In the News: LeBron James Is Having the Best Week Ever

As the second round of the NBA playoffs kicked off this week with the Cleveland Cavaliers leading the series over the Atlanta Hawks 1-0, LeBron James is having the “best week ever.”

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James was named the 2008-09 NBA Most Valuable Player, the NBA announced Monday. In addition to the biggest honor the NBA can bestow upon a single player, James was also named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team on Wednesday.

James became the first Cavalier in franchise history to win the MVP award and the second Cavalier to earn first team honors.

James won the MVP trophy, known as the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, by quite a margin too, receiving a total of 1,172 points, including 109 first-place votes out of a possible 121 from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada.

To earn a spot on the All-Defensive First Team, James received 47 votes, the third-most overall, including 22 first-place votes. The voting panel consisted of the NBA’s 30 head coaches. James was joined on the first team by 2009 Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic, Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets and Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics.

This week’s all yours LeBron. Congratulations from the “family!”

LeBron James and the Cavs face the Atlanta Hawks tonight at Quicken Loans Arena in the second round of the playoffs. They currently lead the series 1-0.

LeBron James’ Season Highlights

• Led the Cavaliers to an NBA and franchise-best 66-16 (.805) record and became just the 12th team in NBA history to win 66 or more games in a season. Also, helped Cleveland post a 39-2 (.951) record at The Q, which tied for the second-best home record in league history, and a 27-14 (.659) road record, which tied for the second-best road record in the league this season.

• Helped Cleveland improve its win total by 21 games from 2007-08 (45-37), tying the 1971-72 L.A. Lakers in NBA history for the second-largest improvement in wins of all teams that won at least 45 games in the previous season.

• Led Cleveland to 16 victories during March, tying the NBA all-time record for most victories in any month. Finished March with 479 points, 152 rebounds and 143 assists. The only other player in NBA history to reach each of those totals in one month is Oscar Robertson, who did it in eight separate months, most recently in January 1965.

• Became just the second player in NBA history to post five consecutive seasons of at least 27.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists (Oscar Robertson)

• Is the only player to average at least 27.0 points in each of the past five seasons

• Became the youngest player in NBA history to score 11,000 points (23 years, 324 days) and 12,000 points (24 years, 35 days) during the season

• Became the youngest (23 years, 308 days) and fastest (395 games) player to reach the following totals: 10,000 points, 2,500 rebounds, 2,500 assists, 700 steals and 300 blocks

• Scored 41 points in three of the Cavs first eight games (41 vs. Chi on Nov. 5th and 8th and 41 vs. Milwaukee on Nov. 11th), becoming the first player since Michael Jordan in 1991 to score 40-or-more in at least three of a team’s first eight games of a season

• With 38 points, seven rebounds, six assists, three blocks and four steals versus Boston on Jan. 9, James became the first person to reach those numbers in a game since David Robinson on March 19, 1994

• Totaled 23 points, 15 rebounds, 11 assists and three blocks versus Sacramento on Jan. 27th, posting at least those numbers in a game since Larry Bird in 1987

• Tallied 33 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists on Jan. 24th at Utah, becoming the first player to record at least those numbers in a non-overtime game since Kevin Garnett in 2004

• Made a career-high eight three-pointers on 11 attempts on his way to a season-best 55 points at Milwaukee on Feb. 20

• Became only the 12th player in NBA history to have three consecutive triple-doubles (March 7th, 10th and 12th).

• Posted 43 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists, four steals and a block versus Orlando on March 17th, joining Larry Bird in 1992 as the only players to record at least those numbers in a game.

• Is the only active player in the NBA to have five consecutive seasons with at least 2,000 points and became just the ninth in NBA history, joining legends Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, George Gervin, Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlin, Dominique Wilkins, Oscar Robertson, Alex English and Karl Malone all-time.

• With his fourth season of at least 2,000 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists, James became the 2nd player in NBA history (Oscar Robertson) to post at least those numbers in four seasons or more.

LeBron James Wins NBA’s Most Valuable Player Award
LeBron James Named to NBA All-Defensive First Team
Video: LBJ’s Top 10 Plays