query: who won the most mvp awards in nba history

pos: NBA Most Valuable Player Award voting panel casts a vote for first to fifth place selections. Each first-place vote is worth 10 points; each second-place vote is worth seven; each third-place vote is worth five, fourth-place is worth three and fifth-place is worth one. Starting from 2010, one ballot was cast by fans through online voting. The player with the highest point total wins the award. , the current holder of the award is James Harden of the Houston Rockets. Every player who has won this award and has been eligible for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has been inducted. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won

pos: LeBron James 14 All-NBA teams, which is tied for the fourth-most in league history, and 12 All-NBA first teams, which is an NBA record. With four MVP awards, he is part of a select group of players who have won the award four times, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, and Bill Russell; James and Russell are the only players to win four MVP awards in a five-year span. James has also won three Finals MVP Awards, which is tied for the second-most all-time, and earned All-Defensive honors every season from 2009 to 2014. While he has never won the Defensive

pos: Los Angeles Lakers Los Angeles made the NBA Finals six times in the 1960s, but lost each series to the Celtics, beginning their long and storied rivalry. In 1968, the Lakers acquired four-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Wilt Chamberlain, and won their sixth NBA title—and first in Los Angeles—in 1972, led by new head coach Bill Sharman. After the retirement of West and Chamberlain, the team acquired Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who also won multiple MVP awards, but was unable to make the Finals in the late 1970s. The 1980s Lakers were nicknamed "Showtime" due to their fast break-offense led by Magic Johnson. The

pos: Sports in the United States Erving (won MVP awards in both the ABA and NBA), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6 time MVP), Magic Johnson (3 time MVP), Larry Bird (3 time MVP), Michael Jordan (6 time finals MVP), John Stockton (#1 in career assists and steals), Karl Malone (14 time all NBA team), Kobe Bryant (NBA's third all-time leading scorer), Tim Duncan (15-time NBA all-star), Shaquille O'Neal (3 time finals MVP) and Jason Kidd (#2 in career assists and steals). Notable players in the NBA today include LeBron James (4 MVP awards), Stephen Curry (2 time MVP), Dwyane Wade (10 time all-star), and Kevin Durant (MVP, 4

pos: Tim Duncan as a good clutch player, as evidenced by his three NBA Finals MVP awards and his playoff career averages being higher than his regular season statistics. Eleven-time NBA champion Bill Russell further compliments Duncan on his passing ability, and rates him as one of the most efficient players of his generation, a view shared by 19-time NBA All-Star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Because of his versatility and success, basketball experts widely consider Duncan to be the greatest power forward in NBA history, while coach Popovich and teammates Parker and Ginóbili have also credited much of San Antonio's success to him. Duncan's detractors,

pos: NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award Macauley (1951), Cousy (1957), Pettit (1958, 1962), Chamberlain (1960), Adrian Smith (1966), Rick Barry (1967), Jerry West (1972), Tom Chambers (1987), Jordan (1988), Karl Malone (1993), John Stockton (1993), O'Neal (2004, 2009), Bryant (2011) and Davis (2017); Pettit and O'Neal did this multiple times. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has the distinction of playing in the most All-Star Games (18) without winning the All-Star Game MVP, while Adrian Smith won the MVP in his only All-Star Game. NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award The National Basketball Association All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (MVP) is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given

pos: Bill Russell never the focal point of the Celtics offense, instead focusing on his tremendous defense. In his career, Russell won five regular season MVP awards (1959, 1961–63, 1965)—tied with Michael Jordan for second all-time behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's six awards. He was selected three times to the All-NBA First Teams (1959, 1963, 1965) and eight Second Teams (1958, 1960–62, 1964, 1966–68), and was a twelve-time NBA All-Star (1958–1969). Russell was elected to one NBA All-Defensive First Team. This took place during his last season (1969), and was the first season the NBA All-Defensive Teams were selected. In 1970, "The Sporting News" named

neg: 1996 NBA draft won the lottery and obtained the first selection. The Toronto Raptors and the Vancouver Grizzlies were second and third respectively. Allen Iverson, a sophomore from Georgetown was selected first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers. It is widely considered to be one of the deepest and most talented NBA drafts in history, with one-third of the first round picks later becoming NBA All-Stars. The draft class produced three players who won NBA MVP awards (Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Steve Nash), seven other drafted players who became All-Stars (Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Ray Allen, Žydrūnas Ilgauskas, Stephon Marbury, Jermaine O'Neal, Peja Stojaković, Antoine Walker),

neg: Center (basketball) and won two MVP Awards and led Houston to its first NBA Finals in 1981, before joining the Philadelphia 76ers, where, teamed with Julius Erving and Bobby Jones, he won an NBA Championship in 1983, as well as a third League MVP. Never a dominant defender, his quickness and tenacity made him one of the best rebounders in NBA history, particularly on the offensive end; he led the league in rebounds six times in a seven-year period and still holds the NBA record for offensive rebounds. In the mid-1980s, the 7'4" (2.23 m) Eaton was the most prolific shot-blocker in

neg: Michael Jordan in NBA history, 72–10; this record was later surpassed by the 2015–16 Golden State Warriors. Jordan led the league in scoring with 30.4 ppg and won the league's regular season and All-Star Game MVP awards. In the playoffs, the Bulls lost only three games in four series (Miami Heat 3–0, New York Knicks 4–1, Orlando Magic 4–0). They defeated the Seattle SuperSonics 4–2 in the NBA Finals to win their fourth championship. Jordan was named Finals MVP for a record fourth time, surpassing Magic Johnson's three Finals MVP awards. He also achieved only the second sweep of the MVP Awards

neg: 2016–17 Golden State Warriors season win 30 road games in back-to-back seasons, joining the 1995–96 and 1996–97 Chicago Bulls. Stephen Curry set numerous three-point NBA records this season; including most three-pointers made in a single game with 13 and most consecutive games (regular-season and postseason combined) with a made three-pointer with 196. Curry also surpassed 300 three-pointers in the regular-season for the second time in NBA history; he finished with 324. Draymond Green won the Defensive Player of the Year Award at the NBA Awards, the first time a Warrior has won it. Kevin Durant won the NBA Finals MVP award, the third time a

