NBA MVP Power Rankings: Mavs' Luka Doncic climbs the ladder during All-Star weekend

All-Star weekend has come and gone, and the Dallas Mavericks are riding high on a six-game winning streak. Most recently, the Mavericks beat their in-state rival San Antonio Spurs. After a struggling first quarter, the Mavs got things back on track and won 116-93.

Going into the week-long break with a win over the Spurs is huge for the team. It's even bigger when you realize the Mavericks are on a six-game winning streak and are currently seventh in the Western Conference.

The trade deadline additions of Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington have made the Mavericks' rebounding and defensive capabilities better. Since the additions, only one team has scored more than 110 points, the OKC Thunder.

NBA MVP Power Rankings: Mavs' Luka Doncic climbs the ladder during All-Star weekend

Despite going 6-0 in the last six games, it's clear the Mavericks still have things to work on before they play again on Thursday. The most glaring hole within the Mavericks' rotation is the lack of offense out of Washington.

If Washington can figure out his offense and become more acclimated within the Mavs system, the sky is the limit for Dallas. Despite struggling on the offensive end, Washington has been a lockdown defender for the team. He constantly draws the toughest defensive assignment, and fans have even deemed his defense "P jail."

Additionally, Gafford has been a great addition. The former Wizard has been evicting shots and catching lobs. Alongside Doncic, Gafford has played some of the best basketball of his career in just three games.

While the Mavs have been on a six-game winning streak, superstar Luka Doncic has been on a tear. He has led the Mavericks in scoring throughout their recent winning streak and has looked much improved on the defensive side. Let's take a look at this week's MVP Power Rankings before the regular season resumes on Thursday.

10. Kevin Durant

Last week's rank: N/A

For the first time in over a month, Kevin Durant rejoins the top ten. After attending the All-Star game, Durant and the Suns look to make their postseason push.

9. Donovan Mitchell

Last rank: N/A

Donovan Mitchell has been at the forefront of multiple Cavalier runs. Despite leading the Cavs to the second-best record in the East, this is the first time Mitchell has entered the MVP conversations.

8. Devin Booker

Last rank: 10

Devin Booker and Kevin Durant seem to be jocking for their MVP spot. The two have played amazing all season long and have picked each other up in struggling times.

7. Domantas Sabonis

Last rank: 7

One of the only players to remain in the same rank is Domantas Sabonis. Despite getting snubbed for an All-Star selection, Sabonis has wiped the floor in multiple categories. He leads the league in rebounding, triple-doubles, and double-doubles.

6. Jayson Tatum

Last rank: 8

Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics have positioned themselves nicely for a late postseason run. The Celtics are currently first in the Eastern Conference and have the best record in the league. Tatum has proven to be one of the better facilitators in the league over this past season, which is a huge reason for the Celtics' success.

5. Giannis Antetokounmpo

Last rank: 3

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks are trending in the wrong direction at the worst time of the year. The worst thing you want to do is enter the All-Star break, losing seven of your last ten games, which is what the Bucks have managed to do.

Despite going 3-7 in the last ten games, Giannis has had a great stretch of basketball. He's averaging 29.7 points and 9.3 rebounds in his last ten appearances. But it's still a drop-off from his season total. However, it's important to note that he and Damien Lillard have struggled alongside one another.

Since Doc Rivers took over coaching duties, he and the Bucks have struggled. They have lost seven of their last ten games, and there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel in Milwaukee. Unfortunately, they only have 30 games left to turn their season around, but it could be the perfect time.

Now the team has a few days to prepare for their upcoming postseason push and will look to get their season back on track. Practice is a rare commodity in today's NBA, given how many games there are in such a short amount of time, but practice could be what the Bucks need.

For Giannis, he must get his team in the right place before they find themselves out of the championship hunt. Their first game out of the break will be against the Minnesota Timberwolves on national TV.

4. Kawhi Leonard

Last rank: 6

Kawhi Leonard has quietly risen up the MVP Rankings over the last month. Despite his team's struggles entering the All-Star break, Kawhi has positioned the Clippers very nicely for a late postseason run.

Leonard has been a huge part of the Clippers 36-17 season. A huge question leading up to the beginning of the season has always been health and availability for Leonard. Barring any major setback, Leonard is set to make an All-NBA team under the 65-game threshold.

