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With LeBron James entering his 17th season, his second as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, he could very well be closing the gap in the MVP race. At the forefront is Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is seeking his second consecutive regular season award. With both teams clinching the NBA playoffs, an NBA Finals matchup could be inevitable.

MEAN MUG BRON



LeBron has been up to the challenge tonight against Giannis. pic.twitter.com/366y8Tsxqn — ESPN (@espn) March 7, 2020

For James, he has assisted the Lakers in securing a playoff appearance for the first time since 2013. With an elite teammate in Anthony Davis, the two have gelled rather quickly together. To date, James is averaging 25.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game.

Many have their sights set on the Los Angeles Clippers playing the biggest barrier to the Lakers, but with the regular season coming to a close, these next few games will be crucial. The Lakers and Clippers are scheduled to face off on Sunday afternoon.

Jared Dudley on the Clippers-Lakers rivalry: “It’s huge. It’s a good rivalry. It’s a little fun. It’s not like a serious rivalry. It’s not like they they have any banners hanging up. Trust me, I would know, I played for them.” pic.twitter.com/PRmZ6ldmOz — L.A. Times Sports (@latimessports) March 7, 2020

In the Eastern Conference, Antetokounmpo has elevated his play since last season; a year in which he won the vote over James Harden for MVP. The Bucks went as far as the Eastern Conference Finals, but lost to the Toronto Raptors in a six game series.

LeBron Giannis @KingJames (37 PTS) & The Greek Freak (32 PTS) DUEL as the @Lakers prevail in the battle of conference No. 1's! pic.twitter.com/PQdghAhJ8A — NBA (@NBA) March 7, 2020

He is currently averaging 29.6 points, 13.7 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. The ‘Greek Freak’ is on course to securing back-to-back MVP awards; becoming the 12th player in NBA history to do so. However, the team’s performance in the playoffs will be their biggest test. With competition like the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors on the rise, there is plenty of parity to compete with the Bucks.