neg: 1984 NBA draft Defensive Player of the Year Awards, twelve All-NBA Team selections, twelve All-Star Game selections and nine All-Defensive Team selections. Olajuwon retired as the all–time league leader in total blocked shots with 3,830 blocks. The third pick, Jordan, achieved even greater success than Olajuwon. He won six NBA championships, six Finals Most Valuable Player Awards, five Most Valuable Player Awards, one Defensive Player of the Year Award, eleven All-NBA Team selections, fourteen All-Star Game selections, three NBA All Star Game MVP Awards, and nine All-Defensive Team selections. Barkley and Stockton never won an NBA championship, but both players received numerous awards

neg: IBM Award O’Neal, Karl Malone, and Hakeem Olajuwon also won NBA Most Valuable Player awards during their career; Robinson, O’Neal and Duncan won both awards in the same season. Jordan, Robinson, Olajuwon, Dennis Rodman and Dikembe Mutombo have won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award; Olajuwon is the only player to win both in the same season. Hill is the only winner of the IBM Award who did not win an NBA MVP or Defensive Player of the Year Award sometime in his career. O'Neal is the only player to win an IBM Award and an NBA title in the

neg: NBA Finals Jordan's departure, the Houston Rockets, led by Hakeem Olajuwon, won the 1994 and 1995 NBA titles. During this time, Olajuwon became the only player in history to win the NBA MVP, NBA Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP awards in the same season. That was the only year that both the NBA and NHL Finals went to seven games, with the Rockets facing the New York Knicks in 1994. With their win in Game 7, the Rockets denied New York from winning both the NBA and NHL titles in the same year, as the New York Rangers won

neg: 1969 NBA Finals NBA history. This series is also notable in that West, with an average of nearly 38 points a game, won the Finals Most Valuable Player award, despite being on the losing team. This was the first year a Finals MVP award was given, and it remains the only time in NBA Finals history that the MVP was awarded to a player on the losing team. It also marks the first time ever in NBA Finals history that a Game 7 was won by the road team. The Los Angeles Lakers had won 55 games in the regular season (2nd best

neg: Hakeem Olajuwon first professional sports championship to Houston since the Houston Oilers won the American Football League championship in 1961. Olajuwon dominated Ewing in their head–to–head match-up, outscoring him in every game of the series and averaging 26.9 points per game on 50% shooting, compared to Ewing's 18.9 and 36.3%. For his efforts Olajuwon was named NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. Olajuwon was at the pinnacle of his career. In 1994, he became the only player in NBA history to win the MVP, Finals MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards in the same season. He was also the first foreign-born

neg: 2009–10 Los Angeles Lakers season to the NBA Finals where they defeated the Boston Celtics in a rematch of the 2008 NBA Finals won by the Celtics 4 games to 2. This time, the Lakers won the series 4 games to 3 for their 16th NBA title and handed Boston its first Game 7 loss in an NBA Finals in team history. Kobe Bryant won his second consecutive NBA Finals MVP as well as his fifth and final NBA Championship. On July 14, 2010, Phil Jackson won the 2010 ESPY Awards for Best Coach/Manager while Kobe Bryant won for Best NBA Player. The Lakers came

neg: Steve Nash the line, joining Larry Bird, Reggie Miller, and Mark Price in the 50–40–90 club. Nash would repeat this feat three more times in the 2007–08, 2008–09 and 2009–10 campaigns. Nash (four times) and Larry Bird (two times) are the only players to have accomplished this feat more than once. A two-time NBA MVP, Nash is only the second point guard (along with Magic Johnson) to win the MVP award multiple times and the third guard in NBA history to earn back-to-back MVPs (joining Johnson and Michael Jordan). Only ten other NBA players have won back-to-back MVP awards: Johnson, Jordan, Bill

neg: 2008–09 Los Angeles Lakers season Western Conference Finals to advance to the NBA Finals for the second consecutive year and 30th time in franchise history, extending their NBA record for most Finals appearances. On June 14, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic 4–1 in the best of seven series to become the 2009 NBA Champions, winning the 15th Championship for the franchise. Kobe Bryant was awarded the 2009 NBA Finals MVP. Following the season, Trevor Ariza signed as a free agent with the Houston Rockets. On July 15, 2009, the Los Angeles Lakers won the 2009 ESPY Awards for Best Team and Best

neg: 2003 NBA draft 2003 draft is known for having one of the most talented draft pools in draft history. Four of the top five picks are NBA All-Stars and "Redeem Team" Olympic Gold Medalists: Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, and LeBron James. Many players have been in the starting line-ups of their respective teams; nine have participated in an All-Star Game, Dwyane Wade was named NBA Finals MVP in 2006 and won the NBA All Star Game MVP in 2010. Luke Walton was a two-time NBA Champion in 2009 and 2010, Boris Diaw won the Most Improved Player Award in 2006, Jason

neg: Chicago Bulls until the 2015–16 Warriors. Many experts and analysts consider the 1996 Bulls to be one of the greatest teams in NBA history. Michael Jordan and Derrick Rose have both won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award while playing for the Bulls, for a total of six MVP awards. The Bulls share rivalries with the Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, and the Miami Heat. The Bulls' rivalry with the Pistons was highlighted heavily during the late 1980s and early 1990s. On January 16, 1966 Chicago was granted an NBA franchise to be called the Bulls. The Chicago Bulls became the third

neg: Kevin Durant year-end awards and became the first freshman to be named Naismith College Player of the Year. As a professional, he has won two NBA championships, an NBA Most Valuable Player Award, two Finals MVP Awards, the NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award, four NBA scoring titles, the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, and two Olympic gold medals. Durant has also been selected to eight All-NBA teams and nine NBA All-Star teams. Off the court, Durant is one of the highest-earning basketball players in the world, due in part to endorsement deals with companies such as Foot Locker and

neg: History of the Los Angeles Lakers points down in the fourth quarter of Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals against Portland. The Indiana Pacers, coached by the Lakers' old nemesis, Larry Bird, proved to be slightly less of a problem, however, and in six games, the Lakers claimed their first NBA championship since 1988. Shaquille O'Neal picked up both MVP and Finals MVP awards in 2000. Having also shared the 2000 All-Star Game MVP award, he was only the third player in NBA history to win all three awards in the same season. Kobe Bryant was named to the NBA All-Defensive Team, the youngest player

neg: Kobe Bryant the All-Star Game, and he would continue to be selected to start that game for a record 18 consecutive appearances until his retirement. His four All-Star MVP Awards are tied for the most in NBA history. At the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics, he won gold medals as a member of the U.S. national team. "Sporting News" and TNT named Bryant the top NBA player of the 2000s. In 2018, Bryant won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for his film "Dear Basketball". Bryant was born in 1978 in Philadelphia; he was the youngest of three children and

