LeBron James has proved time and again that he can do the impossible. The Los Angeles Lakers were not in a good position when the current season started. But the tides have been changing since the beginning of this year. After LeBron James’s 38th birthday, he single-handedly won many matches for Los Angeles Lakers. These dominant performances of King James raised questions if he could help the team qualify for the playoffs even without Anthony Davis.
If the Lakers qualify for the playoffs, there is a big possibility of LeBron James winning the Most Valued Player award. There is a reason why King James is often called the greatest of all time. LeBron James is a four-time NBA champion, four-time MVP winner, and also won MVP in the finals four times.
Now, he is eyeing his fifth championship and fifth MVP award. And the only way to make this dream come true this season is for the Lakers need to qualify. Moreover, according to JJ Redick, a former basketball player and sports analyst for ESPN, it is not absolutely out of possibility. JJ gave a picture of how this chance can become true. He mentioned, “at the beginning of the season, James was at +2200 for MVP. Now he is at 1400. If the Lakers make a couple of good trades and manage to enter the top five seeds in the Western Conference, there is a good chance James can win his fifth MVP award.”
Lakers In Dire Need Of Fit Players To Help LeBron James
Whatever happens, the Lakers need some fit and fine players to see the light of playoffs. Their main players, like James and Davis, are good but not totally healthy. Anthony Davis is sitting on the bench for twenty games and is expected to miss many more games as he is not yet fit. James is 38 and will not be able to play all the games. He will need some rest to carry on for the whole season. He is already dealing with ankle and foot injuries.
Even though King James is carrying the team on his shoulders, it is not turning out to be fruitful every time. The Lakers have lost three games in their previous four matches. Last encounter against Sacramento Kings, LeBron James scored another 30+ points but for a losing cause. The Lakers lost the game 111-116. James scored the 17th 30+ points in his career. The crowd kept on shouting “MVP, MVP, MVP” for James.
LeBron James called it “very humbling” & “a cool feeling” to get MVP chants from Lakers fans. He then added, “One thing about being part of the Lakers, though, no matter who you are, you will at some point hear an MVP chant if you make a couple of shots. I’ll leave it at that.”
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) January 19, 2023
When asked about it, James was very modest and said, “the advantage of being a Lakers player is that you need to get two shots right, and the next thing you know, people see you as the next MVP, no matter who you are.” Despite suffering from several injuries and not at his prime anymore, King James is maintaining a pretty terrific average of 29.8, 8.4, and 6.7 points, rebounds, and assists, respectively.