One of the big storylines leading into Game 6 of the NBA Finals was whether or not a player from the potential losing team could be the Finals MVP – LeBron James.
While many argued that his historic deeds in the championship series against the Warriors were worthy of the award, it would’ve been the wrong thing to do.
Quite simply, losers don’t win trophies.
What James did was truly amazing, leading a team crippled by injuries to two big wins over the best team in the league and one of the best teams ever. But two wins doesn’t give you the title, it takes four, which Golden State accomplished on Tuesday night.
The biggest reason why James didn’t deserve to Finals MVP is in the name of the award itself – Most VALUABLE Player. If James were the most valuable player in the series, don’t you think his team would’ve won it all?
If the award was for best player in the series, or to steal a line from the CFL, the Most Outstanding Player, then sure, give it to James, he earned that one. But it’s the value of his contributions that puts this all in question.
We criticize players regularly for putting up big numbers on a crappy team. Only very rarely do we reward them.
While there is precedent for giving the award to a member of the losing team, it has only happened once and that was in 1969. Players have made cases before, but common sense has prevailed.
It has happened in the NHL, but that’s a different situation. The Conn Smythe is for the MVP of the entire playoffs, not just the final. Now if that was the case for the NBA, James might’ve had a better chance.
Really, the only MVP award that James should’ve won – and really did win – for the NBA Finals was Most Visible Penis.
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