neg: NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award shots. Only seven perimeter players have been honored: Moncrief, Alvin Robertson, Michael Cooper, Michael Jordan, Gary Payton, Ron Artest (known now as Metta World Peace), and Kawhi Leonard. Payton is the only point guard to have won. Jordan, Olajuwon, David Robinson, and Kevin Garnett are the only Defensive Player of the Year winners to have won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) during their careers; Jordan and Olajuwon won both awards in the same season. In Olajuwon's case, he is the only one to have also won the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award and the NBA

neg: Michael Jordan of the Wizards. Jordan's individual accolades and accomplishments include six NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards, ten scoring titles (both all-time records), five MVP Awards, ten All-NBA First Team designations, nine All-Defensive First Team honors, fourteen NBA All-Star Game selections, three All-Star Game MVP Awards, three steals titles, and the 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. He holds the NBA records for highest career regular season scoring average (30.12 points per game) and highest career playoff scoring average (33.45 points per game). In 1999, he was named the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century by

neg: 2011 NBA All-Star Game was unable to participate due to injury. Kobe Bryant, selected to his 13th straight All-Star game after becoming the leading vote-getter, had 37 points, 14 rebounds, and three steals and won his fourth All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award, tying Hall of Famer Bob Pettit for the most All-Star MVP awards. LeBron James had the second triple-double in All-Star Game history with 29 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. Blake Griffin is the first rookie to play in the All-Star since Yao Ming in 2003. The T-Mobile Rookie Challenge featured a team of standout first-year players ('Rookies') against a

neg: Larry Bird Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish and power forward Kevin McHale. Bird was a 12-time NBA All-Star and was named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) three consecutive times (1984–1986). He played his entire professional career for Boston, winning three NBA championships and two NBA Finals MVP awards. He was a member of the United States national team ("The Dream Team") that won the gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics. Bird was voted to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team in

neg: 1964 NBA draft has been inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player and was also named in the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History list announced at the league's 50th anniversary in 1996. Reed, who spent all of his 10-year playing career with the Knicks, won the NBA championships twice in 1970 and 1973. In both NBA Finals, he was named as the Finals MVP. He also won the Most Valuable Player Award in 1970 and was selected to five All-NBA Teams and seven All-Star Games. He became a head coach after ending his playing career. He coached the Knicks

neg: LeBron James LeBron James LeBron Raymone James Sr. (; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Often considered the best basketball player in the world and regarded by some as the greatest player of all time, James' accomplishments are extensive and include four NBA Most Valuable Player Awards, three NBA Finals MVP Awards, two Olympic gold medals, three All-Star Game MVP awards, and an NBA scoring title. He is the all-time NBA playoffs scoring leader and has amassed fourteen NBA All-Star Game appearances, twelve All-NBA First Team designations,

neg: 2003 NBA draft Kapono won the three point shootout back-to-back years in 2007 and 2008, James Jones won the three point shootout in 2011, Leandro Barbosa won the Sixth Man Award in 2007, Kyle Korver set the NBA record for three point shooting percentage in 2010 (53.6%), and in the 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013 seasons LeBron James won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award, and the NBA Finals MVP in 2012, 2013 and 2016. Carmelo Anthony won the 2013 NBA Scoring Title and is the only player in NBA history to win at least three Olympic gold medals. Zaza Pachulia won NBA

neg: Boston Celtics championships since the league's founding. The Celtics have a notable rivalry with the Los Angeles Lakers, and have played the Lakers a record 12 times in the NBA Finals (including their most recent appearances in 2008 and 2010), of which the Celtics have won nine. Four Celtics players (Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, Dave Cowens and Larry Bird) have won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award for an NBA record total of 10 MVP awards. Both the nickname "Celtics" and their mascot "Lucky the Leprechaun" are a nod to Boston's historically large Irish population. After winning 16 championships throughout the 20th

neg: History of the Los Angeles Lakers at center for an injured Abdul-Jabbar. That alone won Johnson the first of his three Finals MVP awards. The accomplishment would soon be followed by ugliness for the team, however. In a season that was marred by Johnson missing a large portion of time due to injury and a general state of unrest and dissension in the locker room, the Lakers stunningly fell in the first round of the 1981 NBA Playoffs to the Houston Rockets, who went on to the NBA Finals despite a 40–42 regular season record. The next season also began in rocky fashion, as Coach Westhead

neg: 1993 NBA Finals first player in NBA history to win three straight Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Awards. He joined Magic Johnson as the only other player to win the award three times. The NBA started awarding the Finals MVP in 1969. | align="left" | || 6 || 6 || 41.8 || .508 || .526 || 1.000 || 1.8 || 5.0 || 0.8 || 0.2 || 13.5 | align="left" | || 6 || 0 || 27.0 || .475 || .667 || .778 || 3.0 || 2.5 || 0.3 || 0.0 || 8.8 A month after the Bulls' third straight championship, Michael

neg: Shaquille O'Neal the Suns, O'Neal was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2009–10 season. O'Neal played for the Boston Celtics in the 2010–11 season before retiring. O'Neal's individual accolades include the 1999–2000 MVP award, the 1992–93 NBA Rookie of the Year award, 15 All-Star game selections, three All-Star Game MVP awards, three Finals MVP awards, two scoring titles, 14 All-NBA team selections, and three NBA All-Defensive Team selections. He is one of only three players to win NBA MVP, All-Star game MVP and Finals MVP awards in the same year (2000); the other players are Willis Reed in 1970 and Michael

neg: Manu Ginóbili he holds dual citizenship, and won several individual and team honors. His stint with Italian club Kinder Bologna was particularly successful; he won two Italian League MVP awards, the EuroLeague Finals MVP and the 2001 EuroLeague championship and Triple Crown. Selected as the 57th overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft, Ginóbili joined the Spurs in 2002, and soon became a key player for the team. In addition to his four NBA championships, Ginóbili was named an All-Star in 2005 and 2011, and has been selected twice for the All-NBA Team. In 2007–08, he was named the NBA Sixth Man

neg: History of the Los Angeles Lakers with the Lakers eventually defeating the Kings in overtime and advancing to the NBA Finals. The championship series against the New Jersey Nets was a mere formality, as the Lakers swept all four games in one of the most lopsided NBA Finals ever. By securing their third straight NBA Championship, the Lakers of 2000–2002 earned their place in NBA history. O'Neal won his third consecutive Finals MVP award joining only Michael Jordan as players to have achieved such honors, and Jackson won his ninth championship as a head coach, tying Celtics legend Red Auerbach, while surpassing Pat Riley as the

