Mavs' Luka Doncic No Longer MVP Favorite After Start of Season

Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic is no longer the MVP favorite.

Oct 31, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts in fron tof Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) during the second half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The NBA season is here, and, while there has been a small sample size, many will overreact to how teams and players have looked through only a handful of games.

Through five games played, the Dallas Mavericks are 3-2 on the season. While it has been a small sample size, the Mavericks have shown flashes of what they can become once they hit mid-season form.

Luka Doncic's stats are a bit down from the season's past, though, which is typical through five games. Not every superstar begins the season on a heater -- and none really have this far into the season. In fact, Nikola Jokic might have had the best individual start, but his Denver Nuggets look quite shaky.

READ MORE: Luka Doncic Takes Blame For Mavericks Loss to Rockets

Averaging 27.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 6 assists per game, Doncic is no longer the favorite to win the MVP, according to Fanduel Sportsbook.

Doncic has +280 odds to win the award, with Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leaping him at +250. The odds are close enough that it really doesn't matter, and the main reason for the flip is the Thunder's perfect 4-0 start to the season.

Gilgeous-Alexander and Doncic are the two favorites, though, as Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum is third in the odds at +500. Between the two Western Conference superstars, the odds will continue to flip as their team's records continue to change and their averages come together once they hit their full form.

Doncic will bounce back offensively, too. He will jump back into the 30-plus points per game range. As long as the Mavericks can earn a top-four seed, he'll have a strong chance to win the award, regardless of what the odds say throughout the season.

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