
Since the 2022–23 season, winners receive the Michael Jordan Trophy, named for the five-time MVP often considered the best player in NBA history. 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. "We'll be better in Game 5," Spoelstra said.Best performing player in regular season of the National Basketball Association And for his career, it was just the ninth time in 717 games where he didn't reach double digits. Of his 90 playoff games, he had scored at least 20 in 78 of them. It's the ninth time in his career James was held to single figures, though most of those came when he was a rookie. "Our team defense really stepped up in the fourth, which we had to do because we were playing from behind," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. Udonis Haslem's jumper gave Miami a 74-65 lead, but it quickly disappeared from there for the Eastern Conference champions. Miami had nine points in the final 10 minutes, wasting a lead again for the second time in the series. It wasn't just James, struggling, either. "I've got to do a better job of being more assertive offensively, not staying out of rhythm the whole game," James said. His only attempt down the stretch was a step-back jumper from 17 feet that missed with 2:25 remaining. James tried one shot in the fourth quarter, and was 2 for 7 after halftime - one of those an open dunk in transition, the other a jumper late in the third quarter when Miami had a chance to pull away. "But we also learn from it and we will come back and try to get Game 5." "We give them credit where credit is due," said Wade, tipping his cap to Dallas. It's a safe bet he will feel even more desperate on Thursday night. When we play desperate, we feel like our back is against the wall."

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"That's the only way we know how to play basketball. "Let's continue to play desperate," James told his teammates before the game. And he was scoreless in the fourth quarter, meaning he's got a total of nine points in the final periods in these four games with Dallas. This one, on the NBA's biggest stage, certainly will not be forgotten anytime soon. That night in Milwaukee - also an eight-point effort - has long been forgotten. The last time James scored under 10 points was Jan. So we'll work to help make it easier for him in the next game."

"He's a very important piece to what we do. "Obviously, we'd like to get him involved," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. The lob he threw to Dwyane Wade for an alley-oop in the third quarter and the 75-foot chest pass that he perfectly placed over Dirk Nowitzki and past Jason Kidd on its way to Wade in the final minute were incredible passes - but not incredible enough to make anyone forget that for whatever reason, James could not score in Game 4. But I'll come back in Game 5 and do things that need to be done to help our team win."Īlthough James finished with nine rebounds and seven assists, his night will be considered a clunker - a big one. The fact that I could have done more offensively to help our team, that's the anger part about it for myself. If I'd have had eight points and we won the game. "The fact that it happened in a loss is the anger part about it," James said. His offense was, by his lofty standards, offensive: a mere eight points on 3-for-11 shooting, and the Miami Heat lost 86-83 to the Dallas Mavericks as the NBA finals became knotted at two games. Instead of celebrating the biggest win of his NBA career, King James was left to ponder his worst postseason scoring performance.įor the first time in 90 career playoff games - and his past 434 overall - James did not reach double digits in scoring. NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) - LeBron James was leaning against a wall outside the Miami Heat locker room on Tuesday morning, talking about how he believes his personal statistics do not matter.Īnd eight points - eight points! - was nowhere near enough for the Heat in Game 4 of the NBA finals.