A lot of NBA media figures wrote off the Clippers as potential title contenders after they fell short due to health for the past four seasons. They have not only eliminated those claims but after an early season trade for James Harden, the Clippers are looking like true title contenders.

Leonard's stats may not wow any fans, But when on the floor, the Clippers have a clear edge over any other team. The push for MVP for Leonard has only begun just recently, which is why some fans may be surprised when they see his name this high on the list.

Without Leonard, the Clippers would likely be in the same place they were last season. With a very dim future, the time is now in Clipper land.

Leonard still has a lot to prove if he wishes to win the MVP award, but he has risen up the odds over the last two months. The Clippers first game out of the break will be against the OKC Thunder.

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Last rank: 2

Despite dropping one spot in this week's MVP Power Rankings, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has looked like a star on the floor this season. It's no wonder fans love Shai when you factor in that he is leading one of the youngest rosters in the NBA to their first winning season in four years.

Shai has been nothing short of dominant during this season. The 25-year-old was selected to his second-ever All-Star selection and got his first starting nod this season. He hasn't just looked great individually, but he has also led his Thunder squad to a remarkable 37-17 record.

Without Shai's stardom, the Thunder would still likely be a playoff team, but they would be nowhere near the stage they are now. A common trend you see in the modern NBA is the need for a co-star. The Thunder have yet to get Shai a co-star, and it seems like he doesn't even need one.

Fellow teammate Jalen Williams has emerged as the potential co-star. But the sophomore player still has a lot of work before he reaches that level. Could the lack of a second star alongside Shai hurt the Thunder in the playoffs?

Fans can speculate what this team will do come playoff time, but we have no idea what will happen until the final result. The Thunder are still young yet have the brightest future and one of the highest odds of winning the championship. OKC's first game out of the break will be against the LA Clippers.

2. Luka Doncic

Last rank: 4

Since dropping multiple spots in the last MVP Rankings, Luka Doncic has been torching anything in his path. He's led the Mavericks to six straight wins and one of the brightest futures headed into the final 30 games.

Doncic and the Mavs have been on a rampage over the last two weeks. In the past few weeks, the team has made multiple season-defining trades that have put them on the map. Since Doncic's last MVP rankings, he has looked like a completely different player.

The 24-year-old has benefited from Kyrie Irving returning from injury and two Mavericks trades at the deadline. One trade that has benefited Doncic has been the addition of Daniel Gafford. Gafford has seemingly been another Dereck Lively II when on the floor, just with more veteran knowledge.

The need for a backup center has been readily apparent for the Mavericks for multiple seasons now. Having Lively II back and healthy, as well as Gafford, will only make Doncic's ceiling that much higher. Having two elite lob threats is all that Doncic could dream of.

The Mavericks will need to continue to win games if Doncic wishes to be the No. 1 on this list, but as it stands, he has risen two spots in the last two weeks. The Mavericks will play the Phoenix Suns in a critical tiebreaker game on Thursday.

1. Nikola Jokic

Last rank: 1

When Joel Embiid fell with a nasty MCL tear, Nikola Jokic became the instant favorite to win the MVP award. After some recent struggles, the Denver Nuggets will look to come out of the All-Star break fresh behind their potential MVP.

As it currently stands, Jokic is averaging a double-double with 26.1 points and 12 rebounds per game. Jokic will not only need to continue winning, but his numbers will also need to rise if he wishes to win the award without any competition.

It's no secret that Nuggets' success is driven by their superstar center. Without Jokic, the Nuggets would not be where they are today. Behind Jokic, the team has gotten off to one of the best starts in franchise history, and going into the All-Star break, they have a record of 36-19.

Despite some recent struggles, the Nuggets have looked dominant all season long. Fans shouldn't be worried by any of their recent bumps in the road. However, if these struggles continue past the first few games out of the break, there could be some call for concern amongst Denver fans.

The Nuggets will need to get out of the break on a hot streak if they wish to get out of their current fourth-place standings. In the Western Conference, there is no room for error. The Nuggets will look to get back in the win column in their next game against the Washington Wizards.

For more updates on MVP Rankings, Luka Doncic, and Dallas Mavericks basketball, stay plugged in.