The Los Angeles Lakers fell short of their miraculous fourth quarter Christmas Day comeback to the Brooklyn Nets, suffering their fifth straight loss, 122-115. There were numerous positives from this outing, such as the all-around performance of Carmelo Anthony in 38 minutes of play, and the tremendous energy of Stanley Johnson in defending superstar James Harden. However, the primary reason why the Purple and Gold were even in this game was due to another MVP-like performance from LeBron James.

James, who is already on his 19th NBA season and entering age-37 on December 30, has not missed a step at all. He has scored over 30 points for four successive games already, but his team has lost all those contests. He is carrying majority of the load offensively and defensively, even playing any position from point guard to center. This might burn him out in the next few months, but the Lakers have no choice but to rely heavily on James to be competitive.

With that said, here are three reasons why LeBron deserves to be the MVP this 2021-22.

LeBron James' MVP Case

3. Without him, the Lakers will be in the lottery

LA is missing the services of Anthony Davis for the next month due to MCL injury, thus if James was not even on this roster, they would be in contention for a lottery spot in next year's draft.

The impact of James is unquestioned already, but this specific iteration of the Lakers magnifies his massive value this season. Despite having a relatively easy schedule to start the year, they were still struggling particularly due to the missed games of James.

There are a plethora of issues surrounding their organization, but the numbers and value of James on the floor is not one of it. James is still arguably the best passer in NBA history, but his on-point passes have not been resulting to assists. The lacking aspect compared to his prior stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat or even some of the Laker lineups from previous years are the timely long -range shots from LeBron's passes.

2. Efficiency is still present

Even as he continues to age, James remains to be one of the most efficient superstars in the league. His volume of 3-point shooting has increased, but his percentage remains adequate at 34.6 percent on 2.6 conversions per game. Additionally, his free throw percentage has improved from 69.8 percent last season to 76.6 percent this 2021-22.

There are games when LeBron James decides to settle, but his assertiveness to put his head down and initiate contact at the rim has been very evident. His field goal percentage is still higher than his career average despite the increased attempts on jump shots. For the voters of MVP, they could be particular with the analytics and numbers, and James has proven that he remains to be in the conversation for the best player on planet Earth.

1. Narrative of doing this in Year 19

When media personnel decide to tally their respective votes, some of them would have their own biases on the narrative of the player. LeBron James certainly has one.

James is doing what no other individual in NBA history has even come close to achieving in their 19th year in the league. Legendary greats like Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played until their 19th seasons, but their impact was far less impressive from their prime years.

One could argue that James is still the player that anyone would choose if they need someone to a clinch a Game 7 of a playoff series. His combination of ferocity, determination and basketball IQ is still admirable, and it is simply remarkable to watch this guy play basketball at the age he is in. If James can lead the Lakers to homecourt advantage and a top four seed in the West despite Davis' lengthy absence, voters could be swayed to vote for him in this tight MVP race.

With Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic leading the charge, James is one of those few underrated candidates for MVP. As the halfway juncture of the season approaches, James must elevate his game to another level, but more importantly galvanize his troops and boost their confidence in the process.

The Lakers are definitely a talented bunch, but they must get rhythm soon before it is too late.