FanPulse results: Luka deserves the MVP talk, plus more

It’s Friday so that means it’s time to check back in with our weekly FanPulse results from the week that was. This weeks edition is centered on the Dallas Mavericks. Hey, that’s great news! We’re a Mavs site, if you didn’t know. But before we get to all the delicious Mavericks content that you crave, let me first tell you about FanPulse.

FanPulse is SB Nations weekly poll that gets the reactions of you, the fans. It’s fun and easy to participate. SIGN UP and start voting today.

OK, on to the Mavs.

This week, FanPulse’s league-wide question addressed the NBA’s early MVP discussion. More specifically, it wanted to know whether people though that Luka Doncic, the Mavericks’ wunderkind, is already a legitimate MVP candidate. Well, just like a lie detector test on Maury, the results are in.

Look at that. Isn’t it beautiful? Seventy-nine point eight percent of voters think that Doncic is a valid MVP candidate. I have no doubts that if you voted in the poll and that you’re reading Mavs Moneyball, you also voted “yes.” If you didn’t please speak up in the comments so that you can be publicly shamed and banished to live in the comments Hell of The Dream Shake.

For the rest of you, let’s take a look at why Luka is definitely in the conversation. This season he’s averaging 30 points, 9.8 rebounds, 9.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per game (as of Dec. 12). Those are all team highs. He’s single-handedly dragged the Mavericks back to relevance with his scoring and playmaking. That’s what MVP candidates do. They make their team and teammates better. He checks every box.

Beyond the basics, he’s doing things at his age (20) that have never been done before. He just broke Michael Jordan’s streak of games with at least 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists. He also averaged a triple-double for the month of November, becoming only the third player to ever do so in any month. Thanks to that, he’s leading the league in triple-doubles with 15.

Doncic is a special player. the more I watch him play, the more enamored with this basketball intellegence I become. I know I’m not the only one. Luka deserves every mention he’s getting as an MVP candidate. Only his biggest detractors (dumb) will say otherwise. The rest of us can enjoy the way he plays without bias.

The other question is the same one you get every week. You’re asked to provide your level of confidence in the team. Since early on, MFFL’s confidence hasn’t once wavered. That’s not surprising given the team’s winning ways (although those losses to the New York Knicks still sting).

I honestly think that if there was an option higher than 100 percent, y’all would have achieved it by now. Luka being an MVP candidate definitely helps keep the confidence levels high. And the winning. This is really great to see.

You know what else is great to see? How the confidence of San Antonio Spurs fans is plummeting. I could post their chart here too. I have the power. But I really don’t want to cause anyone to die from laughter. I value life.

Not every week will have questions about Luka. I wish they did, but I don’t make the rules. However, if you’ve enjoyed what you’re seeing in these weekly columns, then consider if you want to participate in the FanPulse poll. SIGN UP. It’s free!

Until next week...