neg: 2012 NBA Finals an NBA Finals record for most 3-pointers in a game with 14. With three minutes remaining in the game, both teams took their starters out of the game, with the Heat still leading by more than 20 points. With their Game 5 win, the Heat won their second NBA championship in team history, and the first for several Heat players, including James, who was named the NBA Finals MVP after averaging 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists in the finals, capping it all off with his first triple double of the season in the final game. For the Thunder,

neg: Eligibility for the NBA draft in 1976, his career continued on its upward trajectory, ultimately earning him three NBA MVP awards, four appearances on the All-NBA First Team, 12 consecutive NBA All-Star Game appearances, an NBA title, a place among the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, and enshrinement in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In 1975, Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby both went to the NBA from high school. Dawkins had a solid 14-year career in the NBA, while Willoughby was no more than a journeyman in eight NBA seasons. These players were greatly outnumbered by college underclassmen who chose to leave

neg: Willis Reed first player in NBA history to be named the NBA All-Star Game MVP, the NBA regular season MVP, and the NBA Finals MVP in the same season. That same year, he was named to the All-NBA First Team and NBA All-Defensive First Team, as well as being named as ABC's "Wide World of Sports" Athlete of the Year, and the Sporting News NBA MVP. Reed's most famous performance took place on May 8, 1970, during game seven of the 1970 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers in Madison Square Garden. Due to a severe thigh injury, a torn muscle

neg: History of the Miami Heat particular had a great season, leading the league in blocks and winning Defensive Player of the Year. He was also named as the Center for the All-NBA First Team (beating out Shaquille O'Neal) and was the runner-up for NBA Most Valuable Player, with Karl Malone winning the award. Had Mourning won MVP over Malone, he would have joined Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only players to win MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. Miami would have a conference-best 33–17 record to claim their first-ever No. 1 seed in the NBA Playoffs. In the

neg: New York Knicks setting up one of the most famous moments in NBA history. Reed limped onto the court before the seventh game, determined to play through the pain of his injury. He scored New York's first two baskets before going scoreless for the remainder of the contest. Although he was not at full strength, Reed's heroics inspired the Knicks, and they won the game by a score of 113–99, allowing New York to capture the title that had eluded them for so long. Reed, who had been named the All-Star MVP and the league's MVP that season, was named MVP of the

neg: Larry Bird up for the Celtics. During his introductory press conference, after Auerbach's contentious negotiations with agent Bob Woolf, Bird announced he "would have played for free". This was after Woolf asked for the most lucrative contract in NBA history, to which Auerbach was quick to point out that Bird had not played a game in the NBA yet. Bird is the only man to be named an MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year in the NBA. Bird, a wing who played the small forward and power forward positions, was nominated to twelve All-Star teams. He won two

neg: Larry Bird the time—in the 1997–98 season, and pushed the Bulls to seven games in the Eastern Conference finals. He was named the NBA Coach of the Year for his efforts, becoming the only man in NBA history to have won both the MVP and Coach of the Year awards. He then led the Pacers to two consecutive Central Division titles in 1999 and 2000, and a berth in the 2000 NBA Finals. Bird resigned as Pacers coach shortly after the end of the 2000 season, following through on his initial promise to coach for only three years. In 2003, he returned

neg: Michael Jordan Abdul-Jabbar has won more, with six), six Finals MVPs (NBA record), and three All-Star Game MVPs, Jordan is the most decorated player in NBA history. Jordan finished among the top three in regular-season MVP voting 10 times, and was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996. He is one of only seven players in history to win an NCAA championship, an NBA championship, and an Olympic gold medal (doing so twice with the 1984 and 1992 U.S. men's basketball teams). Since 1976, the year of the NBA's merger with the American Basketball Association, Jordan and

neg: Stanley Cup playoffs postseason instead of just the championship game or series, unlike the playoff MVP awards presented in the other major professional sports leagues of the United States and Canada (the Super Bowl MVP, the NBA Finals MVP, and the World Series MVP), although in its history the trophy has never been given to someone that was not in the finals. Doug Gilmour and Peter Forsberg, in 1986 and 1999, respectively, are the only players who have topped the postseason in scoring without making it to the Finals. NHL players have often grown beards when their team is in the playoffs, where

neg: Chicago Bulls in league history and the best single-season record at that time, moving from 47–35 to 72–10, becoming the first NBA team to win 70 or more games. Jordan won his eighth scoring title, and Rodman his fifth straight rebounding title, while Kerr finished second in the league in three-point shooting percentage. Jordan garnered the elusive triple crown with the NBA MVP, NBA All-Star Game MVP, and NBA Finals MVP. Krause was named NBA Executive of the Year, Jackson Coach of the Year, and Kukoc the Sixth Man of the Year. Both Pippen and Jordan made the All-NBA First Team, and

neg: NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award U.S. college basketball at Wake Forest. Bob Pettit (1958, 1959) and Russell Westbrook (2015, 2016) are the only players to win consecutive awards. Pettit (1956), Bob Cousy (1957), Wilt Chamberlain (1960), Bill Russell (1963), Oscar Robertson (1964), Willis Reed (1970), Dave Cowens (1973), Michael Jordan (1988, 1996, 1998), Magic Johnson (1990), Shaquille O'Neal (2000), and Allen Iverson (2001) all won the All-Star Game MVP and the NBA Most Valuable Player Award in the same season; Jordan is the only player to do this multiple times. 14 players have won the award playing for the team that hosted the All-Star Game:

neg:
NBA All-Star Celebrity Game of the WNBA. The game ended up being the second most lopsided game in Celebrity Game history to date. The East Team's 88 points were the most ever scored by one team, and their 29-point margin of victory was the second largest ever. Even though last year's MVP and the East Team player Win Butler scored 22 points and 11 rebounds, his teammate Brandon Armstrong won the 2017 All-Star Celebrity Game MVP award with 16 points and 15 rebounds.

