NBA teams
David Thorpe, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Top 10 Postseason MVPs: LeBron No. 1

NBA, Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers

When Michael Jordan dominated his way to six NBA championships, his incredible drive to win was appreciated as much as his superior talents. Other stars have dominated in the Finals, but none of them like Jordan did.

However, if Cleveland can win two more games, then LeBron James will have fulfilled the "prophecy" of being the next Jordan, because what he's doing now is the most "Jordan-like" effort we've witnessed since His Airness played.

Postseason MVPs


1. LeBron James, SF
Cleveland Cavaliers
2015 playoff stats:
29.9 PPG | 10.7 RPG

Sure, there is room to be critical. He's holding on to the ball too much. He's settling for isolation plays too often. And he's taking too many fadeaway or step-back jumpers -- always his lowest-percentage shots. But LeBron's fire, skill, intelligence and leadership have defined the Finals so far -- a series that has been more competitive than most people expected. King James has completely outdone the league's current MVP in almost every way.

LeBron mentioned to the media that he has a "secret" motivation in this series. If it turns out that his motivation comes from all the talk about there being a new "greatest player on earth," we shouldn't be surprised. LeBron's will to win, which was questioned only several years ago, now reigns supreme.

One of LeBron's biggest transformations as a player has been the way he has learned to embrace failure. When he was younger, failure introduced doubt, but now it brings resolve. When he makes mistakes in games now, it's hard to tell because he just keeps on grinding, leading and making plays. We don't know if his energy can remain at this level for the entire series, but thus far it has been amazing to watch.


2. Stephen Curry, PG
Golden State Warriors
2015 playoff stats:
28.3 PPG | 6.4 APG

Curry has carried the Warriors this postseason, but has mostly struggled in the Finals so far. In Game 2, he suffered through a horrendous shooting night and failed to deliver a win at home. While he still made some important contributions in the game, his many missed shots seemed to suck some life from him.

Curry was equally ineffective for much of Game 3 against the "Curry Rules" that Cleveland has employed. However, in the fourth quarter, he appeared to figure out how to beat that defensive scheme. With a narrower focus on when to shoot, while also getting rid of the ball quicker against hard shows when in pick-and-roll actions, Curry exploded and almost led his team to an improbable win. He'll enter Game 4 believing he now knows how to dominate the game.

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