LeBron on MVP: 'I would vote for me'

The truest way to measure the "most valuable player" is to ask where a team would be without that player.

And perhaps no team relies on one player more than the Cleveland Cavaliers do with LeBron James, and he knows it.

"I would vote for me," James told Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press, regarding who he would cast an NBA MVP ballot for. "The body of work, how I'm doing it, what's been happening with our team all year long, how we’ve got so many injuries and things of that nature, guys in and out, to be able to still keep this thing afloat, I definitely would vote me."

The only constant with the Cavs this year outside of injuries, illness, and roster changes has been James. Statistically speaking, he's doing nothing more spectacularly than in any of his other four MVP campaigns, although he is currently averaging a career-high 9.1 assists per game. Yet that's a further testament to his importance to the team, given Cleveland's roster churn. He also leads the NBA in minutes and VORP.

James would probably be a lock for his fifth Maurice Podoloff Trophy if it weren't for the exploits of James Harden in Houston. Another MVP award would tie him with Michael Jordan and Bill Russell for second-most all time.

"I've said it," James said. "Obviously, I've had some unbelievable seasons before, but I've said it: This is the best I can go, just from a complete basketball player standpoint."