Can LeBron win Finals MVP (if Warriors win)?

[Celtics18]

I think the MVP award should go to a player on the winning team.  If the Dubs do end up winning, they'll probably just give it to the leading scorer (who will probably be Curry).

Although I do agree that up to now, Iggy has been GSW's most valuable player.

The MVP goes to the most valuable player.  If James wasn't on the Cavs, this series would already be over.  He is basically doubling up statistically the Warriors main players (who aren't exactly shooting well either so you can't really hold that against James very much).

James it the MVP of this series.

Understood.  I just always saw it as unofficially an award for the most valuable player for the champion.

I think they've only given it to a player from the losing team once.

If the Cavs win, no doubt James will be well deserving of the award.  If it's the Warriors, I say give it to someone from their team. 

[jambr380]

I think the MVP award should go to a player on the winning team.  If the Dubs do end up winning, they'll probably just give it to the leading scorer (who will probably be Curry).

Although I do agree that up to now, Iggy has been GSW's most valuable player.

People keep bringing up West as a reason Lebron could/should win MVP, but that was in 1969 - I just think it would be really weird if a player from a non-winning team won the finals MVP. Like, "really nice job, but you lost and now you have this award to remind you of that forever."

I still think Curry will win it, but he needs to put in a couple of signature performances to finish it off.

[Moranis]

I think the MVP award should go to a player on the winning team.  If the Dubs do end up winning, they'll probably just give it to the leading scorer (who will probably be Curry).

Although I do agree that up to now, Iggy has been GSW's most valuable player.

The MVP goes to the most valuable player.  If James wasn't on the Cavs, this series would already be over.  He is basically doubling up statistically the Warriors main players (who aren't exactly shooting well either so you can't really hold that against James very much).

James it the MVP of this series.

Understood.  I just always saw it as unofficially an award for the most valuable player for the champion.

I think they've only given it to a player from the losing team once.

If the Cavs win, no doubt James will be well deserving of the award.  If it's the Warriors, I say give it to someone from their team.

It has only happened once because the winning teams generally have 1 (or sometimes 2) players worthy of winning the award.  Thus far through 4 games, the Warriors do not.  Though Curry could certainly get there with 2 more games like last night.  Even with last nights clunker James is still averaging 36/12/8 and is playing excellent defense.  He is the most valuable player in this series thus far.  Again if GS wins the next two and Curry plays like he did in game 4, he will win the award instead of James, even though James is clearly the most valuable player in the series.  Winning obviously matters.

[BudweiserCeltic]

If the series goes 6 or 7, yes, I think he can win it.

This. What Bron is doing deserves remembering

That he's shooting under 40% during the finals?

He's scoring at a high rate, but a very high volume and in a very inefficient way.

Much is being said about LeBron, but the reason that the Cavs are actually in this is because of ineptitude from the Warriors offense, but also because the Cavs have been playing some good defense on them overall.

But it's being overshadowed because LeBron is scoring points, of course with help from the charity stripe.

It's a good story to see the LeBron underdogs take it to the Warriors, but when all is said and done and one starts to look at the details of his actual performance, it'll be another tally in the "underperformed" column.

[fairweatherfan]

I always thought it was kinda funny that the 69 Celtics are the only team to win the title but not get the MVP, so they just put Bill Russell's name on the award instead.  Checkmate Lakers!


...I do think it's fine for the MVP to be on the losing team under extraordinary circumstances, and this year qualifies so far to me.

[Celtics4ever]

Checkmate Lakers!

A lot of their titles were in Minny....  All ours are in one city.

Boy the FTAs were out in force to keep James numbers up.     This is one reason, I have always disliked him   7-22 from the field and the league gives him 10+  FTAs to get his score up.

I also, thought most guys go out of a game to get the blood stopped.  But they stop the game for him. 

[Moranis]

Checkmate Lakers!

A lot of their titles were in Minny....  All ours are in one city.

Boy the FTAs were out in force to keep James numbers up.     This is one reason, I have always disliked him   7-22 from the field and the league gives him 10+  FTAs to get his score up.

I also, thought most guys go out of a game to get the blood stopped.  But they stop the game for him.

