Official: LeBron James Named MVP

Today the NBA announced that LeBron James has won the 2012-13 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player. James has won this award for the second consecutive time and the fourth time of his career.

Here’s more from the NBA Press Release:

James totaled 1,207 points, including 120 first-place votes, from a panel of 121 voters that consisted of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada as well as an NBA.com MVP fan vote. For the fourth consecutive season, the NBA and Kia Motors America gave fans the opportunity to submit their votes by ranking their top five choices through a dedicated Web page on NBA.com. The fan vote counted as one vote and was compiled with the 120 media votes to determine the winner. Players were awarded 10 points for each first-place vote, seven points for each second-place vote, five for each third-place vote, three for each fourth-place vote and one for each fifth-place vote received.

Rounding out the top five in voting are Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant (765 points), the New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony, (475 points, one first-place vote), the Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul (289 points), and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant (184 points).

James, who led the Heat to a league-best and franchise-record 66-16 mark, was the only player in the NBA to lead his team in scoring (26.8 ppg), rebounding (8.0 rpg) and assists (7.3 apg). He shot a career-high from the field (.565) and from three-point range (.406). He produced a record streak of six straight games with at least 30 points and a .600-or-better field goal percentage (Feb. 3-12). Additionally, James led the NBA score differential (+9.5) and player impact estimate (22.1 percent), according to NBA.com/Stats.

James scored 2,036 points, in the process becoming the youngest player in NBA history to post eight different 2,000-point seasons, and the youngest player to reach the 20,000-point plateau. Additionally, he became only the third player in NBA history to total at least 2,000 points, 600 rebounds, 500 assists and 100 steals during a single season, and only the second player to do so more than once after eclipsing those totals in 2008-09. Larry Bird accomplished the feat three times (1984-85, 1985-86 and 1986-87) and Jordan achieved it once (1988-89).

The winner of five Kia NBA Player of the Month honors in 2012-13 (October-November, December, January, February, and March), James became the first player in NBA history to receive the honor in five straight months during a single season. He was named Player of the Week five times (Nov. 11, Nov. 18, Dec. 23, Feb. 10, and March 24).

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