Sports

Was LeBron James really this years MVP?

By May 6, 2013June 18th, 2018No Comments
durant-carmelo-mvp

durant-carmelo-mvpYes, I get it, LeBron James is a phenomenal basketball player. He will win more championships, he’ll go to the Hall of Fame, and he will go on to be the greatest player of his generation. These statement are all facts, no matter how you feel about it, and I hate admitting this more than I hate admitting that I kind of like the show The Walking Dead. However, was he really THIS year’s MVP in the NBA? This is very a very debatable question.

Now, if LeBron still played for the Cavaliers and had the season he has had and the Cavs were in the same position that the Heat are now, yes, by all means, give him that trophy. The problem I have is that I believe there are players more worthy of the award this year. If these players aren’t on the team they are on, the team isn’t where they are this year.

The New York Knicks have not seriously been on the radar to win a championship in a long time, a very long time. The last time New York was a serious contender for a championship, Chaz Bono was still locked deep in the closet, and ER was a show that people couldn’t miss. Their last Finals appearance was in 1999, but they where an 8 seed and Patrick Ewing was at the very end of his career. They lost in 5 games to the Spurs.

This year has been a different story as something happened to Carmelo Anthony. He finally grew up and became a leader and has shown he can be the player you can go to. He led the Knicks to their first divisional title in 19 years and a 2nd seed in the East. This all with key players for the Knicks missing long periods of the season due to injury. They needed Melo and he responded with his best season ever where he led the league in scoring average. How he only recived one first place vote blows my mind. This year Carmelo is to the Knicks as boobs are to Playboy.

Coming back from their first Finals appearance last year, the Oklahoma City Thunder had something to prove. They did have an unexpected slow start to this season, but got things turned around quick. This all thanks to Kevin Durant who put up the best season of his career. He had 28.5 points per game, shot at nearly 50% from the field (around 40% from the 3 point line), he raised his assist average, and shot 90% from the free throw line.

Like Carmelo Anthony, if the Thunder do not have Durant they don’t get the one seed in the West and might actually have a tough time making the playoffs. With Westbrook gone in the lineup right now, the whole league is seeing how Durant’s presence alone is carrying this team. Just watch him in the playoffs right now, he is more automatic than any gun Tupac ever owned. The Thunder without Durant is like the band Bon Jovi without Jon Bon Jovi. That is a fact. Oklahoma City needs Durant to be a contender. Without him, they are mediocre at best.

LeBron did put up career numbers this season and is the best player in the league, but was he the most valuable? Remember Miami was a contender in the East nearly every year when it was just the Dwayne Wade show. Again, I’m not saying LeBron isn’t somewhat deserving, but did he make the impact on his team as other players have for theirs? It’s a question worth looking in to.

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John Upton

John Upton

John Upton is a stand up comic from Tazewell, TN. He has performed with Harland Williams, Brian Posehn, Guy Torry, Tammy Pescatelli, and many more. You can catch him on stage or at the bar watching sports at Side Splitters Comedy Club in Knoxville, TN.