LeBron James: Why He Should Win Finals MVP

The last player to win The Finals MVP on a losing team was none other than The Logo himself, Mr. Clutch, Jerry West. He won the award back in 1969 after his Lakers lost to the Celtics in seven games.

Since that time, no player on a losing team has won The Finals MVP. Most of the time, this makes sense. Generally, the squad that wins has a standout player who outperformed everyone else and pushed his club to the title.

ALSO ON HOOPSHABIT: The NBA’s 50 Greatest Players of All-Time

But this year, things are a little tougher.

LeBron James is having the series of his life against the Golden State Warriors as he’s trying to will his Cleveland Cavaliers to two more wins, or at least an all-important Game 7.

More from Cleveland Cavaliers

• Latest intel calls Donovan Mitchell’s future with the Cavs into question
• 5 players who will challenge Victor Wembanyama for Rookie of the Year
• Cleveland Cavaliers: Analyzing the Max Strus acquisition
• Ranking the 5 best available shooting guards in 2023 NBA free agency
• NBA Rumors: Cavs have secret weapon to lure LeBron back to Cleveland

He’s been having such an incredible one-man show series that people are starting to seriously ask the question, “Should he win Finals MVP even if his Cavs lose?”

Personally, I think the answer is undeniably yes. I don’t think it’s an easy answer; however, since Andre Iguodala has been having a fantastic series of his own in his own special way, but for myself, James simply has to win the award if he keeps up what he’s done thus far in The Finals.

That’s important “if” to note though, so keep it in mind. If LeBron has an awful Game 6 and the Cavs lose in Cleveland, it’s almost certain that he won’t win Finals MVP. A lot hinges on the final performance that people see, which means that Stephen Curry still has a shot to win the award as well.

But for now I’m going to give you my top five reasons on why The King should be crowned again for his herculean efforts.

Next: The Workload

1. The Ridiculous Workload

This is a no-brainer. LeBron has to give more than anyone else in this series because of the roster he’s been doomed to play with.

ALSO ON HOOPSHABIT: The NBA’s 50 Greatest Players of All-Time

Yes, his 2007 Finals roster was garbage. But at least it was a full roster! The Cavaliers must’ve had a team meet up where they just sat around, graffitied basketballs and made fun of Hoosiers because the basketball gods hate them.

James has no Kyrie Irving and no Kevin Love, the same two guys who were supposed to help him win a title because he’s growing older. Well, so much for that narrative!

And reducing minutes? Hahaha! Hilarious!

LeBron goes into war against the best Finals opponent he’s ever had with a lineup of Matthew Dellavedova, Iman Shumpert (who’s injured), Tristan Thompson and Timofey Mozgov.

Just sit back and soak that in for a moment.

FanSided

What LeBron is doing for this team is incredible. Heck, it’s damn near impossible. Every night he’s playing hard on defense, is always expected to score and has extremely limited help surrounding him.

If I ate a twinkie for every time Delly thought he was Ray Allen beyond the arc, I’d look like the humans in Wall-E.

Not only that, but Shump has lost his confidence. That was evident in Game 5. He passed on open looks, made critical errors on defense and his shots, when he did take them, were so bad I almost mistook him for a storm trooper.

Despite those things, LeBron is still being considered for Finals MVP by the general public. He should get something for doing what he’s done with this roster.

At the very least, Adam Silver should send him on an all-expenses-paid vacation for making the commissioner’s second Finals a good one.

Next: Statistical Overload

2. The Stats

No one touches LeBron in this category either. Let’s just start with his video game-like lines from each game:

• Game 1: 44 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists
• Game 2: 39 points, 16 rebounds, 11 assists
• Game 3: 40 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists
• Game 4: 20 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists
• Game 5: 40 points, 14 rebounds, 11 assists

ALSO ON HOOPSHABIT: Our Latest NBA Mock Draft

Holy crap is right! James is averaging 36.6 points, 12.4 rebounds and 8.4 assists for the series.

The two players on Golden State who could win Finals MVP are Iggy and Curry. Here are their averages:

• Iguodala: 14.6ppg, 6.0rpg, 3.8apg
• Curry: 26.2ppg, 4.0rpg, 5.8apg

I mean, those are fine. But what LeBron is doing makes them look like mortals far beneath his otherworldly kingdom in the clouds. They jut can’t touch him.

This was brought up in the tweet displayed earlier, but LeBron’s Finals numbers are extremely similar to West’s when he won Finals MVP on a losing team:

• West (1969): 37.9ppg, 4.7rpg, 7.4apg

I shouldn’t have to say this here, but I know people will bring it up so I’ll briefly touch on it: if you’re going to harp on LeBron’s shooting percentages as a reason why he shouldn’t win Finals MVP, then you don’t understand much about basketball, or this series in particular.

LeBron is a cerebral player. He knows what it takes to win and always makes the correct decision. Always. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, but he makes the right reads for the issues at hand.

King James Gospel

There is no other way LeBron and his Cavs can win this series. He has to suddenly become a Kobe Bryant-type player and jack up a lot more shots because no one else can save them. And when you take a lot more shots (and are often playing one-on-five), you tend to miss more of them.

Mini-rant: over.

