LeBron James was snubbed in the NBA MVP voting, and his Cavaliers teammate J.R. Smith was quick to come to his defense following the team’s Game 2 win.
The NBA MVP award has become a major headline in Cleveland, as LeBron James finished fourth in the voting after leading his team to his conference’s second seed.
Many feel like James was snubbed in the voting, and believed The King should’ve at least finished in the league’s top three. None, however, have come to his aid as publicly as his Cleveland Cavaliers teammate J.R. Smith.
After the Cavaliers Game 2 win over the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals, the team’s 10th straight win of this postseason alone, Smith was asked about the lack of James’ presence in the voting.
“It’s almost like when [Michael] Jordan was playing, he could’ve won it every year,” Smith said to reporters. “But they just wanted to give it to somebody else, but it’s fine. Just another chip on his shoulder, which helps us.”
James has won the award four times before in his career, so it may not mean as much to him now to not win the honor. However, not making it in the top three of the voting may have struck a nerve with The King. Smith seemed to think that the vote actually helps motivate James, rather than bring him down.
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“I guess everybody is entitled to their own opinion, but I don’t see how you could not put him in at least the top three. If he’s not going to win it, you don’t even put him in the top three? It’s crazy, but it’s all good. I like it like that.”
Maybe the Cavaliers should hope James always finishes lower in these votes, as it just inspires some great performances for their star.