 The 2018 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game presented by Ruffles was played on Friday, February 16, 2018 at

neg: 1978 NBA draft won three NBA championships. He also won three consecutive Most Valuable Player Awards and two Finals Most Valuable Player Awards. He was also selected to ten All-NBA Teams and thirteen consecutive All-Star Games. For his achievements, he has been inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame. Bird was also named to the list of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History announced at the league's 50th anniversary in 1996. After retiring as a player, Bird went on to have a coaching career. He coached the Indiana Pacers for three seasons, leading them to an NBA Finals appearance. He also won

neg: Wilt Chamberlain career. Although he suffered a long string of professional losses, Chamberlain had a successful career, winning two NBA championships, earning four regular-season Most Valuable Player awards, the Rookie of the Year award, one NBA Finals MVP award, and was selected to 13 All-Star Games and ten All-NBA First and Second teams. He was subsequently enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978, elected into the NBA's 35th Anniversary Team of 1980, and chosen as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History of 1996. Chamberlain was known by several nicknames during his basketball playing career. He

neg: EuroLeague Awards season, the regular season, Top 16, and playoffs, up until the EuroLeague Final Four. The award is based on a voting process, rather than on the PIR stat, like the EuroLeague Regular Season MVP and EuroLeague Top 16 MVP awards were. The award is analogous to the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four MVP award is the MVP award for the final two games of the EuroLeague season. The award began in the 1987–88 season, when the EuroLeague Final Four modern era began. It is the originating MVP award, intended as the "most valuable player"

neg: Joakim Kjellbom the second most decorated MVP player in Swedish basketball. Fred Drains won the title four times. Joakim Kjellbom Joakim Kjellbom (born April 22, 1979) is a Swedish professional basketball player. Kjellbom plays as center. He is one of the most successful basketball players in the history of Swedish basketball, as he has won three Swedish League MVP Awards. Kjellbom won his first MVP title in 2007–08 season while playing for Sundsvall Dragons. He won the title a second time in 2009–10 season while playing for the Norrköping Dolphins. His third and last MVP award was in the 2015–16 season, when

neg: Shaquille O'Neal were ejected. After O'Neal blocked a layup by Barkley, O'Neal shoved Barkley, who then threw the ball at O'Neal. O'Neal was also voted the 1999–2000 regular season Most Valuable Player, one vote short of becoming the first unanimous MVP in NBA history. Fred Hickman, then of CNN, instead chose Allen Iverson, then of the Philadelphia 76ers who would go on to win MVP the next season. O'Neal also won the scoring title while finishing second in rebounds and third in blocked shots. Jackson's influence resulted in a newfound commitment by O'Neal to defense, resulting in his first All-Defensive Team selection

neg: Miles Simon Kentucky in overtime to win the national championship. After college, Simon played five games with the Orlando Magic during the 1999 NBA season. He played for two seasons for the Dakota Wizards of the CBA, whom he led to a CBA championship in 2002. Simon earned enough awards and honors in 2001–2002 to make him the most decorated player in CBA history. He received honors as Player of the Week four times. He was named the CBA Newcomer of the Year, the CBA MVP, and the Playoff MVP. He also holds the CBA record for most free throws made in

neg: Moses Malone Moses Malone Moses Eugene Malone (March 23, 1955 – September 13, 2015) was an American basketball player who played in both the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1974 through 1995. The center was named the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) three times and was a 12-time NBA All-Star and an eight-time All-NBA Team selection. Malone won his only NBA championship in 1983, when he was both the league and Finals MVP with the Philadelphia 76ers. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2001.

neg: Los Angeles Lakers faced with a must-win game six. In one of the most controversial playoff games in league history (Tim Donaghy scandal), the Lakers would win by four points. The Lakers went on to win game seven in overtime, with the Kings missing numerous potentially game-saving shots and free throws. The Lakers then achieved a three-peat by sweeping Jason Kidd and the New Jersey Nets in the NBA Finals. O'Neal won each of the Finals series' MVP awards, making him the only player besides Michael Jordan to win three consecutive Finals MVPs. The Lakers would attempt a four-peat the following year, but

neg: LeBron James Award in 2009 and 2010. However, after falling short of the championship expectations set by the media, fans, and himself, James departed Cleveland in 2010 as a free agent to sign with the Miami Heat. This move was announced in an ESPN special titled "The Decision", and is one of the most controversial free agent decisions in American sports history. In Miami, James won his first NBA championship in 2012, and followed that with another title a year later. He was named league MVP and NBA Finals MVP in both championship years. In 2014, James opted out of his contract

neg: NBA G League Most Valuable Player Award by forwards with six. Only one center has won, Courtney Sims in 2008–09. NBA G League Most Valuable Player Award The NBA Development League Most Valuable Player (MVP) is an annual NBA Development League (D-League) award given since the league's inaugural season to the best performing player of the regular season. The league's head coaches determine the award by voting and it is usually presented to the honoree during the D-League playoffs. No player has been named the MVP more than once, and no international player has won the award. Ansu Sesay was the inaugural winner while playing for the

neg: 1997 NBA Finals named NBA Finals MVP. Hal Douglas narrated the season-ending documentary for NBA Entertainment. Bulls and Jazz won a combined 133 regular season games, second most in Finals history. Until 2016, the 1997 NBA Finals was the last to feature teams that won a total of at least 130 regular season games. For the Chicago Bulls, the campaign was almost identical to their record-breaking 1995–96 season. They began the season 12–0, and by the All-Star break, was 42–6, putting them on pace to win 70 games for a second year in a row. But some late-season injuries and poor play denied

neg: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar he was stronger shooting the skyhook with his right hand than he was with his left. According to Abdul-Jabbar, he learned the move in fifth grade after practicing with the Mikan Drill and soon learned to value it, as it was "the only shot I could use that didn't get smashed back in my face". Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA's all-time leading scorer with 38,387 points and won a league-record six MVP awards. He earned six championship rings, two Finals MVP awards, fifteen NBA First or Second Teams, a record nineteen NBA All-Star call-ups and averaging 24.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.6

neg: Conn Smythe Trophy presentation of the Stanley Cup by the NHL Commissioner and only the winner is announced, in contrast to most of the other NHL awards which name three finalists and are presented at a ceremony. Unlike the playoff MVP awards presented in the other major professional sports leagues of the United States and Canada (the Super Bowl MVP, the NBA Finals MVP, and the World Series MVP), the Conn Smythe is based on a player's performance during the entire NHL postseason instead of just the championship game or series. The most recent winner is Alexander Ovechkin. The Conn Smythe Trophy was