Now, still need some more stats to sway your thinking? How about these:

• LeBron has produced the last six triple-doubles in The Finals
• Only averaging three turnovers a game despite ALWAYS having the ball
• Since 1955, there has been a total of six 30-point triple-doubles in The Finals; LeBron is responsible for three of those
• Recorded the first 40-point triple-double in The Finals in 30 years
• Has matched up with Curry’s teams 12 times; only twice now has Curry had 30 points against LeBron’s clubs
• Non-LeBron shots for Cleveland have a 31.0 eFG% for The Finals
• On pace for the highest usage rate (41.3%) in The Finals since it started being recorded in 1983
• Averaging an insane 45.6 minutes per game

I mean, you probably don’t even need to keep reading after that, huh? Let’s just do it for funsies though, okay?

Next: Who's Even The Best Warrior Right Now?

3. Warriors Have No Clear Cut Finals MVP

This is something that sways the odds in James’ favour a little more. Who’s been the best player on Golden State?

The fact that this is even a question at all makes a statement. There is no clear cut performer on the Warriors who has out-shined all of the others. They’re a well oiled machine for sure, but they work just like one too.

ALSO ON HOOPSHABIT: 50 Greatest NBA Players Without a Championship

They need all of their cogs to be clicking to have their best players play their best. That’s just how their team works. When the ball is moving and the entire team is making shots, for example, Curry tends to play better because he is playing within the flow that his club creates.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Curry is the reigning MVP and deservedly so. He’s an incredible player and has had some decent games in this series. But I don’t really feel like any of these games have been great for him. There just hasn’t been any point in which I’ve thought to myself, “There it is. Curry just put his stamp on this series.”

Maybe that’s still to come, but so far, he’s been unimpressive for his standards. It must also be noted that Delly did rattle him early on and has been playing him very well, keeping him from going berserk against Cleveland to this point.

Iguodala, on the other hand, has been playing better than most expected him to. He’s been making the shots Cleveland is daring him to take, and he’s choosing his spots perfectly. He’s a soothing presence for the team, a guy who’s hungry for his first title and most notably he’s also been guarding LeBron for the majority of the series.

That’s one heck of a job and yet he keeps delivering. One can only hope this makes him the most popular famous Iggy (sorry, Azalea).

The only issue with Iguodala’s performances is that his numbers aren’t sexy enough. They don’t jump out at you and scream Finals MVP. That sort of thing sways voters more than it should.

So while it gives people headaches trying to decide between Iggy and Curry for the Dubs, LeBron is the only true clear cut answer. He’s been the best player, not only on his own team, but in the series.

Next: Making The Series A Series

4. Lengthening of the Series

This has not been appreciated enough. At least, I don’t think so. I mean, they should probably have a parade in Cleveland just because of this.

LeBron was able to win two games already virtually on his own. Two games! Against an impossibly better team! That’s madness.

ALSO ON HOOPSHABIT: Our Latest NBA Mock Draft

I predicted that the Warriors would win the series in five games, and I thought that the one game the Cavs would win would be one of their home games where LeBron would have a SINGLE monster performance.

Instead, the man has given us FIVE of them. I honestly can’t remember the last time a player on his own did this on the NBA’s biggest stage. That might be because it’s never happened.

A series that was supposed to be a bloodbath has turned into a narrow horse race.

FanSided

Let us also not forget that Game 1 was only won by the Warriors by eight points in overtime. The Cavs had multiple opportunities to steal that game. If they had, we might be having a completely different talk about the outlook of the series.

The fact that LeBron has such limited options with everything makes the two wins even more amazing. There is only a couple ways Cleveland can attack the Dubs: isolating LeBron and pick and rolls with LeBron somehow involved.

That’s it. That’s all they’ve got.

And they still won two games. TWO GAMES.

Man, I need to go take a Tylenol or something. Feel free to take a break, I’ll be back soon.

Next: He's Played A Few Minutes...

5. Wear and Tear

Whew. I’m back. Miss me?

Anyway, let’s get on to the final reason LBJ should win Finals MVP this year: the miles on his body.

ALSO ON HOOPSHABIT: Our Latest NBA Mock Draft

If LeBron was a car, there’d be no way your old man would let you buy him at a used car dealer. He’s got so many miles on him that I think he needs a crank to get started.

The focus at the beginning of this season was to get James more rest and reduce his minutes while allowing the young core to mesh together slowly with him. Of course, that didn’t really happen with Cleveland’s putrid start.

For a couple months, we had injured LeBron, who we’re not used to seeing and who was not much fun to watch at all. Then he took his two week hiatus and the rest is history.

In fact, now we’re back up to James playing a crap-ton of minutes and still looking like a T-1000 from the future.

King James Gospel

For his 12-season career, LeBron has already logged 35,769 minutes. He’s played in four straight Finals and is currently in his fifth. He missed the most games he’s ever missed this season, which was only a measly 13 contests.

It is inhuman that LeBron is able to handle the minutes he’s taking right now in these Finals. Most players would’ve buckled by now.

Not James. Instead he’s having one of the most prolific Finals performances ever with a gas tank that’s probably running on fumes by this point.

What LeBron James is doing is a miracle. Seriously. Explain this one for me, science.

And while you’re at it, try to find a good reason he shouldn’t be Finals MVP. ‘Cause I sure can’t think of one.

Next: The 30 Best Shooting Guards of All-Time

More from Hoops Habit

• The 5 most dominant NBA players who never won a championship
• 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
• Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
• Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
• Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout