LeBron James will be adding to his collection of hardware.
James was voted tournament MVP after the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers 123-109 in the first-ever NBA In-Season Tournament Championship on Saturday night.
His effective play enabled the Lakers to outgun one of the league’s most potent attacks. In 35 minutes versus Indiana, the four-time league MVP had 24 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists while converting on 10 of his 21 field goal attempts.
Throughout Los Angeles’ playoff run, the 38-year-old delivered numerous outstanding performances, leading the team to victories over the Phoenix Suns in the quarterfinals and the New Orleans Pelicans in the semifinals.
James outperformed Kevin Durant against Phoenix, scoring 31 points, handing out 11 assists, and posting a season-high five steals. His heroics were enough to propel the Lakers to a 106-103 victory and a trip to Las Vegas.
James scored 30 points in only 23 minutes of action for the Lakers against the Pelicans. He made nine of his twelve field goal tries, including a perfect 4-4 mark from long range. This includes a run in the first half when he hit three jumpers from behind the arc in a row, including a triple from the NBA logo.
The 19-time All-Star entered the night ranked second on the NBA’s In-Season Tournament MVP ladder, trailing Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, but Los Angeles’ win on Saturday night, combined with James’ outstanding play, was enough to earn him the honor.
The four-time NBA Champion has continued to outperform expectations throughout the 2023-24 season, averaging 25.0 points and 6.6 assists per game on 55.3 percent shooting while leading the Lakers to a 14-9 record entering Saturday’s action.