by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni
The least competitive MVP race, perhaps ever, comes to an official conclusion this Sunday. LeBron will be awarded with his second consecutive Maurice Podoloff trophy.
He should’ve won it unanimously, but that would’ve made far too much sense for some of the voting media.
The Plain Dealer has the details:
At age 25, James becomes the second-youngest to win back-to-back MVPs. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was a couple of months younger when he won his back-to-back award in 1972. The others two win back-to-back are Steve Nash, Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Moses Malone, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Abdul-Jabbar. Only Bird, Chamberlain and Russell ever won the award three years in a row.
Last year James won in a landslide, getting 109 of the first-place 121 votes given out to sportswriters and broadcasters who cover the league. This year, James is expected to approach winning the award unanimously. However, several voters have said they did not plan to vote for James. This year the NBA also allowed fans to vote, with their preference to make up the 122nd vote. The results of the voting will be announced Sunday by the league.
James averaged 29.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game in leading the Cavs to a second consecutive 60-win season. He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month four times during the season.
Congratulations to LBJ on the much-deserved award.
All he needs for his trophy case now, is an NBA Finals MVP.
