Lebron James Wins NBA Most Valuable Player award
Basketball sensation Lebron James added another feather to his cap, increasing the silverware in his trophy cabinet by recording his second straight NBA Most Valuable Player award on Sunday in his hometown of Akron, Ohio.
James received the MVP trophy at a ceremony at the University of Akron and was joined by his family as well as his Cleveland Cavaliers teammates.
"To be presented the Most Valuable Player award means a lot," James told the packed campus arena.
"The individual work that I put into every offseason to come into the full season to be great pays off," James said.
James becomes the 10th NBA player to win the honor in back-to-back seasons, joining Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan and Steve Nash. Russell, Chamberlain and Bird won it in three consecutive years.
In his seventh NBA season, the 25-year-old Cavaliers forward averaged 29.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.6 assists during the regular season. “The only reason I do what I do on the court is to compete for an NBA championship,’’ James said. “And I understand that until I win that, I won’t go down as one of the greatest players to play this game. “Individual accolades definitely come into account, but team is what it’s all about. That’s my only goal right now. I can’t name something right now that I [have] done individually in my short career that’s bigger than an NBA championship.’’
The 25 year old James has a few more steps to take in the playoffs, but his fans wonder if the Celtics stop him and the Cavaliers? The Celtics might have given Cleveland their best punch before falling, 101-93, in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Saturday night at Quicken Loans Arena. “I don’t know,’’ coach Mike Brown said with a laugh when asked if Boston gave the Cavaliers their best shot in Game 1. “Your guess is as good as mine.’’
The Cavaliers joined James as he accepted his second MVP award before a buzzing crowd of 3,000 fans at the University of Akron’s James A. Rhodes Arena.
Once together on the stage, the Cavaliers posed for pictures while joking and clowning around. As always, it was fun.
Lakers star Kobe Bryant had no first-place votes and finished third. James joined Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, and Steve Nash as back-to-back winners.
James received 116 of a possible 123 first-place votes. Thunder forward Kevin Durant, who was picked first on four ballots, finished second. Magic center Dwight Howard received the other three first-place votes and finished fourth.
The Celtics shot 53.7 percent from the field and punched out 54 first-half points against a team ranked sixth in the NBA in scoring defense. Cleveland also knows it limited Boston to 35 percent shooting in the second half and 15 points in the fourth quarter. So while Williams’s third-quarter dunk over Paul Pierce turned the game around emotionally, the Cavaliers slowed the Celtics down to pull out the victory.
For Brown, it’s defense as usual. “The trust and that defensive identity that we want to establish and continue establishing turned out OK for us,’’ Brown said after Saturday’s game. The coach said he’s appreciative of having James on his team. “I just enjoy working with him,’’ he said yesterday. “I feel fortunate. Blessed. Lucky.’’
The 25 year old still has some years left in his glittering career; the latest accolade has helped him stamp his authority further on the game, helping him join the ranks of all time greats.
Tags: