LeBron James gets third NBA most valuable player citation

Washington, May 13 (IANS) Miami Heat star LeBron James named the National Basketball Association's 2011-2012 season's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for the third time in four years.

James became only the eighth player to win the award three or more times but has yet to put an NBA champions ring on his finger. The others, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Moses Malone, all have won NBA titles.

James averaged 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists in 62 games this season in his second campaign after signing with the Heat, Xinhua reported.

James finished with 1,074 points in voting by a media panel and NBA fans over the Internet, including 85 first-place votes.

NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant of Oklahoma City was second with 889 points, including 24 first-place ballots, followed by Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers on 385 points with six first-place nods.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant was fourth with 352 points, including two first-place votes, and Frenchman Tony Parker, a star guard with the San Antonio Spurs, was fifth with 331 points and four first-place votes.

Last season, James led the Heat into the NBA finals, where Miami lost to the Dallas Mavericks. This season, the Heat have reached the second round of the NBA playoffs.