ending up in the top five.
If Doncic is hoping to put an end to the pursuit and officially cement his place in NBA history as an MVP, then there are three games he'll need to circle on the Los Angeles Lakers' 2025-26 schedule.
Doncic is already a five-time All-NBA First Team honoree, as well as the 2023-24 NBA scoring champion. That alone provides ample reason to believe the leap from where he currently is to league MVP is one that's well within reach.
Playing for the Lakers should only help his case given the high-profile nature of every game the franchise plays.
In 2025-26, all eyes will inevitably be on Doncic during his first full season with the purple and gold. That includes a slew of nationally-televised games that will go a long way toward deciding the narrative regarding Doncic's case for MVP.
That process will begin as soon as Nov. 12, when the Lakers travel to play the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder—led by the reigning MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
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If Doncic leads the Lakers past the reigning MVP and NBA champions on ESPN, it's safe to assume his case for the hardware would instantly improve.
Luka Doncic can define MVP narrative on Nov. 12, Jan. 20, and Mar. 8
The Lakers will face the Thunder again on Feb. 9, Apr. 2, and Apr. 9 in games that would undoubtedly solidify Doncic's MVP status if he can lead the purple and gold to another win. MVP cases begin to take shape earlier than they should, however, and a win over Oklahoma City in November could prove invaluable in the long run.
That, of course, will only ring true if Doncic can deliver in two other definitive matchups: Jan. 20 against the Denver Nuggets and Mar. 8 against the New York Knicks.
The clash with Denver is as layered as it comes in terms of motivation to show out. For one, three-time MVP Nikola Jokic will be the other headlining act, and based on past successes, it's safe to assume he'll be in the running for the award again in 2025-26.
The other element of the story at play is the simple fact that the Lakers are 3-14 against the Nuggets during their past 17 meetings.
The good news is that Los Angeles has won two of its past three games against Denver—with Doncic dominating both of those outings. That certainly inspires hope that, with a new franchise player, the results will be different—and Doncic's MVP case will thus grow stronger.
The third game that would complete the perfect trifecta of performances to define Doncic's MVP season will be against former teammate Jalen Brunson and the Knicks on Mar. 8.
Brunson and the Knicks project to be heavy favorites in a severely-depleted Eastern Conference. They reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2024-25, and both the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers lost their franchise players to injuries that could sideline them for the entire 2025-26 season.
If Brunson and the Knicks dominate the Eastern Conference, he's certain to be in the conversation for MVP—unless Doncic overcomes his former teammate and secures that distinction himself.