While LeBron James did win Play of the Year, he lost the NBA’s most meaningful award, the 2018 NBA Kia Most Valuable Player.
James Harden stole the show on Monday night, winning his first ever NBA MVP. However, Harden winning MVP meant that LeBron James once again saw his greatness overshadowed.
There are really two different avenues that one can take when deciding who their MVP is, even though in the end the debate holds little steam since Harden already took the award.
One is the efficiency avenue, which clearly goes to James. With relatively similar percentages from deep, LeBron shot almost 10% better from the field. With a few fewer turnovers, LeBron easily takes the cake for the more efficient player.
On the other end though, the player with the better team seems to gain quite the advantage.
Harden, playing alongside Chris Paul, was easily the best team during the regular season. The Rockets ended 65-17, the league’s best record by seven games. Being better than the Warriors, albeit even in the regular season, is quite the feat, and it certainly made an impact on Harden’s MVP odds.
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The Cavs finished 50-32, four in the Eastern Conference. The Eastern Conference is weak plus Harden’s team being so excellent proved to be an overwhelming reason for them crowning the bearded one MVP.
Before both the two avenues are even reached, we must look at the stats.
Harden averaged 2.9 more points, 0.3 fewer assists, and 3.2 fewer rebounds. In the end, James won two out of the three categories and still lost the award. He’s had that happen to him before, yet it seems over and over again the player that’s been the face of the league for so long continues to struggle to get the recognition he deserves.
However, I won’t say this is a generational thing. After looking back through some stats, it’s clear that just as James’ legacy hurts because of the lack of awards, so could have Jordan’s. Jordan lost several MVP’s although he clearly had the better season. We’ve seen it before, and we’ll see it again.
Could Rachel Nichols be onto something though?
After examining how the NBA created a new award next season, she tossed out the idea of making an MVP and a Best Season award, virtually clearing a path for James to receive a notable award every season in which he reigns supreme in the NBA.
In the end, it’ll be too late for James even if it happens. And, yet, again, we see the league’s best player lose the league’s most prized award.
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The years are running out for LeBron, and the NBA isn’t helping that’s for sure.