Should lebron james or stephen curry be nba finals mvp. Below is an excerpt from the final submission for the book recapping lebron and the cavs game 7 victory over the golden state warriors. The cavs were valiant, but the warriors were ultimately too much, and they were paced by kevin durant, who averaged 28. Jun 17, 2015 andre iguodala was named the most valuable player of the 2015 nba finals, beating lebron james by a vote of 74. Superstars who left their team via free agency after. After lebron james not winning the finals mvp 2015. Do you consider regular season mvp or finals mvp more. It doesnt matter whether you win by an inch or a mile.
Play sporcle s virtual live trivia to have fun, connect with people, and get your trivia on. The brandnew chicago bulls franchise earned its first victory on october 15, 1966, with a 10497 win over the st. After completing a fourgame sweep of the cleveland cavaliers to win the 2018 nba championship, golden state warriors and nba finals mvp kevin durant celebrates with team employees, their family. Join a live hosted trivia game for your favorite pub trivia experience done virtually. Leonard was not one of them, saying, lets go get both. The golden state warriors and cleveland cavaliers all have worthy candidates, but who has the best shot at winning finals mvp. The golden state warriors made short work of the cleveland cavaliers, sweeping the cavs to win their third nba championship in four seasons. Jun 15, 2015 to not recognize this level of play, when it stands so far above his own production in winning the finals mvp award twice, would be inconsistent. Why dennis rodman shouldve been the 1996 finals mvp youtube. West was named finals mvp, making him the only finals mvp from a losing team.
Has a player on the losing team ever won the finals mvp. Baseball and football, like basketball, have awarded only one finals m. Durant is an obvious choice for the finals mvp if his team wins. Its also available for football, hockey and baseball. Warriors, in full dynasty mode, sweep cavaliers in n. Theres no rule that says the award has to go to a player on the winning team. The 2016 nba finals will be over in one week, maybe sooner. Has any player won the nba finals mvp award as a member of. Andre iguodala was named the most valuable player of the 2015 nba finals, beating lebron james by a vote of 74.
In 2015, iguodala won the finals mvp after throwing a blanket on. Im well aware jerry west won on the losing team in the first year it was handed out. Aug 08, 2016 as i recall, magic johnson was the mvp in the 1980 finals of the lakers76ers. Win or lose, lebron james should be your finals mvp.
Nov 27, 2015 bird was denied the 1981 and 1982 season mvp awards, as well as the 1981 finals mvp, for various social, basketball and pc reasons. Andre iguodala is worst nba finals mvp in last 30 years. To not recognize this level of play, when it stands so far above his own production in winning the finals mvp award twice, would be inconsistent. The cs tried to at least slow him down but he was out of sight all series long. You werent the most valuable player on the court because whatever your value was, it didnt lead to your team winning. Nba finals most valuable player award winners basketball. Jun 12, 2011 it might be a dumb question but has a player on the losing team of the nba finals ever win a finals mvp. Nba awards finals mvp national basketball association espn. It only makes sense for the most valuable player of an nba finals series to be part of the winning team. I saw a discussion about this on a basketball website. If a virtual private party is more your thing, go here for details. The c eltics 1969 victory proved to be the end of a significant chapter in nba history. The bill russell nba finals most valuable player award formerly known as the nba finals most valuable player award is an annual national basketball association nba award given since the 1969 nba finals. This book went on to make the new york times bestsellers list.
Nba finals mvp winners through the years usa today. Superstars who left their team via free agency after winning. Jul 07, 2019 superstars who left their team via free agency after winning a championship. Jul 17, 2016 i have nothing to add to all these versions of the correct answer. May 28, 2019 the warriors winning their fourth title in five years on their home court in game 6 is the most popular pick here, though our panel and the statistical models predict this series to be much. If durant has a huge finals performance and the dubs win, he could get the mvp nod based on the logic of him being the teams missing link between winning and not winning. The teams coach was johnny red kerr, a former player with the. Jun 08, 2018 if curry is not selected, hell become the first player in n. When he retired, wests name was on nearly every page of the record books. Dec 19, 2009 winning a regular season mvp is also worth more in terms of your contract and bargaining position. The nba finals mvp almost always goes to the winning team. Finals mvp dennis johnson is not in the hof although he should be 1981. Steph curry explains why hes not consumed with winning his first finals mvp. Never once did he give any indication of frustration.
