While Nikola Jokic is considered the odds-on favorite to win this season’s NBA MVP award, Lakers forward LeBron James has endorsed a division rival for the honor, telling reporters on Sunday night that Warriors guard Stephen Curry would get his vote.
“I mean, just look at what he’s done this year,” James said of the NBA’s leading scorer (link via Dave McMenamin of ESPN). “I don’t know anything else if you’re looking for an MVP. If Steph is not on Golden State’s team, what are we looking at? … We get caught up in the records sometimes. We get caught up in the, ‘OK, who has the best record?’ instead of just saying who had the best season that year. And Steph has had, in my opinion, the best season all year.”
Curry has won two MVP awards, but his performance this season may have been his most impressive yet, considering the Warriors didn’t have high-scoring options like Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant available to draw attention away from him. Despite facing double-teams and traps for much of the season, Curry averaged a career-best 32.0 points per game on .482/.421/.916 shooting in 63 games (34.2 MPG). His 5.3 three-pointers per game also represented a new career high.
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- Bill Shea of The Athletic explores what life after basketball might look like for LeBron James, who will turn 37 later this year. The Lakers star, who has already ventured into the media and business worlds during his playing career, also aims to one day own an NBA franchise.
- After expressing last week that he was “very confident” about keeping his job as the Kings‘ head coach, Luke Walton explained on Sunday why he’s not worried, as Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee relays. “It doesn’t weigh on me because it’s the same thing I always talk about — it’s control what you can control — the same message I give my players every day,” Walton said. He added that he felt the story of Sacramento’s season should be the growth of the team’s young players. “I’m excited about this group and excited about our future,” the Kings’ coach said.
- Having returned on Friday after missing two months due to a back injury, Clippers big man Serge Ibaka told reporters that he has played with back pain since the start of the season, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN (Twitter link). It’s a nerve issue, according to Ibaka, who admitted he’s still not back to 100%.
Nice quote by LeBron but they’re not exactly buddies. I’m wondering if he is building up Curry just in case the Warriors beat the Lakers on Wednesday night?
“Hey we got beat by a guy who should be the MVP of the league.”
Gary, I agree that Lebron and the other Lakers sure seem to be putting up excuses already, but Bron has been talking up Curry all year – he wants him to join the Lakers, but unfortunately Steph wants to be a 1-teamer, so that means LeBron will have to come to SF instead (which he might do, tbh). Delusion by Bron once again, on both ends.
He’s right about Steph though, Curry is clearly the most valuable player in the NBA.
I haven’t followed them but how has Denver been since their guard got hurt? Has Jokic carried them and or even stepped up and been better than he was before that injury? Has he carried Denver the way Curry has GS? Obviously, its not like GS has won 50 games, but they don’t win 15 without Curry.
As it’s mentioned, Westbrook’s team was a 6 seed when he won the mvp based on his triple-doubles.
Westbrooks triple doubles are tainted because he will never win a chip playing in the triple-double-collecting, numbers-chasing style he plays. Steph literally chases wins instead, allowing KD to join him in his prime, knowing he’d be losing 10 PPD off his AVG by doing so. Russ and Harden didn’t work because they both chase numbers, not wins.
Denver is 16-8 without Murray and Jokic averaged 27.3/10.4/8.1. Denver wouldn’t win 15 games without Jokic either. Steph has been amazing this year but Jokic deserves MVP
The amount of tin foil hat people saying the Lakers are making excuses in the event of being eliminated is insane. Going to be hilarious when they win another title.
Gary, I have a different take. If the Lakers win he’ll pat himself on the back for beating the mvp. He wants people to think this, “if Curry is mvp why couldn’t they beat the Lakers?” Why? Cuz of Lebron. That’s what he always does. Passively aggressively intending to call attention to himself. It’s his career MO
Teams & players have always built up the next opponent, for as long as there has been sports. But go ahead, say your sinister take is so. Maybe it’s true, been everyone’s MO all along. I always thought they were focussing on their next contest like they’re expected to.
my God x, sinister?
lol Better than evil… muahahaha!
However I looked “sinister” up and it does not imply a shady plan afoot like I thought it did. Synonyms were baleful, ominous, eerie. So not a good word.
“Cynical”, my natural pick, has been thrown around too much politically and negatively of late (always the other guys doing it).
Cynical is much better, x. But everytime I have cynically predicted a LeBron behavior its been prophetic.
Just an all-time great season from Curry. Did Jokic have one of those? Nope. Sure Joker put up numbers, but look at his supporting cast of all-stars and high IQ players, compared with the G-leaguers and Dray that Steph had to work with! Without Steph, GSW are in last place. Without Joker, Denver are still a top 6 team. Jokic is not the most valuable player, Steph is straight up, literally more valuable to the Warriors and NBA than Jokic.
