Over the first 12 games of the 2026-27 NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers have put the league on notice, exceeding expectations for a team that went through a roster overhaul to build around stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

Along with JJ Redick putting on a coaching clinic with nine new players added to the squad, Doncic has been playing out of his mind while already making a strong case to be the NBA MVP for the first time in his career.

During the win on the road against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, the Slovenian superstar impressed arguably the best perimeter defender in the league, Dyson Daniels.

Dyson Daniels: Luka Doncic Probably ‘Hardest Guy to Guard in the NBA’

The elite defensive-minded guard spoke to the media after Doncic dropped 32 points on the Hawks in Atlanta, to go along with 10 assists, eight rebounds and five steals, leading the Lakers to a sixth straight win.

Daniels admitted he thinks that Doncic is likely the “hardest” player to guard in the NBA right now, via the Hawks’ YouTube channel.

“He’s probably the hardest guy to guard in the NBA right now,” Daniels said of Doncic. “And then he’s also a willing passer.”

Following the Lakers’ 10th win of the season, Doncic now averages a league-best 39.3 points per game, as he’s well on his way to winning the scoring title for what would be the second straight year and the third time of his NBA career.

Luka Doncic’s Improved Defense Might Be Just as Impressive

As of right now, Doncic’s scoring at a historic rate while setting new milestones seemingly every night he takes the floor is stealing all the headlines in Los Angeles, and justifiably so, as the Lakers have seen a scorer of this caliber in purple and gold since Kobe Bryant.

Although the scoring surge is impressive, to say the least, Doncic’s improvement defensively has been turning heads and is another reason for the Lakers’ hot start to the 2026-27 campaign.

Doncic has done an exceptional job of containing ballhandlers and communicating on the defensive end of the basketball floor, which has received high praise from head coach JJ Redick and the team’s new anchor on defense, Walker Kessler.

The narrative about Doncic not being a good defender might be coming to an end, and the Lakers are benefiting from what could be an MVP-caliber season for the 27-year-old.