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LeBron James has been one of the best players in the history of the NBA. The four-time league MVP led the LA Lakers to a championship win last season and is leading the charge this season as well, helping the side achieve their second consecutive NBA title.
LeBron won his fourth NBA Finals MVP in the process but missed out on the league MVP award. That is something he seems to have taken personally at the time of the declaration of Giannis winning the award instead.
Following the Lakers' game one win over the Nuggets in the 2020 Western Conference finals, James was asked about losing the MVP race to Giannis, and he didn't hold back at all.He said:
“It pissed me off. That’s my true answer. It pissed me off because out of 101 votes I got 16 first-place votes. That’s what pissed me off more than anything. I’m not saying that the winner wasn’t deserving of the MVP, but that pissed me off. I finished second a lot in my career, either from a championship, and now four times as the MVP.”
This year, though, LeBron James seems like he is on a mission to win his 5th NBA MVP award and has been unstoppable for the LA Lakers. He is the team leader in points (25.8), rebounds (8.0), and assists (7.8) per game. The veteran, who is in his 18th season, has missed just one game so far and is averaging 34.6 minutes per match.
Will the occasional rest hamper LeBron James' chance of landing his 5th MVP award?
LeBron James is a human-machine and has always been one of the fittest players in the league ever since he made his debut way back in 2003. This season has been the worst for the majority of teams in terms of injuries to key players. Despite that, for a player who is in his 18th season, James has managed to cope well with this challenge and has shown no signs of slowing down.
However, with LeBron being a player who gives his 100% on a nightly basis, he will need to take rest at some point to be able to stay fresh in the post-season. But at the same time, this also puts a big question mark on whether this could hamper a potential 5th NBA MVP award for LeBron James.
LeBron James missed just four regular-season games in the 2019-2020 campaign and also played a team-high 34.8 minutes per game. However, it still wasn't enough for him to win the biggest individual prize in the NBA. If last season's disappointment for LeBron is anything to go by, it would be fair to say that taking some valuable rest during the regular season won't really affect his MVP award aspirations.
Taking a break during back-to-back fixtures or against underperforming teams would be an ideal way for LeBron to manage his workload. This way, he can produce better numbers whenever he takes to the court. It will help him put up even better numbers to compete with the other MVP candidates for this year.
How the LA Lakers could help LeBron James win the MVP
For LeBron James to get valuable rest, the Lakers will have to learn how to win games without the services of their talisman. Frank Vogel's side have been way too reliant on the veteran of late, which is something that could affect their and LeBron's performances in the post-season. If the Lakers fail to win the world championship this year, it could also be one of the main reasons behind their failure.
LeBron James has stated previously that he will always make himself available when the team needs him. The likes of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Marc Gasol, Alex Caruso and Wesley Mathews underperforming has been one of the biggest reasons why the leader of the Lakernation hasn't been able to take time off in this already tiring season.
Considering the aforementioned factors, it makes sense for the LA Lakers to get an experienced player on board to cover for them and help them win whenever LeBron James is scheduled to take a rest. Blake Griffin could be a great addition to their roster as he brings plenty of experience. He also adds depth to their frontcourt from where two of the Lakers' biggest stars, LeBron James and Anthony Davis operate.
Also read: NBA Rumors: Blake Griffin agrees to buyout with Detroit Pistons; LA Lakers and Golden State Warriors among 6 teams interested in him