Kobe ‘06
Nope. Lets put this to rest right now, now that the seasons over.
Kobe 06: 1st round playoff exit
Steph: ???
2006/07 Lakers via WS
Kobe 13.0 (77 G)
Odom 4.7
Bynum 4.2
Walton 3.8
Turiaf 3.1
2020/21 GSW via WS
Steph 9.0 (63 G)
Dray 4.6
Wiggins 3.8
Looney 3.4
Toscano-Anderson 3.0
Other than Kobe playing outrageously well, the Lakers team he had around him is definitely not worse than the one around Curry. Win Shares tell us everything we need to know here. 21 GSW definitely is much worse than the 06 Lakers, if you remove the best player on both teams.
That says more about your sorry Warriors than Kobe’s Lakers. Those numbers are very close, the only big difference being Kobe’s 13 compared to Curry’s 9 win shares. I was merely stating they’ve had similar seasons but you easily proved yourself wrong.
How about Harden’s historic season in 2019? He averaged 36.1 PPG, 7.5 APG, 6.6 RPG, and 2 SPG while shooting 44.2% and 36.8% from three-point range on a 4th place team that went 53-29. We all remember Giannis won that year with Harden finishing 2nd.
This year Steph (not historic at all this season) averaged 32 PPG, 5.8 APG, 5.5 RPG, and 1.2 SPG while shooting 48.2% and 42.1% from three-point range on an 8th place team that went 39-33. Jokic will win the MVP and Curry will come in 3rd right behind Embiid.
Harden played on a good team with another Hall of Famer. Draymond Green might get in but he’s no better than Lamar Odom. We’re talking bad teams carried by should-be MVPs
If LeBron is going by which player had the best regular season- shouldn’t he be pushing also for Russell Westbrook?? Averaging triple double for season and breaking all-time record for triple doubles. AND, getting the Wizards to the play-in.
Well, Westbroke had 3.7 WS this year, Curry had 9.0, so….no. Lebron absolutely should not push for Westbroke. We should not have 3.7 WS MVP’s, period. Gotta have at least 7 or so, imo.
Russ had 100 more turnovers than Curry. Lol.
Westbrick averaged a triple-double for the fourth time in his career, making a total mockery of the accomplishment by the Big O almost 60 years ago.
Russ literally stole the MVP from Harden 4 years ago, when he obviously led the league in triple-doubles but Harden actually had more double-doubles that year (64-62). And Harden also nearly broke Tiny Archibald’s record for points accounted for in a season (points scored plus points off assists).
And no rings
Give Curry Beal and he’s averaging close to 10 apg and certainly not playing in any play-in game.
So when a voters votes for the MVP curry has a advantage over the other 2. Embiid is going to take away votes from the Joker since some voters like a big man. Those favoring a shooter will vote Curry.
Interesting take, I like it. Giannis in that mix too.
Nuggets fans think he already won but when the voting comes out some will vote for hometown players that dilutes the voting.
It has always been about which player’s team has the best record.
All you have to do is look at the MVP race in 1962 when Bill Russell (on the 60-20 champion Celtics) beat out Robertson (who averaged a triple-double) and Chamberlain who averaged 50 PPG and scored 100 points in a game.
Jokic’s Nuggets are 47-25, Embiid’s Sixers are 49-23, while Curry’s Warriors are just 39-33 and might not even reach the playoffs. Sorry to disappoint, but Steph will come in a distant 3rd, or maybe a close 3rd behind Embiid.
there is a science to how the voting goes. Jokic will need votes from teams that will be voting for their stars. Curry last 3 weeks of play changed many votes. Its best to peak at the end for a lasting impression.
That’s a great point I hadn’t thought about.
Curry…….no questions!!
If you watched him this year….there would be no doubts in your mind…..He is an easy pick for MVP
If it’s most valuable to eke your way into the playoff round, I agree, Curry is a shoe in. Wins and losses matter. LeBron is playing games.
Westbrook and Tobias Harris are not qualified for all stars
They can be MVPs instead
Why not?
It’s not easy to be selected as all stars
It is very easy to be selected as an All-Star, in the eastern conference.
Instead of “where amazing happens” or whatever, the next NBA slogan should be “you control what you can control”. We hear it like a hundred times per month.
Can see giving Curry the nod over Embiid. Jokic is far and away the MVP tho.
Top 3 Curry’s of all time:
1. Indian
2. Steph
3. Eddie
Wardell before Eddie