2010-2011 NBA Predictions: LeBron James Unchallenged for the MVP Award?

Have you heard?  LeBron James no longer plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers.  He "took his talents to South Beach" to play with Dwyane Wade and a power forward from Toronto named Chris Bosh.  This story was kind of under the radar, so I thought I'd fill you all in before proceeding with this article. 

Got it? Good.

Kidding aside, this move by LeBron James was the most publicized relocation of a player in NBA history. 

Only two other reigning MVPs changed teams during the offseason: Wilt Chamberlain did so in the late '60s when he went from Philadelphia to Los Angeles.  Moses Malone did so in the early '80s when he went from Houston to Philadelphia.  Malone then won the MVP as a '76er and became the only player in history to win the award in back-to-back seasons as a member of two different teams.

Will LeBron James become the second player to achieve this feat?  At present, he appears to be the front-runner for the 2010-2011 honor and should indeed follow in Malone's footsteps. 

LeBron has won the award in each of the last two seasons on the merits of his stellar all-around individual statistics, and the high win totals of his team.  He shouldn't have a problem maintaining either of those distinctions as a member of the Heat.

Anything less than 60 wins would likely be considered a huge disappointment for Miami.  I fully expect them to lead the Eastern Conference standings, wire to wire.  Winning a lot of games is always big in the minds of MVP voters.

As for individual production, LeBron's won't suffer as a result of his relocation.  While his point production will almost certainly go down, his assists will rise.  He'll be inclined to utilize his great passing ability with superstars like Wade and Bosh on the floor with him. 

I also anticipate a drop in forced shots by LeBron, which will increase his shooting percentage.  Opposing defenses can no longer focus strictly on James.  If they do, he has the court vision and passing ability to make them pay.  Plus, he has significantly better scorers and finishers around him now than he did in Cleveland. 

This roster is seemingly unstoppable.

I believe the Heat will win around 65 games this year and LeBron will average in the neighborhood of 26 points, 9 assists, and 7 rebounds a game.  If all this comes true, it's unlikely anyone else could stand in the way of a third straight MVP award for James.

If you think someone else will win—or even has a chance to win—the MVP this year, please tell me who you think it is and why you think they have a chance in the comments section.