Do you remember that at the final moment of the 2023 NBA Finals, the entire Lakers team wore crowns in honor of their leader, LeBron James, while the fans chanted MVP?That moment was undoubtedly the pinnacle of James' career, as he won his fifth Finals MVP by 14 votes and helped the Lakers win their 20th championship. Such an achievement made his place in history more solid, and also gave him a greater advantage in the competition with Jordan.
But, you know what?How many hardships and challenges are hidden behind such glory?How did James overcome many doubts and obstacles to succeed step by step?And how did he maintain his amazing stats and influence during the season?Today, let's uncover this mystery together and see how James's brilliance was created.
Why was James able to win the fifth Finals MVP?
If you think James was able to win his fifth Finals MVP just because of his excellent performance in the Finals, you're very wrong. In fact, James has been unmatched throughout the season, reaching an extremely high level not only in terms of personal data, but also in terms of team records. Here are some of his highlights from the season:
Averaged 26 per game8 points 82 rebounds 7With five assists, this is the 18th time in 20 seasons that he has averaged more than 25 points per game, breaking Karl Malone's record and becoming the first person in NBA history. At the same time, he is also the only player in the league who can average 25+5+5 per game, which is also the 20th season of his career. He is also the first person in history to achieve such data.
Shooting percentage is as high as 513%, the 11th season of his career, shooting more than 50% from the field, and the eighth consecutive season he has done so, which is second only to Shaquille O'Neal's 10 seasons in history, and O'Neal's majority of his scoring comes from inside the box, while James's ability to excel in all positions shows that he is more versatile and efficient.
Three-point shooting percentage is 369%, the sixth season of his career that he has shot over 35% from three-point range, and the third season in a row that he has done so, which is four seasons in history behind Larry Bird, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest three-point shooters in history, while James has been able to maintain a consistent three-point shooting percentage while his offense is more diverse, which shows his improvement and adaptability even more.
Led the Lakers to the first place in the West, this is the first time the Lakers have won the first place in the West in the regular season since 2010, and it is also the 11th time in James' career that he has led the team to the first place in the division, which is second only to Bill Russell's 12 times in history, and Russell is recognized as one of the greatest leaders in history, but James was able to lead the team to become the best in the league when changing three teams, which shows his leadership and influence even more.
From the above data, it can be seen that James has performed very well in the season, both in terms of personal data and team records, and he has not only shown his all-round and efficient offensive ability, but also his ability to improve and adapt, and more importantly, his ability to lead and influence. These have laid a solid foundation for his performance in the finals, and also provided strong support for him to win the fifth finals MVP.
Why was James able to lead the Lakers to a 20th championship?
If you think that James can lead the Lakers to a 20th championship just because he doesn't have a strong opponent in the Finals, then you are very wrong. In fact, in the Finals, James faced a young team full of passion and fighting spirit, they not only have top coaches and management, but also have a group of players with a strong desire to win, they passed all the way in the playoffs, eliminated the Bucks, Celtics and other strong teams, and broke into the Finals. In the Finals, they did not give up easily, and they dealt the Lakers a heavy blow in the third and fifth games, making the Lakers feel unprecedented pressure. So, it was never an easy task for James to lead the Lakers to a 20th championship, and how did he do it?Here are some of his highlights from the Grand Final:
Averaged 29 per game8 points 118 rebounds and 85 assists, this is the fourth time he averaged 25+10+5 per game in the Finals, breaking the record of Magic Johnson and becoming the first person in NBA history. At the same time, he is also the only player in the Finals who can average 25+10+5 per game, which is also the sixth time in his career that he has done so in the Finals, which is also the first person in history. Shooting percentage is as high as 591%, which was the third time he shot over 55 percent from the field in the Finals and the second time in a row that he did so, which is second only to Michael Jordan's four in history, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest scorers of all timeHowever, James was able to maintain an amazing shooting efficiency in the face of strong defensive pressure, which showed his stability and calmness even more.
The three-point shooting percentage is 417%, which was the second time he shot over 40% from three-point range in the Finals, and the second time in a row that he did so, second only to Stephen Curry three times in history, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest three-point shooters in history, while James' ability to shoot deadly three-pointers when needed is even more of a testament to his courage and confidence.
Led the Lakers to defeat the Heat 4-2, this is the first time the Lakers have won the championship in the Finals since 2010, and it is also the fourth time in James' career to win the championship in the Finals, which is second only to Bill Russell's 11 times, Robert Horry's 7 times, and Michael Jordan's 6 times, and these players are all recognized as one of the greatest championships in history, but James was able to lead the team to the top of the league with three team changes, which shows his talent and charm even more。
From the above data, it can be seen that James has a very good performance in the finals, both in personal data and in the team's record, he not only showed his stable and calm shooting ability, but also showed his three-point ability of courage and confidence, and also showed his talent and charisma to lead. All of these provided him with a strong impetus to lead the Lakers to a 20th championship, and also added luster to his place in history.