If there isn’t a textbook on how to win an NBA Most Valuable Player award, LeBron James may be writing one.
The season has a long way to go, and this year's award is by no means his (yet), but James set the bar a little higher this past week. If anyone is to prevent him from repeating as MVP, they’ll have to turn in a stretch of Herculean performances between now and May.
Not only did LeBron win the Eastern Conference Player of the Month award for November and December, he’s the frontrunner for January, having just been named the conference’s Player of the Week for the second time in the month and fourth time this season.
Going back to the 2008-09 regular season, James has won four consecutive player of the month awards, the first individual ever to do so. A fifth would be an exclamation point of unprecedented proportions.
Not resting on his laurels, LeBron turned things up a notch over the Cavaliers’ last four games, outdueling four of the game’s best players in a perfect 4-0 week.
On Jan. 19, James just missed a triple-double as he compiled 28 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds in a 108-100 win over Chris Bosh and the Toronto Raptors. Bosh had 21 points and 10 boards.
Two nights later, after learning that point guard Mo Williams would be lost for up to six weeks with a sprained shoulder, James recorded 37 points, nine assists and five rebounds as the Cavs topped Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, 93-87. Bryant led the Lakers with 31 points.
Just two nights after that—having lost Williams’ replacement, Delonte West, to a broken finger in the Lakers game—LeBron scored another 37 as the Cavs outlasted Kevin Durant and Oklahoma City, 100-99.
Sharing ballhandling duties with Cleveland’s third option at point, Daniel Gibson, James notched 12 assists and had nine rebounds. Durant had 34 points and 10 boards, but his last-second shot that could have tied the game for the Thunder was swatted out of the air by (who else?) James.
Finally, on Jan. 25, it was another defensive gem by LeBron that clinched Cleveland’s 92-91 win over Dwayne Wade and the Miami Heat. James stole a behind-the-back pass by Wade and drove the length of the floor where he was fouled by Quentin Richardson.
James went down hard after getting tangled up with Wade in mid-air, but gathered himself and drained two free throws to provide the winning margin. He then got a hand in Wade’s face on a last-second attempt that was too long, and the Cavs were victors yet again. LeBron finished with 32 points, matching Wade’s total, while adding nine rebounds and four assists.
Over the four-game stretch, James averaged 33.5 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds a game. It was a remarkable week by any standard; even more, it left his most prominent competitors for the MVP award shaking their heads in begrudging admiration.
Part of the reason for his success is that he’s attacking the basket and making things happen. James averaged a shade under 16 free throw attempts per contest during the four-game streak.
It’s not just this stretch that has the league buzzing; it’s been a season-long trend. As Patrick McManamon wrote in the Akron Beacon Journal, James is averaging more points than last season (a league-best 29.9), more productive on the road (where he’s recording 31.4 points per contest), and is averaging a career-best 7.8 assists a night.
It’s worth noting that the Cavaliers didn’t play particularly well in any of the four victories this past week, yet still found a way to win.
With Williams and West out, Shaquille O’Neal stepped up his game and contributed a season-high 22 points against Oklahoma City, and then 19 more against Miami.
Gibson, meanwhile, overcame a shaky start against the Thunder to score 13, then added 15 in the win over the Heat.
It’s that kind of depth and versatility that makes the Cavs a force to be reckoned with this season.
Instead of stumbling following the loss of their top two point guards, Cleveland responded with poise and teamwork, thanks in large part to James’ leadership and dominant level of play.
Those are signs of a championship-caliber team and an MVP-worthy player. The Cavaliers must still prove themselves as the former, but James is showing that last year’s MVP award was no fluke as he makes a compelling case for a repeat honor in 2010.
(This article published on BleacherReport.com)
The season has a long way to go, and this year's award is by no means his (yet), but James set the bar a little higher this past week. If anyone is to prevent him from repeating as MVP, they’ll have to turn in a stretch of Herculean performances between now and May.
Not only did LeBron win the Eastern Conference Player of the Month award for November and December, he’s the frontrunner for January, having just been named the conference’s Player of the Week for the second time in the month and fourth time this season.Going back to the 2008-09 regular season, James has won four consecutive player of the month awards, the first individual ever to do so. A fifth would be an exclamation point of unprecedented proportions.
Not resting on his laurels, LeBron turned things up a notch over the Cavaliers’ last four games, outdueling four of the game’s best players in a perfect 4-0 week.
On Jan. 19, James just missed a triple-double as he compiled 28 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds in a 108-100 win over Chris Bosh and the Toronto Raptors. Bosh had 21 points and 10 boards.
Two nights later, after learning that point guard Mo Williams would be lost for up to six weeks with a sprained shoulder, James recorded 37 points, nine assists and five rebounds as the Cavs topped Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, 93-87. Bryant led the Lakers with 31 points.
Just two nights after that—having lost Williams’ replacement, Delonte West, to a broken finger in the Lakers game—LeBron scored another 37 as the Cavs outlasted Kevin Durant and Oklahoma City, 100-99.
Sharing ballhandling duties with Cleveland’s third option at point, Daniel Gibson, James notched 12 assists and had nine rebounds. Durant had 34 points and 10 boards, but his last-second shot that could have tied the game for the Thunder was swatted out of the air by (who else?) James.
Finally, on Jan. 25, it was another defensive gem by LeBron that clinched Cleveland’s 92-91 win over Dwayne Wade and the Miami Heat. James stole a behind-the-back pass by Wade and drove the length of the floor where he was fouled by Quentin Richardson.
James went down hard after getting tangled up with Wade in mid-air, but gathered himself and drained two free throws to provide the winning margin. He then got a hand in Wade’s face on a last-second attempt that was too long, and the Cavs were victors yet again. LeBron finished with 32 points, matching Wade’s total, while adding nine rebounds and four assists.
Over the four-game stretch, James averaged 33.5 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds a game. It was a remarkable week by any standard; even more, it left his most prominent competitors for the MVP award shaking their heads in begrudging admiration.
Part of the reason for his success is that he’s attacking the basket and making things happen. James averaged a shade under 16 free throw attempts per contest during the four-game streak.
It’s not just this stretch that has the league buzzing; it’s been a season-long trend. As Patrick McManamon wrote in the Akron Beacon Journal, James is averaging more points than last season (a league-best 29.9), more productive on the road (where he’s recording 31.4 points per contest), and is averaging a career-best 7.8 assists a night.
It’s worth noting that the Cavaliers didn’t play particularly well in any of the four victories this past week, yet still found a way to win.
With Williams and West out, Shaquille O’Neal stepped up his game and contributed a season-high 22 points against Oklahoma City, and then 19 more against Miami.
Gibson, meanwhile, overcame a shaky start against the Thunder to score 13, then added 15 in the win over the Heat.
It’s that kind of depth and versatility that makes the Cavs a force to be reckoned with this season.
Instead of stumbling following the loss of their top two point guards, Cleveland responded with poise and teamwork, thanks in large part to James’ leadership and dominant level of play.
Those are signs of a championship-caliber team and an MVP-worthy player. The Cavaliers must still prove themselves as the former, but James is showing that last year’s MVP award was no fluke as he makes a compelling case for a repeat honor in 2010.
(This article published on BleacherReport.com)
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