Will Ankle Injury Hamper Lebron James Chances on League MVP?
In order for us to be able to sit down and analyze the impact that LeBron James has had in the NBA since he was drafted by the Cavaliers in 2003, we’re probably going to have to wait until it’s all said and done, and he’s retired. This could happen maybe in 3 or 4 years if he manages to stay healthy, but the thing is that he keeps breaking records game after game, even his own, and that’s why we must wait.
Is he the best ever? Not even a question for many, who consider Michael Jordan to be the greatest player in history, or GOAT, as people call them now, Greatest of All Time. But for many others, King James is making a great case to dethrone Jordan and take that title. Sure, LeBron has lost 6 finals so far, but he has won 4 already, and his consistency, year after year, is what puts him among the greatest. Some former players and NBA coaches already put him on top, while others resist and hang on to the idea that MJ will always be the best, no matter what LeBron does.
LBJ has won 4 rings in his career, two with the Miami Heat, one with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and one with the LA Lakers, last season. He has been Finals MVP all four times, but other than that, he has also been NBA MVP for times, in 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013. After that, many consider that he should have won at least 2 MVP awards more, in 2011, 2014, 2018, and 2020, or at least that’s what people say, but voters have decided to look another way, and instead of him, they selected Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo on those years.
Can LeBron James win MVP in 2021?
He is the number one option right now, and he has a great chance to prove it right now, with Anthony Davis sidelined due to injury for the next 4 weeks. The Lakers are the defending NBA Champions, they have a deep enough roster to cover for AD, they are among the best in the league, and LeBron, at 36 years old, and in his 18th season, seems to be playing some of his best basketball, as odd as that sounds.
He has been the team’s leader all season long, and his numbers certainly prove it, being number one in points per game, with 25.6, number one in assists, with 7.9, almost doubling Dennis Schroder at number two, and being second in rebounds with 8.2 per game, only behind AD’s 8.4 rpg so far. James is also second in steals per game, averaging 1 per game.
It won’t be easy to remain on top of the list until the end of the season, Joel Embiid is also making his case, Nikola Jokic, and Kevin Durant as well, among others. However, according to the narrative taking place right now in the NBA, this could be LeBron’s best shot at his 5th MVP award so far, and it’s basically up to him to keep his numbers up, and maybe win the prize this time.
If that happens, and the Lakers manage to stay on top until the playoffs, then it’s very probable that King James will finally catch up with Jordan’s 5 league MVP’s, and then the debate will be open again.