He was shooting the foul shots.  He had to stay in.

[BudweiserCeltic]

What's funny is all the accolades Leonard was getting last year for guarding LeBron James, a LeBron James who scored at a 57% FG rate.

This year Golden State is holding LeBron to under 40% shooting, and it's somehow flying under the radar.

[Who]

I am disappointed LeBron didn't go for 30+ points last night.

It had been done only five times before:

Elgin Baylor vs Boston in 1962
Rick Barry vs Philly in 1967
Michael Jordan vs Phoenix in 1993
Hakeem Olajuwon vs Orlando in 1995
Shaq vs Indiana in 2000

I thought it would be a big boost in LeBron's MVP candidacy to join that group.

Only 20 points last night. Only 7-22 FGAs, 5-10 FTAs.

[RAAAAAAAANDY]

What's funny is all the accolades Leonard was getting last year for guarding LeBron James, a LeBron James who scored at a 57% FG rate.

This year Golden State is holding LeBron to under 40% shooting, and it's somehow flying under the radar.

He had way more help last year IMO. But yeah, some of his numbers are Westbrookian.

[Vox_Populi]

I think the MVP award should go to a player on the winning team.  If the Dubs do end up winning, they'll probably just give it to the leading scorer (who will probably be Curry).

Although I do agree that up to now, Iggy has been GSW's most valuable player.

The MVP goes to the most valuable player.  If James wasn't on the Cavs, this series would already be over.  He is basically doubling up statistically the Warriors main players (who aren't exactly shooting well either so you can't really hold that against James very much).

James it the MVP of this series.

I think you and I both know it rarely works like that. The MVP, both in the Finals and regular season, goes to the most valuable player on the team that either wins the most or wins the series. Otherwise, Harden or Westbrook would have won MVP in the regular season considering both of those teams would have been nowhere without them.

James has been the best player, but if we're going by precedent - provided he loses - it's unlikely he'll be the MVP. It's mostly semantics, but that's how it's worked in the past.

[Donoghus]

No, he won't. 

2-3 games remain.  If Lebron has physically hit the wall and continues to have a 4th quarter fade AND Golden State wins the series, there is no way he wins the MVP.  It's probably close to inconceivable that he wins the MVP no matter how his play is if Golden State wins the title.  This is 2015, not 1969.  Someone from the winning side will get rewarded.

There's also the matter of  that "2-3 games left to be played" thing  That's a lot of basketball left and the MVP question is still very much fluid.

[Celtics4ever]

He was shooting the foul shots.  He had to stay in.

  Still any other player would have had to leave....

2-3 games remain.  If Lebron has physically hit the wall and continues to have a 4th quarter fade AND Golden State wins the series, there is no way he wins the MVP.

Regardless who wins it, and I do not like the guy, he is the MVP on either team and best player in the series.   He does not need all the calls and special treatment that the league gives him.  I have always thought it cheapens his abilities.

[Moranis]

He was shooting the foul shots.  He had to stay in.

  Still any other player would have had to leave....

You can't leave.  If you don't take the shots you can't ever re-enter the game.  James is no different than anyone else.  The refs probably should have made Cleveland take a time out, but James had to shoot those foul shots.

2-3 games remain.  If Lebron has physically hit the wall and continues to have a 4th quarter fade AND Golden State wins the series, there is no way he wins the MVP.

Regardless who wins it, and I do not like the guy, he is the MVP on either team and best player in the series.   He does not need all the calls and special treatment that the league gives him.  I have always thought it cheapens his abilities.

He is no different than any other great player in history, and he gets the calls by and large because he is aggressively taking it to the hole.  I mean in that game last night look at all the fouls GS drew on Mozgov by just going at him.  Even with Mozgov basically just jumping straight up and down.  Pierce as a Celtic got those calls all the time.  When you are aggressive and drive it to the hole, you get fouled a lot of the time and get calls most of the time.  Aggressive play just leads to fouls being called.

[moiso]

What's funny is all the accolades Leonard was getting last year for guarding LeBron James, a LeBron James who scored at a 57% FG rate.

This year Golden State is holding LeBron to under 40% shooting, and it's somehow flying under the radar.

Great point.