LeBron James Wins 1st-Ever In-Season Tournament MVP As Lakers Beat Pacers In Championship Game

BYCole BlakePublished on December 10, 20232.3K Views

New Orleans Pelicans v Los Angeles Lakers: Semifinals - 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 07: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers gestures in the first half of the West semifinal game of the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament against the New Orleans Pelicans at T-Mobile Arena on December 07, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

LeBron James is continuing to find new ways to make history.

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers in the championship game of the NBA's new In-Season Tournament at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night. With the win, the team became the first-ever winners of the tournament, while James took home its first Most Valuable Player award.

In the game, James recorded 24 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists across 35 minutes of play. He hit 10 of his 21 field goal attempts. Reflecting on the tournament after the win, James explained to ESPN's Malika Andrews that it was important for him to give the winning experience to the younger guys on the team, as well as help them earn the $500,000 victory bonuses. He also took the time to praise Anthony Davis, who finished with 41 points and 20 rebounds.

LeBron James & The Lakers Celebrate NBA In-Season Tournament Win

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 09: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers hoist the trophy with his teammates after winning the championship game of the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament at T-Mobile Arena on December 09, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Winning the award certainly adds to James' legacy. The four-time MVP will turn 39 on December 30 as he continues his 21st year in the league. Of the tournament MVP win specifically, James added: "I don't think it's even about the MVP, it's about us coming together to win this thing. This is the [inaugural] in-season tournament. … Records will be broken, but one thing that will never be broken is to be the first to do something. And we're the first champions of the in-season tournament, and nobody can ever top that, and it's great to do it with a historical franchise and just a great cast of funny, engaged, competitive men over here."

The Lakers Lift In-Season Tournament Trophy

Looking forward to the NBA playoffs, the Lakers currently sit at 14-9 while in 5th place in the Western Conference standings. Be on the lookout for further updates on LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on HotNewHipHop as the NBA regular season continues.

[Via]

About The Author

Cole Blake

Cole Blake is currently an Editor at HotNewHipHop based out of Brooklyn, New York. He began working at the site as an intern back in 2018 while studying journalism at St. John’s University. In the time since, he’s graduated with a bachelor's degree and written extensively about a wide range of topics including pop culture, film & television, politics, video games, sports, and much more. He’s also covered music festivals such as Gov. Ball and Rolling Loud. You can find him publishing work for HNHH from Monday to Wednesday or on weekends. On the sports front, Cole’s a passionate NBA and NFL fan with his favorite teams being the Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Lakers. He also roots for the Yankees whenever he finds himself at Yankee Stadium or the Red Storm when in the company of other SJU alumni. His favorite hip-hop artists are billy woods, Earl Sweatshirt, Cam’ron, MIKE, and Mach-Hommy.