Is LeBron James’ candidacy for MVP this season now in motion? | Relief

November 20, 2023 3:49 pm

If someone enters today (Peninsula time) Monday at 3:00 pm, The NBA’s own ranking of MVP candidates for this season will feature Nikola Jokic As a game leader. Typically, the Serbian center is the most dominant player at the start of the season. Behind the Nuggets players are players like Doncic, Embiid, Tatum or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the top 5 candidates are completed at this time. You keep reading, look closely and scan the roster, and you’ll see names like Maxey, Haliburton, Edwards, Adebayo, Durant or Anthony Davis. Fifteen names and no sign of LeBron James.

Surprisingly, “King” James is not seen among the candidates Regular season player of the year. Only 13 games into the season, the Lakers’ start has certainly not lived up to expectations. Yet seeing Anthony Davis, as vulnerable as he is, forces us to think about what makes the NBA, at least so farhe has not yet included Akron players Enter the MVP candidate list. Because his numbers and his impact on the game are enough to warrant his candidacy.

The forward is putting up the best numbers of his 21-year career. There is much to say. His numbers (26.4 points per game) aren’t too far off from his career scoring average (27.2 points) in more than 1,420 games in the NBA. In addition, he can also choose his shots better His career-high field goal percentages are 58.6% and 68.2% true shooting percentage.which is the field goal percentage weighted by the value of 3-pointers, 2-pointers, and free throws, obtained by The formula is as follows: Total points divided by twice the number of field goals and free throws multiplied by 0.44. That is, he better chooses when and how to attack the opponent’s ring.

But LeBron’s MVP candidacy goes far beyond numbers. The 38-year-old forward spent 21 seasons in his prime, playing a decisive role in the team’s victories. The Lakers are +66 with him on the floor, and without him they don’t have the game generator to feed the rest of their teammates. He’s been doing everything the team needs, although that hasn’t translated into all the wins so far that Los Angeles expected at the start of the season.

When we say He will do anything, that is not a way of speaking. LeBron changed his game. He did this to help his colleagues but also to send a message to his critics. “They’ve been joking that I only know how to keep the ball in the basket when there’s space in the middle, so I’m trying to change the narrative about that as well.

“Due to past injuries, I’ve been able to be out on the field more on my off days this year. So being able to focus on everything I need to do instead of having to get up during games has allowed me to keep up.” He said He is doing it for the Lakers and for the benefit of the Lakers. Many people believe that he is about to usher in a golden retirement life. but it is not the truth.

The team he joined in 2018 won a ring and reached the conference finals under LeBron. “They said he was here to make a movie,” James himself recalled after his last game against the Rockets: 37 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds and 3 steals. A recital dedicated to his critics. These people don’t expect him to win the award he’s already won four times, and he’s taken out of the prize pool to prevent MVP from becoming a monopoly. This consideration is necessary to avoid boring the public, as it would be unfair to players who are unwilling to surrender to father time. An opponent who eventually gave up, like everyone who faced the never-ending LeBron.