neg: 1989 NBA Playoffs 1989 NBA Playoffs The 1989 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1988–89 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 0 in the NBA Finals. Joe Dumars was named NBA Finals MVP. The Pistons had one of the most dominant playoff runs in NBA history, finishing 15–2 with their only losses to the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Lakers won the Western Conference title without losing a game, and entered the NBA Finals as the heavy favorites. However,

neg: NBA G League All-Star Game the time. The Blue Team won the 2008 game, while the Red Team won in 2009. Jeremy Richardson won the 2008 All-Star Game MVP award and two players, Blake Ahearn and Courtney Sims, were jointly named as the MVP of the 2009 game. In 2010, the players were divided into the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference after the league switched back into two conferences. The West won the game, led by Brian Butch who won the 2010 All-Star Game MVP award. In 2018, the NBA G League International Challenge replaced the traditional NBA G League All-Star Game. The International

neg: History of the Los Angeles Lakers Johnson. The strategy worked, and the Lakers accumulated 65 wins, the second-most in franchise history up to that point. Johnson also won his first MVP award. Although the Showtime Lakers were famous for their scoring, they were also a great defensive team. Michael Cooper won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1987. After passing the Nuggets, Warriors, and SuperSonics in the playoffs, the Lakers headed to the Finals for the sixth time since 1980. Johnson then notched his last Finals MVP award as the Lakers defeated their arch-rival Celtics in the finals, highlighted by Johnson's running "baby

neg: Kevin Garnett leading them to eight consecutive playoff appearances. In 2004, he led the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals and won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. Garnett has been named to 15 All-Star Games, winning the All-Star MVP award in 2003, and is currently tied for third-most All-Star selections in NBA history. He was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2007–08, and has been selected nine times for All-NBA Teams and 12 times for All-Defensive Teams. Garnett also holds several Timberwolves franchise records. In 2007, after 12 seasons with the Timberwolves, Garnett joined the Boston Celtics in

neg: Kobe Bryant game with 15 rebounds. Bryant won his fifth championship and earned his second consecutive NBA Finals MVP award. This marked the first time the Lakers won a Game 7 against the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. Bryant said that this was the most satisfying of all of his five championships. Bryant wanted a sixth championship to match Jordan's total. The Lakers started the 2010–11 season by winning their first eight games. In his ninth game of the season, playing against the Denver Nuggets, Bryant became the youngest player in NBA history to reach 26,000 career points. Bryant also recorded

neg: 76ers–Celtics rivalry Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals and defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in five games for their seventh straight title. In the 1966 season, the Sixers looked poised to end Boston's 7-year reign as NBA Champions; Philadelphia won the regular season series against Boston 6-4 and finished 55-25 to beat out the Celtics by one game and win the number one seed in Eastern Division. Chamberlain also won the MVP over Russell, who had won three of the previous four awards. When they met in the Conference Championship however, Boston defeated Philadelphia 4-1 and went on to win their eighth

neg: Hakeem Olajuwon and Finals MVP awards in the same season. His Rockets won back-to-back championships against the New York Knicks (avenging his college championship loss to Patrick Ewing), and Shaquille O'Neal's Orlando Magic. In 1996, Olajuwon was a member of the Olympic gold-medal-winning United States national team, and was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. He ended his career as the league's all-time leader in blocks (3,830) and is one of four NBA players to record a quadruple-double. Hakeem Olajuwon was born to Salim and Abike Olajuwon, working class Yoruba owners of a cement business in Lagos.

neg: History of the Houston Rockets History of the Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before moving to Houston, Texas. In the Rockets' debut season, they won 15 games. After drafting Elvin Hayes first overall in the 1968 NBA Draft, they made their first appearance in the playoffs in 1969. After Hayes was traded, Moses Malone replaced him. Malone won two Most Valuable Player (MVP)

neg: 1983 NBA Finals a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers, who had defeated them the season before. Said head coach Billy Cunningham, ""The difference from last year was Moses."" Malone was named MVP of the 1983 Finals, as well as league MVP for the third time in his career. The 76ers completed one of the most dominating playoff runs in league history with a 12–1 mark after league and NBA Finals MVP Moses promised ""Fo', fo', fo"" (as in ""four, four, four""—four wins to win round 1, four wins to win round 2, etc.), but it actually wound up as ""Fo', fi',

neg: 2015 NBA Finals by 2014–15 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Stephen Curry, while the Cavaliers featured four-time league MVP LeBron James. Both teams entered the series with title droughts of four decades, with the Cavaliers having never won a title since their inception and the Warriors' last title having been in 1975. This was also the first time that both participating teams had first-year head coaches since the inaugural league finals in 1947, when the NBA was known as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). It was the fifth consecutive finals appearance for James who played for the Miami Heat the previous four

neg: 1984 NBA draft and honors. Barkley won the Most Valuable Player in 1993 and was selected to eleven All-NBA Teams, eleven All-Star Games, and was the MVP of the 1991 All Star Game. Stockton was selected to eleven All-NBA Teams, ten All-Star Games and five All-Defensive Teams before retiring as the all–time league leader in assists and steals and was co-MVP of the 1993 All Star Game along with his Utah Jazz teammate Karl Malone. Jordan, Barkley and Stockton would later play as teammates for the 1992 "Dream Team". Alvin Robertson, the seventh pick, is the only other player from this draft who

neg: San Antonio Spurs en route to facing the New Jersey Nets in the NBA Finals. The series against the Nets marked the first time two former ABA teams played each other for the NBA Championship. The Spurs won the series 4–2, giving them their second NBA Championship in franchise history. Duncan, after having been named NBA MVP, was also named Finals MVP. Coming off their second NBA Championship, the retirement of David Robinson left a void in San Antonio's daunting defense, while playoff hero Steve Kerr and veteran forward Danny Ferry also retired. Meanwhile, backup point guard Speedy Claxton was left for the

neg: Center (basketball) the rivalry of the two big men came to dominate the NBA. Between the two of them, Chamberlain and Russell won nine of the eleven MVP awards in the eleven-year period between 1958 and 1969; played against one another in six Eastern Conference Finals and two NBA Finals between 1959 and 1969. Many of the records set by these two players have endured today. Most notably, Chamberlain and Russell hold the top eighteen season averages for rebounds. Bill Russell led the University of San Francisco to two consecutive NCAA Championships (1955, 56). He joined the Boston Celtics and helped make

neg: Bill Walton Bill Walton William Theodore Walton III (born November 5, 1952) is an American retired basketball player and television sportscaster. Walton became known playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early 1970s, winning three successive College Player of the Year Awards, while leading the Bruins to two national titles. He then went on to have a prominent career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) where he was a league Most Valuable Player (MVP) and won two NBA championships. His professional career was significantly hampered by multiple foot injuries. Walton was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

