Lake Show Life
Fansided

Where does this Finals MVP rank all-time in LeBron James’s career?

By Jairier Rivera

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 11: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts with his MVP trophy and Finals trophy after winning the 2020 NBA Championship over the Miami Heat in Game Six of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on October 11, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 11: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts with his MVP trophy and Finals trophy after winning the 2020 NBA Championship over the Miami Heat in Game Six of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on October 11, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 4
Next
(Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images) – LeBron James
(Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images) – LeBron James /

After adding another award to his resume, LeBron James has put together possibly the greatest NBA career of all time. 

In case you didn’t know, the Los Angeles Lakers are NBA champions. After a thrilling six-game series against the Miami Heat, the Lakers have tied the NBA record for most championships by a team. LeBron James led the way and had yet another masterful Finals series while adding a 4th ring to his collection.

In a career so full of historic achievements we will attempt an exercise today that might prove to be controversial. We are going to rank LeBron’s Finals MVP awards from “worst” to best. Keep in mind that I use the word “worst” in a very careful way.

His “worst” Finals MVP performance would be considered the best of any other player’s career. But this is LeBron James that we’re talking about and we have somehow become desensitized to his greatness as a society. Without further ado let’s begin.

4. 2013 

  • LeBron’s stats for the series: 25.3 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 7 APG while shooting 44.7%/35.3%/79.5%
  • Opponent: San Antonio Spurs (58-24 regular-season record, #7 in regular-season offensive rating, #3 in regular-season defensive rating)

This Finals series featured LeBron during his athletic peak. His presence was felt all over the floor on offense and defense. After a historic regular season by him and the Miami Heat, the playoffs proved to be much more difficult.

Particularly during these Finals LeBron was defended very well by the Spurs. Kawhi Leonard was burgeoning into a defensive star and his perimeter defense proved effective towards slowing down LeBron a bit. Nevertheless, LeBron and the Heat prevailed in a grueling seven-game series that featured probably the two greatest games in Finals history in Games 6 and 7.

Those last two games were a masterpiece by LeBron. Everybody remembers the Ray Allen shot to send Game 6 into OT, but LeBron’s 4th quarter performance gets overlooked by many casual fans. He scored 16 4th quarter points and he scored or assisted on 22 of Miami’s 30 points in the 4th quarter including a key three to with 20 seconds left to cut the lead to two.

In Game 7 he scored 37 points and drained a dagger midrange shot. Miami went on to win their second championship in a row.