Comedy arts music books docs life parents kids kids news indigenous archives mycbc. While james has put up historic numbers and has carried a shorthanded cavs team through every game, a former finals mvp weighed in with his thoughts about the mvp not being awarded to someone. They are the only players to win a regular season mvp award and to not win a championship in their career barkley, malone, iverson or yet in their career rose, nash. Jerry west becomes the first to win the nba finals mvp on a. Plenty of people said they preferred the finals mvp cause it means you were super important in winning a ring, but others were saying that. I worked with triumph books to publish cleveland is king in 2016 after the cleveland cavaliers won the nba championship. James capped off an mvp performance in the nba finals with a. The voters err clevelands lebron james deserved to win finals mvp, even in losing. Jun 08, 2018 the golden state warriors made short work of the cleveland cavaliers, sweeping the cavs to win their third nba championship in four seasons. May 30, 2018 whether that means its a finals mvp or not, who cares, but im going to be playing like it for sure. Superstars who left their team via free agency after winning a championship.
Should a player on a losing team ever win the finals mvp. Jerry west becomes the first to win the nba finals mvp on. Otoh, the 2011 champions blitzed the heat from all corners that i think dirk won the mvp partly because of his stellar play in the first few rounds. Every day, well send you an email to your inbox with scores, todays schedule, top performers, new debuts and interesting facts and tidbits. If the other team had the mvp, the series likely would have turned in their favor. Andre iguodala is worst nba finals mvp in last 30 years the.
Jun 01, 2015 in 1969, jerry west won the first mvp, and coincidentally, was the first player in nba history to win the finals mvp while playing for the losing team. Has a losing team player ever won a nba finals mvp. The warriors winning their fourth title in five years on their home court in game 6 is the most popular pick here, though our panel and the statistical models predict this series to be much. But just because theres a precedent of something happening, it doesnt mean it should happen again. Lebron james should be nba finals mvp even if cavaliers.
Jun, 2017 kevin durant wins 2017 nba finals mvp award. Steph curry called finals mvp a special award, but called it secondary. I have nothing to add to all these versions of the correct answer. Cedric maxwell and chauncey billups are the only finals mvp winners eligible for the hall of fame who has not been voted in. Warriors curry not worried about finals mvp award sfgate. Hes the third player to win finals mvp with two franchises, joining only kareem. In cases when the race is at all close, the mvp should go to a player on the winning team, because the championship is more important than any stat. It was the shot that essentially sealed the nba finals for the warriors, and even at the time, it seemed to mean more than that. He was a monster for the cavs when they lost two years ago and he was a monster again when he willed them to a win last year. The celtics 1969 victory proved to be the end of a significant chapter in nba history. Curry played exceptionally in last years finals, averaging 26. Why larry legend deserved three more mvp awards celticsblog.
In that conferences finals, alaska, with mvp willie miller and best import rosell eliis, took on a talk n text team coached by derrick pumaren and were without jimmy alapag, asi taulava, and. Kawhi leonard joins select company as 2time finals mvp cbc. When lebron james led cavs to game 7 win and nba title. The star has only appeared in one championship so far, and that was back in 2012 as a member of the oklahoma city thunder against. No other player has ever been named finals mvp in a losing effort. Jerry west becomes the first to win the nba finals mvp on a losing team as his lakers fall to the celtics. Andre iguodala is the only winner to have not started every game in the series. Without both kyrie irving knee and kevin love shoulder, james. West was named finals m vp, making him the o nly finals mvp from a losing team. It was on this day, may 5th, 1969, that jerry west became the first player in nba history to win the nba finals mvp on a losing team.
