LeBron James recently proclaimed that he would surely be on the NBA’s “Mount Rushmore” as one of its four greatest players when it’s all said and done. That may still be some time away, but this season, LeBron has a chance to join another “Rushmore”.
In the NBA’s illustrious history, only three men – Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Larry Bird – have won the MVP in three consecutive seasons, and defending two-time MVP LeBron is gunning to be the fourth with another trophy this year.
However, LeBron’s third straight award is by no means guaranteed. For one, his team has markedly declined, as the Heat are set to surpass their total losses last year with more than a month remaining in the regular season. Although Miami is still vying for the no. 1 seed in the East, sportsbooks like Top Bet now don’t have the Heat favored in their NBA odds to beat lesser teams like Golden State and Houston. Fairly or not, much of that falls on LeBron.
Even James’ stats have gone down this season. His rebounds, assists and blocks have all dipped below his career averages. Meanwhile, his stiffest competition for the crown, Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant, is having arguably his best season ever. Durant is averaging career highs in points, assists and steals while leading the Thunder to a similar record to Miami’s despite missing Russell Westbrook for most of the season.
That said, LeBron is still having an MVP-caliber season. His scoring average is the highest it’s been since 2009-10, his last year in Cleveland. He’s also shooting an incredible 58% from the field, which is unheard of for a perimeter player. If he once again leads the Heat to the best record in the league, that third straight MVP should be his. And maybe with his inclusion to the MVP Rushmore, his spot on the all-time NBA Mount Rushmore won’t be far behind.
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