Not surprisingly, an NBA Finals MVP award would do nothing to make LeBron James feel better if the Cleveland Cavaliers end up losing to the Golden State Warriors.
"I wouldn't feel good about it at all," James told reporters after shootaround Tuesday, hours before the Cavs try and stave off elimination in Game 6. "I'm here to win a team prize, and that's to win a championship, not an individual prize."
While the narrative of James as MVP for a losing team has gained steam since his 40-point triple-double in Game 5 on Sunday, it's hardly surprising that a two-time champion would take zero solace in an individual accolade.
The last player before James to record a 40-point triple-double in the NBA Finals was Jerry West in 1969. He's also the last player from a losing team to claim the Finals MVP award.
Earlier Tuesday, ESPN's Chris Broussard reported that he had polled league executives and 62 percent of them favored James for MVP, even if the Cavs lose the series.
Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki said Tuesday he believes the Finals MVP needs to come from the winning team.
"For me, it's got to be somebody from the winner," Nowitzki said. "Even though LeBron is playing from another planet and he's single-handedly keeping the series close."
Nowitzki was NBA Finals MVP in 2011 when the Mavs beat James and the Miami Heat.
The last player from a losing side in one of the "big four" North American sports to win such an award was Jean-Sebastien Giguere of the Anaheim Ducks in 2003.
"I'd give it up for the Stanley Cup," Giguere was quoted as saying at the time.