Recent winners of the bill russell trophy as nba finals mvp. The finals mvp and the real mvp golden state of mind. Nba awards finals mvp national basketball association. The warriors winning their fourth title in five years on their home court in game 6 is the most popular pick here, though our panel and the statistical models predict this series to be much closer than the 2018 nba finals between golden state and the cleveland cavaliers. List of nba finals most valuable player award winners. As i recall, magic johnson was the mvp in the 1980 finals of the lakers76ers. But in steve kerrs book, there is no question that iguodala belongs in springfield.
Leonard made nba history as the first player to sign with a new team in free agency after winning finals mvp. A yearbyyear list of the bill russell nba finals mvp award winners. No matter what leonard chooses, next season his max salary would start at. And as someone noted elsewhere, winning the finals is a team award, and the fmvp is a player award, so there is no disconnect there unless we can only give the mvp to the best regular season team continue this thread.
So why should whether you lost by an in or a mile matter. Im sure he would love to win finals mvp, but hes much more about the team. Lebron james should be nba finals mvp even if cavaliers lose. Jun 12, 2017 it only makes sense for the most valuable player of an nba finals series to be part of the winning team. Ap insights ap definitive source ap images spotlight ap explore ap books. Is it safe to say that no one else will win it if they are part of the losing team. Finals mvp almost always is the top scorer of the winning team. Steph curry doesnt need a finals mvp to define his value.
The team s coach was johnny red kerr, a former player with the. It might be a dumb question but has a player on the losing team of the nba finals ever win a finals mvp. When lebron james led cleveland to game 7 win and 2016 nba title. May 17, 2018 recent winners of the bill russell trophy as nba finals mvp. In that sense, andre iguodalas finals mvp is also one of stephs great accomplishmentsthe equivalent of his fabled scoreless game at davidson in 2008, in which his team won by 30 anyway. Why dennis rodman shouldve been the 1996 finals mvp. Yearbyyear history of the chicago bulls chicago bulls. The 2004, 2007, and 2008 champions were all so balanced that the big men who carried those teams defensively didnt win it.
If curry is not selected, hell become the first player in n. Kawhi leonard, who won finals mvp in 2014 with the spurs, earned the honor for a. Winning a regular season mvp is also worth more in terms of your contract and bargaining position. The reigning regular season mvp, stephen curry, did not receive a single vote. Johnson is the only rookie ever to win the award, as well as the youngest at 20 years old.
Nba finals predictions title favorites and most likely mvp. The houston rockets are considered a great team after winning two. Kevin durant wins finals mvp for the second straight year. Of course, thats not how it works the only losing player to ever be named most valuable player was jerry west. Curiously, even though magic johnson won the award and johnsons team won a league best 63 games the leagues only 60 win team that year and barkleys club only won 53 games, barkley received. Leonard made nba history as the first player to sign with a new team. Whether that means its a finals mvp or not, who cares, but im going to be playing like it for sure. Most people remember the final game of that series, where kareem was out, and magic jumped center and scored 42 points. These snubs have helped alter his legacy and his alltime. Id just like to say that i watched that series and west deserved the award. Bird was denied the 1981 and 1982 season mvp awards, as well as the 1981 finals mvp, for various social, basketball and pc reasons.
In 1969, jerry west won the first mvp, and coincidentally, was the first player in nba history to win the finals mvp while playing for the losing team. Jun 14, 2019 201415 andre iguodala, golden state warriors. A case could have been made for james two seasons ago, as well. May 30, 2017 durant is an obvious choice for the finals mvp if his team wins. Year player team 201819 kawhi leonard, toronto raptors. Leonard offered an expletive instead, and urged his team to win both.
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