Who Is The Best Finals MVP’s From The 2010s?
Today I will be finding the best Finals MVP’s from the 2010s.
Yesterday we found the best championship teams from the 2010s. So today I will be finding the best Finals MVP’s. Some of these Finals MVP’s were the star players of their team and played amazing. Other were just role players who exceeded all expectations. Today I will be finding the best Finals MVP from the 2010s.
If a Finals MVP is not on this list, don’t get mad. It’s not a knock on the player or the series that they had. All of the Finals MVP’s from the 2010s were great in their own way. Some were just better than others.
#3 – 2013 Lebron James
Miami Heat
Now, James’s 2012 Finals MVP was statistically more impressive than this on. In 2013, James averaged 25.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 7 assists with 2.3 steals per game. He shot 44.7% from the field and 35.3% from 3. In 2012, James averaged more points, assists, and FG%. So why is the 2013 Finals MVP better?
Well, the 2013 Spurs were better than the 2012 Thunder. Now the Thunder are better than what most people give them credit for. But the 2013 Spurs were one of the all-time great teams, and they lost in the Finals against Lebron and the Heat. The only reason you don’t remember the 2013 Spurs as an all-time great is because of their Game 6 collapse. Other than that, they were a great team.
So other than the strength of the opponent, why was the 2013 Finals MVP better? Big moments.
The Thunder series was a 4-1 victory for the Heat, so on paper it easy. But all of the games were close except for Game 5. James hit some big shots. But in 2013, James needed to be big for the Heat to come back. Game 4 in San Antonio, James scored 33 points and 11 rebounds to tie the series back at 2-2. This was a big game for the Heat as they looked to avoid going down 3-1. Game 6, James fueled a comeback and Ray Allen’s 3 was the topper. This shot saved Lebron’s Legacy but without James’s efforts in the 4th quarter, it would have never even happened. James had 37 points and 12 rebounds in Game 7 to seal the series win for the Heat. That’s clutch, that’s greatness.
Lebron was great in this series, not only because he was playing a great team. It was because he showed up when his team needed it the most.
#2 – 2011 Dirk Nowitzki
Dallas Mavericks
Now, Dirk’s numbers in this series are not more impressive than Lebron’s in 2013. Don’t get that twisted. But Dirk was the one superstar on this Mavs team. He was the one perennial All-Star with a bunch of other solid guys. Except he was playing the Miami Heat with 3 Hall of Famers. The Mavs were the massive underdogs to start this series.
The one superstar team was a thing of the past. It was about duos and trios like Kobe and Pau Gasol in LA, the Celtics with Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and KG. You get the point. You needed more than one star to win. That’s what made this Finals for the Mavericks and Finals MVP for Dirk all the more impressive.
Game 2 was one of the greatest comebacks ever. Not only in this game alone, but the importance it had on the series. The Heat were up 1-0 and had a size-able advantage in the 4th. They’re celebrating, and the game is not even over. But Dirk and the Mavs fight back and they end up winning after Dirk hits the game-winner. Dirk had 24 points and 11 rebounds in Game 2.
He just had moments. The rainbow 3 in Game 5 to give the Mavs a 3-2 series lead. The Game 6 dagger with was more of an exclamation mark on the game and on the series. He was great and gave the Mavericks everything that they needed to win that series.
Overall, Dirk averaged 26.0 points and 9.7 rebounds. He shot 41.6% from the field and 36.8% from 3. Nothing special, nothing out of this world. He just did what needed to be done.
Dirk’s Final MVP was important because he was the leader of a non super-team. A good team, yeah. A Miami Heat super-team. No. He showed us that it was still possible for non super-teams to win in a super-team era. Teams like the 2014 Spurs and the 2019 Raptors have followed suite by accomplishing the same feat. A non super-team winning in a super-team era.
#1 – 2016 Lebron James
Cleveland Cavaliers
Like Dirk’s Finals MVP, this one held major importance other than just winning a title. But, Lebron went crazy in this series against the proclaimed greatest team ever as the Warriors went 73-9 that season. Even beating that team would be good enough, but he came back from a 3-1 deficit. What more needs to be said? If you watched this series like I did, it was greatness. I’ve never watched Michael Jordan live, so this was one of the greatest series I’ve ever seen myself.
James averaged 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 8.9 assists with 2.6 blocks and 2.3 steals. He shot 49.4% from the field and 37.1% from 3. So he averaged 30, 11 and 9. That’s impressive but we’ve seen Lebron do stuff like that before. He also have 2.6 blocks and 2.3 steals. Those are DPOY numbers. He shot nearly 50% from the field when he was the main point on offense and he was paid attention to the most on offense. And 37% from 3 for Lebron is great. Do I have to say more?
If you are doing one of your lists and 2016 Lebron James is not on it, you don’t know basketball, sorry not sorry. This series by Lebron gave us great moments and stats, and the importance of it was monumental.
Lets just jump to when the Cavs were down 3-1. Game 5 would be in Golden State. This was a death sentence and everybody expected the Cavs to go out quietly. Nope. James had 41 points, 16 rebounds, and 7 assists on the road en route to a 112-97 Cavs victory. Now the series was 3-2, but it was still a long-shot for a Cavs comeback.
James had 41 points, 8 rebounds, and 11 assists as the Cavs won Game 6 115-101. Now the series was tied 3-3. But Game 7 was again in Oracle. Death sentence. James had 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists and the Cavs won Game 7 and the series. Ridiculous. Oh yeah, and he had that cool block that nobody will ever forget. Yeah, that too.
James in the final 3 games of this series was impressive enough, but 2 of the 3 games were on the road. And the 2016 Warriors were good at home, like really good. The Warriors for their whole dynasty were good at home, especially during the playoffs. And the Cavs won both of those games.
Now, the Warriors had injuries and suspensions and they would have won the series if none of that happened. This is true, but it happened. Even with all this the Cavs should not have won. But Lebron willed them too. James led both teams in most categories during that series. It was greatness. He took advantage of the misfortune of the Warriors, but it was still not easy.
The 2016 NBA Finals will always be one of the greatest Finals series ever played, and it is the most drama filled basketball moment in a long time. James was amazing during this series, and there are no takeaways from this Finals series from Lebron. It was greatness, period.
What do you think? Who would be on your top 3 list? Does 2016 Lebron deserve to be #1? Leave all of your comments down below.
Follow My Instagram: @hoopnotions
