LeBron James for 2021-22 MVP? Analyzing how The King can win his 5th MVP this season
LeBron James is playing at an unprecedented level in his 19th season. His haters have been waiting to see his decline for years, but the King's prime continues. Although the LA Lakers have hovered around .500 all season, James is putting up impressive, historic numbers. Many analysts now believe he deserves to be in the MVP conversation.
.@MagicJohnson wants LeBron to be in the MVP conversation! https://t.co/sSMNzPyBcl
James, despite missing 12 games, is leading the NBA in 30-point games with 20. He is averaging 28.8 points per game, second-highest in the league behind Kevin Durant (29.2). He has done so on 51/36/75 shooting splits while averaging 7.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game.
Breaking down his stats, his scoring average is the highest of his career since he first left Cleveland in 2010. He is famously criticized for being subpar at the free-throw line and has been sub-70% in his last three seasons. However, he is now shooting 75% from the charity stripe, and he hasn't done so since 2014. Moreover, he is making his three-pointers at a 36.2% clip on a career-high 7.9 attempts per game.
Additionally, his assists and rebounds are slightly down because he is playing with a stat machine like Russell Westbrook. But if you look at his career numbers, he hasn't declined at all.
On the defensive end, he is averaging 1.6 steals per game, matching his career average and his highest mark since 2015. However, his most impressive statistic is blocks, where he is averaging 1.2 rejections a game, a career-high. James has never averaged more than 1.1 blocks per game in his illustrious career but has now topped it in his 19th season at the age of 37.
It speaks volumes to his conditioning and competitive spirit as he is still trying to elevate his game.
LeBron James vs. the Hawks:
-Passes Michael Jordan to become the oldest player to have 10 straight 25-point games
-Passes Alvin Robertson for 10th place on the all-time leaderboard in steals
LBJ built different 🔥 https://t.co/AinRzZHSck
James' MVP campaign is built around his team and the 'Year 19' narrative. His numbers are clearly there, and he continues to put on a show whenever he steps on the floor. If he avoids injury and the LA Lakers end the season as the third or fourth seed in the Western Conference, James might be a finalist for the award.
Famous LeBron James hater Skip Bayless gives the 37-year-old a shot to win the NBA MVP award
While fans from around the world debate the legitimacy of LeBron James' case in the MVP race, Skip Bayless had a surprising take on his show "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed." The 70-year-old analyst and self-proclaimed LeBron hater said:
"I think he’s got a good shot at winning MVP. Because of narrative. I think the Russell ‘WestBRICK’ narrative will work to his advantage even though it was LeBron’s fault that he’s here.
"In the larger picture, people are gonna say, ‘Look what he’s overcoming.’ He’s overcoming the guy who’s running away with the turnover lead in the NBA. The guy who clearly has become a liability to the Lakers. And LeBron is playing at the highest level we’ve ever seen a year 19 player play."
"We're about to have an Undisputed first: I am going to defend LeBron James. From my heart, I give him a good shot at winning MVP."
@RealSkipBayless explains https://t.co/WAn9icAewM
Bayless made a strong case that James might lift his fifth Maurice Podoloff trophy this season. He believes that being Russell Westbrook's teammate and the fact that he is in his 19th season will help the narrative.
On the contrary, Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe, a giant "King James" fan, doesn't believe James will win the award because the LA Lakers (22-22) don't have a good record.
The LA Lakers will need to win at least 25 of the 38 remaining games for James to be in the MVP argument. They have the league's fourth-toughest remaining schedule, but if Anthony Davis returns and James' numbers keep up, the Lakers have a legitimate shot at winning 50 games. A 50-win season with career-high numbers in his 19th season should present a strong case for the "King" to win his fifth MVP.