NBA MVP Power Rankings: Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander rises, who drops?

3. Luka Doncic

Last week's rank: 2

After losing to the Indiana Pacers in his most recent game, Luka Doncic will drop in this week's ranking after scorching up the leaderboard in the past few weeks.

The Dallas Mavericks were recently on a seven-game winning streak and were being regarded as the hottest team in the league before it all came to an end against the Pacers. The Pacers would beat the Mavs in blowout fashion with a 133-111 win.

Despite losing, the Mavericks have emerged as one of the better teams in the West yet remain in play-in contention. Before the loss to the Pacers, the Mavs were sitting comfortably in sixth place, just half a game back of the New Orleans Pelicans. However, after the loss, they have fallen back down to eighth in the West.

The race to get out of the play-in spots has never been more competitive in the Western Conference, and it seems like every team is catching heat at the right moments. The Mavs are currently three games ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers for ninth but are just half a game back of the fifth-seeded Sacramento Kings.

Unfortunately for Dallas, their next game will be against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who will likely have Donovan Mitchell back after his multiple-game absence. If Doncic and the Mavs can get a win on the road, that would be huge for their playoff implications.