LeBron says MVP voting totals made him angry

LeBron James was not happy to receive just 16 first-place votes for MVP. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Lakers' LeBron James reveals MVP voting totals made him angry

By Erin Walsh | Last updated 9/19/20

LeBron James might be three wins away from the NBA Finals, but he's still unhappy. The Los Angeles Lakers star came in second place behind Giannis Antetokounmpo for the league's MVP award, and he wasn't afraid to voice his displeasure about that on Friday.

For the fourth time in his 17-year NBA career, James finished as the runner-up, tied with Jerry West and Larry Bird for the most all time. While he was angry about the voting, he didn't say that Antetokounmpo wasn't deserving of the award.

"P--sed me off. That's my true answer," James said after Game 1 against the Denver Nuggets. "It p--sed me off, because out of 101 votes, I got 16 first-place votes. That's what p--sed me off more than anything."

James referenced his NBA Finals record of 3-6, something that continuously gets brought up when comparing him to Michael Jordan, who was 6-0 in the final round.

The 35-year-old has won the league's MVP award four times — 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013.

Antetokounmpo, who won the award for the second consecutive season, led the Milwaukee Bucks to the best record in the NBA, but the team faltered in the playoffs. He also was named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year. The only two other players to win MVP and DPoY in a single season are Hakeem Olajuwon and Jordan.

While James was frustrated with the voting results, Antetokounmpo revealed that he doesn't want to be called the league's MVP until he wins a title. With the Bucks willing to spend around him for the future, it's something that could happen sooner rather than later.

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