2.) LeBron finishes top-3 in MVP Voting but doesn’t win
LeBron James is undoubtedly the best player in the NBA and has been for some time. That being said, the man has only won the MVP four times in his career, and hasn’t won since 2013, which is an absolute crime if we consider the MVP to actually be the ‘most valuable player’.
There is a kind of ‘voter fatigue’ when it comes to LeBron’s MVP voting, as his candidacy has generally been overlooked in recent years in lieu of shinier narratives. The 2018-2019 will have no shortage of narratives, making LeBron’s quest for a fifth MVP award that much harder.
If Golden State makes a run at the No. 1 seed and wins something in the range of 65-67 games, then Kevin Durant or Steph Curry will get their fair share of votes.
More from Lakers News
- Darvin Ham adds to Max Christie hype train after Lakers preseason opener
- Is LeBron James playing tonight? Latest Lakers vs Warriors update
- Can Darvin Ham put all of the Lakers puzzle pieces together?
- Lakers news: Darvin Ham knows his fifth starter, LeBron James and Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino praise
- Michael Malone’s painfully ironic comment has Lakers fans heated
James Harden was the MVP last year and there isn’t any reason to suggest that he’ll be slowing down this season.
Anthony Davis was an absolute monster towards the end of the season after DeMarcus Cousins went down with an Achilles injury and if he’s able to keep up that level of play, will also get ample MVP consideration.
Other candidates include Giannis Antentokounmpo if Coach Budenholzer can re-shape this Bucks team to make a run for a top seed in the East, and Kawhi Leonard if he returns to his 2016 form and does the same for the Raptors.
Looking at all of these potential candidates, LeBron will have some tough competition, but, I still think he’ll put up a compelling case, averaging something in the realm of 26/7/8, leading the Lakers to 50-52 wins, falling just short in MVP voting to one of the other candidates listed above.