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Cavaliers' James again tipped to win MVP honours
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-10-23 14:29 AUBURN HILLS, Michigan - Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James was tipped to win the NBA's most valuable player honours on Wednesday, but may find himself playing less games in order to do so.
James was picked by 56 percent of the league's general managers to secure the MVP title, ahead of Los Angeles' Lakers guard Kobe Byrant, who won the title last season and was chosen by 37 percent of managers to repeat the feat. It was the third successive year James has been tipped for MVP honours, though his coach Mike Brown suggested he may be forced to rest the player in more games this season. "It's something we talked about before the season started," Brown told reporters after James sat out the 97-79 pre-season loss to the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. "We sat down and talked about the possibility of getting him a game off, two games off, especially after all the basketball he has played." James has been a virtual ever-present in the Cavaliers since the team chose him as the number one draft pick straight out of high school in 2003. He started 79 regular season games in his 2003-04 rookie season, 80 in 2004-05, 79 in 2005-06, 78 in 2006-07 and 74 last season and has averaged more than 41 minutes per game. However he, along with Bryant, spent the off-season helping the US "Redeem Team" to win gold at the Beijing Olympics and neither has had much opportunity to recharge their batteries. While James is favoured to earn MVP honours few believe it will be enough to carry the Cavaliers to the title, with 46 percent of general managers picking the Lakers to avenge last year finals loss to the Boston Celtics. Just 19 percent of general managers believed the Celtics would retain their title. |
