“LeBron James is propping up Steph Curry as MVP to build his narrative”: Molly Qerim alleges the Lakers star of playing 4D chess ahead of play in vs Warriors

Samir Mehdi | 18/05/2021
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Molly Qerim believes that LeBron James is hyping up Steph Curry to be the MVP this year just so he can beat him in the play in game. 

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers have found themselves to be in unchartered territory this season as they fell behind to the 7th seed, booking a ticket to the play in tournament and setting up a date with the 8th seeded Golden State Warriors. The Warriors, have been quite iffy this year but have proven to be Goliath-stopper as they’ve taken down teams like the Jazz and the Suns. 

Steph Curry, not only leads the league in scoring at 32 points per game, but has also contributed in helping Golden State reach the number 1 spot on the ‘team assists per game’ stat, alongside Draymond Green of course. With Curry being as dominant as he was, LeBron James saw his opportunity to sing his praise yesterday, calling him the MVP for the 2020-21 season.

Also read: “We can win the 2021 NBA title”: Damian Lillard has high aspirations for the Blazers this season ahead of first round duel against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets

However, considering how savvy the ‘King’ is, ESPN’s First Take went on air to discuss whether or not this compliment was sincere or was gamesmanship at best. 

Molly Qerim has an interesting take on LeBron James complimenting Steph Curry. 

While Max Kellerman and Stephen A. Smith were going back and forth, Molly Qerim, who is usually relegated to a moderator type role, decided to give her own two cents on the matter. What she said was quite interesting to say the least. 

“I think he is setting up the narrative to, ‘Hey, when we beat Steph Curry and the Warriors and we take them out real quick, I beat the MVP.’”

Also read: “Steph Curry beat LeBron James 3 times in the NBA Finals”: Stephen A Smith boldly tips Warriors to beat the Lakers in the play in tournament

LeBron James is known to give flowers to the opposing team on several occasions. Whether it was the mid to late 2010s Warriors teams or even the 8th seeded Portland TrailBlazers last year in the Bubble, James has always found a way to hype up his opposition. 

Perhaps fans and analysts are reading a bit too much into it however as James could sincerely mean what he said about Steph Curry. After all, it’s not like he said he believes Zach LaVine is the MVP or anything as outrageous as that. Believing the 2x MVP should win his 3rd this season isn’t a bad take by any means. Guys like Ryen Russillo and Bill Simmons have him ranked 3rd on their MVP ballot after all. 

Post Edited By: Samir Mehdi
Golden State Warriors LeBron James Los Angeles Lakers Steph Curry

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Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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