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Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers went big with his Christmas gifts to teammates and team staff.
It must be tough to be a Luka Doncic critic these days.
As the Los Angeles Lakers are rolling through March, the superstar guard is putting together the type of stretch that might suddenly cause MVP voters to start thinking about changing their stance on Doncic.
The former NBA superstar DeMarcus Cousins felt forced to change his mind about Luka, following the March 19 matchup between the Lakers and the Miami Heat.
Earlier in the month, Cousins was convinced that Doncic shouldn’t be in the First-Team All-NBA conversation.
“I’m gonna go second, just because of, you know, the team success. I can’t put him over Cade Cunningham. I can’t put him over Jaylen Brown. Obviously, Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander]. I’m gonna go second team,” Cousins said.
Cousins took to social media to admit he was wrong.
Luka Doncic Forces DeMarcus Cousins to Change Stance
GettyLuka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on prior to a game against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena on March 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
via DeMarcus Cousins: “Yea I was wrong asf!! Luca 1st team without a doubt and also time to have some real convo about MVP this season cause sheeeessshh!! This version of the lakers is a scary team come playoffs!”
And for the “spelling bee champs” that wanted to correct Cousins on social media for the wrong spelling, the NBA star sent them a message as well.
“My son name is Luca..simple mistake. For all the spelling bee champs!” he said.
Cousins’ comments came after Luka checked in for 37 minutes against the Heat. Heading into the game, Doncic was listed as questionable. The Lakers were on the second night of a back-to-back.
Despite the exhaustion, Doncic still launched 30 shots from the field, making 60.0% of his attempts. He scored 60 points while coming down with seven rebounds and producing three steals. Defensively, Doncic collected five steals.
On the first night of the back-to-back set, Doncic played for 37 minutes. He made 48.0% of his shots to score 40 points. It was a double-double outing with 10 assists, and could’ve been a triple-double with one more rebound.
With the Lakers winning back-to-back games, they extended their current winning streak to eight in a row.
Luka Doncic’s MVP Standing
Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers in action during the first quarter of the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on March 16, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
The NBA released its latest MVP ladder on Friday morning. It was just in time to give Doncic a massive boost.
Last week, the Lakers’ guard was No. 4 on the list. This time around, he’s No. 2. The Oklahoma City Thunder guard, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, is still at the top.
As for the sportsbooks, Doncic is the second favorite, according to FanDuel. His line is set at +1500, trailing Gilgeous-Alexander.
Justin Grasso Justin Grasso is an NBA reporter, covering trending league news, transactions, injuries, and player developments. He is a credentialed journalist with nearly a decade of insider access. More about Justin Grasso
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