neg: NBA Most Valuable Player Award that failed to win at least 50 regular-season games since the . Every player to have won the award has made at least one appearance as a player in the NBA Finals, with the exceptions of Steve Nash and Derrick Rose. NBA Most Valuable Player Award The National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1955–56 season to the best performing player of the regular season. The winner receives the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, which is named in honor of the first commissioner (then president) of the NBA, who served

neg: Michael Jordan fifth time in as many Finals appearances, Jordan received the Finals MVP award. During the 1997 NBA All-Star Game, Jordan posted the first triple double in All-Star Game history in a victorious effort; however, he did not receive the MVP award. Jordan and the Bulls compiled a 62–20 record in the 1997–98 season. Jordan led the league with 28.7 points per game, securing his fifth regular-season MVP award, plus honors for All-NBA First Team, First Defensive Team and the All-Star Game MVP. The Bulls won the Eastern Conference Championship for a third straight season, including surviving a seven-game series with

neg: Kobe Bryant and had been outscored by an average of 11 points. Bryant, selected to his 13th straight All-Star game after becoming the leading vote-getter, had 37 points, 14 rebounds, and three steals in the 2011 All-Star Game and won his fourth All-Star MVP, tying Hall of Famer Bob Pettit for the most All-Star MVP awards. During the season, Bryant moved from 12th to 6th place on the NBA all-time career scoring list, passing John Havlicek, Dominique Wilkins, Oscar Robertson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Elvin Hayes, and Moses Malone. Bryant finished the season averaging less than 20 shots a game, his fewest since the

neg: 1979 NBA draft first overall by the Los Angeles Lakers. Johnson, who had just finished his sophomore season in college, became the first underclassman to be drafted first overall. He went on to win the NBA championship with the Lakers in his rookie season. He also won the Finals Most Valuable Player Award, becoming the first rookie ever to win the award. He spent his entire 13-year career with the Lakers and won five NBA championships. He also won three Most Valuable Player Awards, three Finals Most Valuable Player Awards, ten consecutive All-NBA Team selections and twelve All-Star Game selections. For his achievements,

neg: 2010–11 NBA season 2010–11 NBA season The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The season concluded with the Dallas Mavericks defeating the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and Dirk Nowitzki was named Finals MVP. Chicago's Derrick Rose was named the 2010–11 NBA MVP. The 2010 off-season had one of the most talented free agent pools in recent NBA history. The list of free agents included All-Stars LeBron James, Chris

neg: NBA G League Most Valuable Player Award NBA G League Most Valuable Player Award The NBA Development League Most Valuable Player (MVP) is an annual NBA Development League (D-League) award given since the league's inaugural season to the best performing player of the regular season. The league's head coaches determine the award by voting and it is usually presented to the honoree during the D-League playoffs. No player has been named the MVP more than once, and no international player has won the award. Ansu Sesay was the inaugural winner while playing for the Greenville Groove. By position, guards have dominated the award with 11 winners, followed

neg: NBA All-Star Celebrity Game West Team with 11 points; teammate Kevin Hart, however, who scored five points, three rebounds, and one assist, was named Celebrity Game MVP for the second successive year. Hart became the second player to win the Most Valuable Player award twice joining Terrell Owens, who won it in 2008 and 2009. The 2014 Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game was played on Friday, February 14, 2014 from the Sprint Arena at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The game featured 18 players including comedian/actor and two-time Celebrity Game MVP Kevin Hart, Victoria's Secret model Erin

neg: NBA Finals starting a regular season game that season. During the 2015–16 season, the Warriors broke the record for most wins in a season with a record of 73–9 and Curry won his second straight MVP award, as well as becoming the first unanimous MVP in history and shattering his own record for three-pointers made in a single season by over one hundred in the process. The Warriors fell to a 3-1 deficit in the Western Conference Finals against a Kevin Durant-led Oklahoma City Thunder team, but won three straight elimination games to take the series and advance to a second straight

neg: Rudy Fernández (basketball) of the Spanish ACB League. He also won numerous personal awards while playing with DKV Joventut, such as the 2004 Spanish King's Cup MVP, the 2006 FIBA EuroChallenge Final Four MVP, the EuroLeague 2006–07 season's Rising Star award, the 2008 Spanish King's Cup MVP, the 2008 EuroCup Finals MVP, and the 2007 Catalan Tournament Final MVP. He was also named the 2006 FIBA Europe Young Player of the Year. In July 2007, his contract with Joventut was extended through the year 2011, however his contract was bought out early in the year 2008 so that he could join the NBA.

neg: 1968 NBA draft awards in the same season, after Wilt Chamberlain in 1960. Hayes and Unseld have been inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame. They were also named in the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History list announced at the league's 50th anniversary in 1996. Hayes and Unseld both won the NBA championship with the Washington Bullets in 1978. In the Finals, Unseld was named as the Finals Most Valuable Player. Unseld, who spent all of his 13-year playing career with the Bullets, was also selected to one All-NBA Team and five All-Star Games, while Hayes was selected to six All-NBA Teams

neg: Joakim Kjellbom Joakim Kjellbom Joakim Kjellbom (born April 22, 1979) is a Swedish professional basketball player. Kjellbom plays as center. He is one of the most successful basketball players in the history of Swedish basketball, as he has won three Swedish League MVP Awards. Kjellbom won his first MVP title in 2007–08 season while playing for Sundsvall Dragons. He won the title a second time in 2009–10 season while playing for the Norrköping Dolphins. His third and last MVP award was in the 2015–16 season, when he was 37 years old and playing for also for the Norrköping Dolphins. This makes him

neg: History of the Cleveland Cavaliers 66–16, the best regular-season record in franchise history. The year marked other notable franchise records, including a 13-game winning streak, and road and home winning records. The Cavaliers entered the playoffs as the #1 seed in the NBA with home court advantage throughout the playoffs. They finished the season 39–2 at home, one win short of the best all-time home record. Head Coach Mike Brown won NBA Coach of the Year honors and LeBron James finished second in the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award and won the NBA MVP. The Cavaliers began the 2009 postseason by sweeping the

neg: NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award twice. James' first All-Star MVP in 2006 made him the youngest to have ever won the award at the age of 21 years, 1 month. Kyrie Irving, winner of the 2014 All-Star Game MVP, is the second-youngest at 21 years, 10 months. They are notable as being the two youngest to win the award, both as Cleveland Cavaliers. Four of the games had joint winners—Elgin Baylor and Pettit in 1959, John Stockton and Malone in 1993, O'Neal and Tim Duncan in 2000, and O'Neal and Bryant in 2009. O'Neal became the first player in All-Star history to share two MVP

neg: NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award The National Basketball Association All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (MVP) is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given to the player(s) voted best of the annual All-Star Game. The award was established in 1953 when NBA officials decided to designate an MVP for each year's game. The league also re-honored players from the previous two All-Star Games. Ed Macauley and Paul Arizin were selected as the 1951 and 1952 MVP winners respectively. The voting is conducted by a panel of media members, who cast their vote after the conclusion of the game.

