Post#3 » by AEnigma » Wed Jun 26, 2024 6:33 pm
Well, most people do not totally disregard player quality in their ballots. But alright, with that framework in mind:
15. 2022 Nikola Jokic
MVP season but uncompetitive first round exit. There is an angle where this could be #14, but in accomplishment it is bottom of the pack.
14. 2024 Nikola Jokic
MVP season but was three degrees removed from a title (lost to team which lost to team which lost to champion). Not even a 1-seed.
13. 2010 Lebron James
MVP season with most wins in the league, but was a second-round exit to the runner-up.
12. 2017 Lebron James
Dominant Finals run, but not top three in MVP voting and did not even bother to secure a 1-seed.
11. 2018 Lebron James
Carried a bad team to the Finals, but was only second-place in MVP voting and was the conference 4-seed.
10. 2014 Lebron James
Another Finals run and MVP runner-up. There is a case for this to be below 2018 based on postseason adversity, but here I went with the overall more impressive season.
9. 2019 Kawhi Leonard
Not in serious MVP discussions, but won Finals MVP and (narrowly) outplayed the MVP winner head-to-head as a 2-seed.
8. 2015 Steph Curry
Won MVP and a title on the league’s winningest team, but had a comically favourable path, did not look like the best player on the court in the Finals, and accordingly did not secure Finals MVP.
7. 2021 Giannis Antetokounmpo
Rushed back from injury to earn Finals MVP with a 50-point clinching game. Can see moving this down — path was not overly difficult, team was only a 3-seed, he was only fourth in MVP voting — but he ultimately overcame real adversity to win the title in astounding fashion.
6. 2011 Dirk Nowitzki
Not a serious MVP contender (wrongly, but also in large part because of missing more time than the other contenders), but upset multiple strong teams and thoroughly outplayed the league’s two general consensus best players to win Finals MVP.
5. 2023 Nikola Jokic
Finals MVP and 1-seed with a comfortable title run, but no MVP and a relatively easy path.
4. 2020 Lebron James
Finals MVP and 1-seed with a comfortable title run, but no MVP and a relatively easy path. Takes #4 because of a closer MVP campaign.
3. 2016 Lebron James
Finals MVP and 1-seed with a title run upsetting a 73-win team and thoroughly outplaying the league’s only unanimous MVP.
2. 2012 Lebron James
Finals MVP and a dominant MVP win, but only had the fourth most wins (second in conference). Decent adversity — beat two good teams, one of which was in spite of significant teammate injury — but nothing crazy.
1. 2013 Lebron James
Finals MVP, one (obtuse) vote off a unanimous MVP, most wins in the league, beat a stupendous Finals opponent… By accomplishment clearly top of the pack, which is why people usually default to this as his true peak.
