The case for LeBron James to win MVP over Giannis Antetokounmpo

The wins

It actually makes sense when you look at their season with more scrutiny, because despite having all of these all-time-great advanced metrics, the Bucks were just 15-10 against teams that were .500 or better, which is a surprisingly average mark for an allegedly all-time-great team.

Meanwhile, the Lakers finished with the best record in the league against .500 or better teams. This is why despite finishing with two more losses, ESPN ranked the Lakers as the number one team in their relative percent index, which weighs winning in conjunction with the quality of opponents.

So when you realize that the gap between Giannis and LeBron may not exist in the standings or in advanced metrics, you have to start the subjective analysis of what we’re seeing with our eyes on the basketball court. It is here where I believe LeBron has a more clear edge on Giannis.

Yes, Giannis has been arguably the best defensive player in the league this year, but LeBron has been right behind him, and will almost certainly get consideration for Second-Team All-Defense. And on the offensive end, LeBron has had one of the best seasons we’ve ever seen from a facilitator/scorer.

LeBron led the league in assist points created, at 26.5 per game. LeBron led the league in assist percentage at 48.1 percent, which means he assisted nearly half of his teammates’ baskets while he was on the court. And despite lacking a reliable secondary ball-handler, a flaw considered fatal before the season by most, the Lakers had the fourth-best offense in the NBA this season, an offense that utterly fell to pieces when he was off the floor.

This ability of LeBron to facilitate an offense beyond the simple task of putting the ball in the basket is what allows him to separate himself from Giannis as an offensive basketball player this season. Giannis was a cog in a beautifully designed system. A very important cog, but a cog nonetheless. LeBron James was the entire system.

And that is why the small gap in scoring and efficiency (25.7 points per game on 56 percent effective field goal percentage for LeBron, 29.6 ppg on 58 percent eFG for Giannis) doesn’t really mean much to me in the grand scheme of these two players offensively.