LeBron James Named MVP for 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament As Lakers Win Championship

LeBron James will be adding some more hardware to his collection.

Following the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-109 win over the Indiana Pacers in the first-ever NBA In-Season Tournament Championship on Saturday night, James was named MVP of the tournament.

His efficient performance helped the Lakers outgun one of the most high-powered offenses in the association. The four-time league MVP dropped 24 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists in 35 minutes against Indiana while connecting on 10 of his 21 field goal attempts.

The 38-year-old delivered several exceptional performances throughout Los Angeles' tournament run, leading the team to a win over the Phoenix Suns in the quarterfinals as well as a blowout victory over the New Orleans Pelicans in the semifinal round.

Against Phoenix, James out-dueled Kevin Durant by scoring 31 points and dishing out 11 assists while recording a season-high five steals. His efforts were enough for the Lakers to secure a 106-103 victory and punch their ticket to Las Vegas.

In the Lakers' matchup with the Pelicans, James put up 30 points in only 23 minutes of action. He connected on nine of his 12 field goal attempts to go along with a perfect 4-4 mark from deep. This included a stretch in the first half in which he sunk three shots from behind the arc in quick succession, including a triple from the NBA logo.

The 19-time All-Star entered the night holding the No. 2 spot on the NBA's In-Season Tournament MVP ladder behind Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, although Los Angeles' win on Saturday night combined with James' superb play was enough for him to earn the award.

The four-time NBA Champion has continued to exceed expectations throughout the start of the 2023-24 season, averaging 25.0 points and 6.6 assists per game on 55.3 percent shooting while leading the Lakers to a 14-9 record heading into Saturday's action.