Updated October 12th, 2020 at 09:53 IST

LeBron James claims fourth NBA Finals MVP, closes in on Michael Jordan's record of SIX

LeBron James won his fourth NBA Finals MVP after leading the Lakers to their first title since 2010. LeBron now trails Michael Jordan who has 6 such awards.

Reported by: Sujay Chakraborty
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On Sunday, Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James won the NBA Finals MVP 2020 to become the first player in history to win the award with three different franchises (two with Miami Heat and one with Cleveland Cavaliers). LeBron scooped the Finals MVP after yet another stellar show as the Lakers clinched the championship in Game 6. The Lakers star also became the fourth player in history to win the championship with three different teams, joining Danny Green, Robert Horry and John Salley.

Also Read | Bubble Kings: Lakers Run Past Heat For 17th NBA Championship

Lakers vs Heat highlights

LeBron James NBA Finals MVP

LeBron James was once again his dominant self on Sunday as he scored a game-high 28 points in Lakers' 106-93 victory over the Miami Heat. The 35-year-old added another 14 rebounds and 10 assists. He finished Game 6 with 65% shooting from the field and one steal. Throughout the 2020 NBA Finals, LeBron had been the best player on the court for the Lakers, something which was duly acknowledged with his Finals MVP accolade. 

During the post-game interview, LeBron James said the only thing he expected of him is to be available to his teammates during their splendid playoffs run. The Lakers star, who is yet to miss a playoff game in his 17-year career, said being always available for his teammates is probably the best thing he did in his career. "I just hope I make my guys proud and that's all that matters to me. I make my guys proud, make the fanbase proud, my family back home, I can't wait to get back home to them. Akron, Ohio we did it again. and that's what it's all about," he told ESPN

Also Read | Fans Celebrate Lakers' NBA Championship

With his fourth Finals MVP award, LeBron James moved ahead of the likes of Shaquille O'Neal, Magic Johnson and Tim Duncan (three each) into second all-time, behind only NBA legend Michael Jordan. Jordan still firmly holds the record of most Finals MVP awards with six, all coming with the Chicago Bulls.

Also Read | Lakers Win 17th NBA Title Equaling Boston Record, After Beating Heat 106-93

Sunday was also an iconic night for the Los Angeles Lakers, who won their first championship in a decade. The last time the Lakers won the title was in 2010 when the late Kobe Bryant led the team to a 4-3 win over the Boston Celtics. The Lakers also equalled the Celtics' record of most NBA titles (17) on Sunday night. 

LeBron delivered the 17th title to the Lakers after a poor debut season in LA. Last season, the Lakers missed the playoffs for the first time since 2005, while LeBron missed the playoffs for the first time in his career. 

Also Read | Analysis: LeBron James Has Done It Again, And Did It His Way

(Image Credits: NBA Twitter)

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Published October 12th, 2020 at 09:53 IST