Curse of the MVP: Lebron In Game Six Follows the Trend

What do Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitski, Steve Nash, Kevin Garnett, and Lebron James all have in common?  They are the league's most valuable players in the past five years who all have failed to bring their teams a championship and being knocked out of the playoffs in Game Six losses.

Last night Lebron James, the front runner and winner by far for the 2009 MVP award, did keep one streak alive.  In a depressing game for the much hyped Kobe-Lebron series Lebron James's loss in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals to the Orlando Magic had him join his four previous MVP classmates.  Winning the greatest individual award and failing to bring home the championship with a Game Six loss.

Steve Nash winning back-to-back in 2005 and 2006 took his team to the Western Conference finals in both seasons. In 2006, the Suns lost in Game Six to the Mavericks 102-93.

Nowitski, after losing in the finals the previous year, came back in 2007 with a stellar season performance to win MVP only to get destroyed in an upset first rounder by Golden State. It was Game Six when Golden State routed them 111-86.

Kobe Bryant, having gone the farthest in the playoffs among the last five MVP's, of course, was blown out in the 2008 Finals Game Six when the Boston Celtics embarrassed the Lakers in 131-92 rout to claim the championship.

In 2004 Kevin Garnett, the other mentioned superstar with Tracy McGrady of not getting out of the first round finally did so only to fail in the conference finals to the Lakers 96-90 in of course Game Six.  

So Cleveland fans don't feel like your MVP failed you.  It is destiny of the last five MVP's. It is reminiscent of the old rumor that if you made the cover of the EA Sport's Madden Football video game that that player would get injured in the same season.  Winning MVP and Game Six losses is certainly one curse the NBA doesn't want to become the trend.