neg: 2016 NBA Finals The Cavaliers became the first team in NBA history to come back from a 3–1 series deficit to win the NBA Finals. They became the first NBA Champion to clinch all their playoff series on the road since the 1999 San Antonio Spurs, as well as the first road team to win a Finals Game 7 since the 1978 Washington Bullets. The Cavaliers won their first championship in franchise history, ending a nearly 52-year pro sports championship drought for the city of Cleveland. LeBron James was named the unanimous Finals MVP, becoming only the fifth player in NBA history to

neg: 1980–81 Boston Celtics season series 4–2" Last Playoff Meeting: 1980 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Boston won 4-0) 1980–81 Boston Celtics season In 1980–81 the Boston Celtics went 62-20 under coach Bill Fitch. Despite losing center Dave Cowens to retirement late in training camp, the Celtics went on to capture the 1981 NBA Championship over the Houston Rockets. The highlight was that this championship was achieved just two years after Larry Bird had been drafted. Cedric Maxwell was named NBA Finals MVP. After the 1979-80 season, Auerbach completed what may be the most lopsided trade in NBA history. Auerbach had always been a fan of stockpiling

neg: 1976 NBA Playoffs 1976 NBA Playoffs The 1976 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1975–76 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. The series was highlighted by Game 5, a 3-OT victory by Boston. The Celtics won their 13th NBA title, second in the Dave Cowens era. Jo Jo White was named NBA Finals MVP. The Suns earned their first two playoff series victories in franchise history to advance to the NBA Finals; they won their second (and ,

neg: ABA Playoffs Most Valuable Player Award ABA Playoffs Most Valuable Player Award The ABA Playoffs Most Valuable Player Award was an annual American Basketball Association (ABA) given in the ABA Playoffs. The award was first awarded in the 1968 ABA Playoffs, and was retired as part of the ABA–NBA merger. In sports, the player judged to be the most important to the team is the most valuable player (MVP). The inaugural award winner was Pittsburgh Pipers' player Connie Hawkins. On all occasions, the player who wins the Playoffs MVP award is from the team that won the ABA championship. Julius Erving, who led the New York

neg: Golden State Warriors 29, 2016; the previous record of 44 was held by the 1995–96 Chicago Bulls team led by Michael Jordan. On April 13, 2016, Golden State set the NBA record for most wins in a single season. The team finished the season with a record of 73–9. On May 10, 2016, Stephen Curry was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the second straight season. Curry is the 11th player to win back-to-back MVP honors and became the first player in NBA history to win the MVP award by unanimous vote, winning all 131 first-place votes. Stephen Curry, Draymond Green

neg: EuroLeague MVP Anthony Parker is the only player who has won the award twice. Other than Parker, all the other winners of the award have been Europeans, with Luka Dončić being the most recent (and youngest) winner of the award for 2018. The EuroLeague MVP award is the first and only full season MVP award that is voted on and given by the EuroLeague. Previous awards like the EuroLeague Regular Season and Top 16 MVP awards were only for individual phases of the season, with the original regular season MVP award being based on the PIR stat, rather than on an actual

neg: NBA Finals Dwight Howard in 2009. The Lakers defeated Orlando in five games, with Bryant earning the Finals MVP award. The Lakers met the Celtics once again in , trailing 3–2 before winning the last two at home, marking the first time in the history of the Celtics that they lost a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. Bryant was named Finals MVP, with the triumphs in 2009 and 2010 becoming Phil Jackson's 10th and 11th NBA titles. With these championship victories, Jackson surpassed both Red Auerbach's record for most NBA titles of all time. He also passed Auerbach's and National Hockey

neg: 2015–16 Golden State Warriors season points scored in an overtime period (regular-season or postseason). Stephen Curry was named Most Valuable Player on May 10, making it the third time a Warrior had won the award after Wilt Chamberlain won in the 1959–60 NBA season and Curry in 2014–15. Curry is the 11th player to win back-to-back MVP honors and is the first unanimous winner in NBA history with all 131 first-place votes. On May 11, the Warriors beat the Trail Blazers 125–121 in Game 5 to clinch the series and advance to the Western Conference Finals for the second consecutive year, where they faced the

neg: Larry Bird injury. The risk paid off; Walton's acquisition helped Boston win a league best 67 games. One of Bird's career highlights occurred at the 1986 NBA All-Star Weekend when he walked into the locker room at the inaugural Three-Point Shootout and asked who was going to finish second before winning the shootout. With averages of 25.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 6.8 assists, and 2 steals per game, Bird became just the third player in NBA history to win three consecutive MVP Awards. In the playoffs, the Celtics lost only one game through the first three rounds en route to a match-up

neg: 1998 NBA Finals had won the award the last five times the Bulls won the Finals: 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, and 1997). This would be his sixth NBA championship and sixth Finals MVP award in six full basketball seasons. Until 2014, it was the last consecutive Finals rematch between two teams. The 1998 Finals garnered the highest Nielsen TV ratings in NBA history at 18.7, and even surpassed the Nielsen ratings for the 1998 World Series, marking the first time the NBA had a higher rating in its championship round than of Major League Baseball's championship round. The 1998 NBA season documentary "Unforgettabulls"

neg: Center (basketball) of great centers. He led UCLA to back-to-back NCAA titles in 1972 and 1973, he also led the Portland Trail Blazers to the NBA championship in 1977, and won the NBA MVP the following year. However, his career was plagued with injuries, most infamously a broken bone in his left foot suffered during his MVP season that he never fully recovered from, and he spent most of the following decade on the bench, although he eventually did win a second NBA title as a backup for the Boston Celtics in 1986, when he received the Sixth Man Award. Willis Reed