LeBron James is the gold standard for a basketball player. The most electrifying athlete in the Association has every niche in his game down to be the best player of all time. James will be the type of player we look back on in 30 years and say, wow, why didn’t we appreciate him more?
When it comes to being complete, James is the ultimate match. Since 2003, we’ve all seen James dominate, and this 2012 season is no different.
James has separated himself from the league in stats by averaging 27 points, eight assists and seven rebounds per game. This 2012 season has brought about James’ best field goal percentage, best three-point shooting percentage and best rebound rate in his brief nine-year career.
If we’re talking stats, James’ toolbox is full. Usually, this is a bullet point to winning a league MVP.
But because of how poorly the Miami Heat have played in 2011-12, why should James be awarded something that is tied to team excellence? Generally speaking, MVP awards are given to the best player on the best team in the NBA.
Isn’t only half of this covered?
Based by the small sample of James’ stats and the multi-tiered team he plays on with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, James and the Heat should arrive at the top of the standings.
But they’re not there.
Two years into the trial run of assembling quite possibly the best trio of players ever, the Heat are underachieving. This is a shock to the sports world, begging some to wonder if this is actually the biggest flop of all time.
The bottom line is, if the Heat are really that good, and James is really the league MVP, then Miami should be stomping teams in the Association.
But 60 games in on the shortened season hasn’t shown either. And the result in June will be James not winning the league MVP.
For the Heat, a 43-17 record is not good. It’s actually sorry. This team should have no more than 10 losses based on their talent level.
But collectively, Miami has yet overcome bad losses. And this has happened all year. In Milwaukee. In Golden State. In Utah.
There’s no nights to be taken off. Yet this team has taken nights off.
Which begs the question of if this team minds losing?
I can tell you Michael Jordan hated to lose. Kobe Bryant hates to lose. Their expressions told us that.
Does James hate to lose? He doesn’t quite show it. Remember that 19-point loss to Boston in March? I didn’t see James disgusted. Or during their 15-point loss at home to Memphis. Miami has gone from a 28-7 team at one point in the year to now a 43-17 team.
Does that spell excellence?
MVP-caliber stars don’t let their team lose like this and this much.
Another reason why James won’t win is because some nights he’s the star, and other nights he’s the second fiddle.
This was the No. 1 concern in coming to Miami and Wade’s county. Who would take charge?
This season, it has changed nightly and weekly.
These two guys take turns on the court, and stars don’t do that. The star cements himself.
Listen, I could expand and write to you all night on why James won’t win the MVP. And the bottom line is, it’s because the Heat stink. They are a poor team that should have six losses.
If Miami was the No. 1 seed in the East, James would be the MVP.
But they’re not. They’ve won 43 games, just three more than a young Indiana Pacers team and seven more than an aging Boston Celtics team.
Is their total wins even impressive?
Miami is a team swept up in a black hole, and due to their poor play, James cannot be the league MVP. It has to go to Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant, who has been there for his team on a more consistent basis.
None of those 19-point type of losses.
Sorry, James.
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