Magic's man: Magic Johnson now has LeBron as MVP - Chicago Tribune

You can't win an NBA championship against the New Jersey Nets. But you apparently can clinch NBA MVP.

No, that's not us saying that. We'll still take the entire season into account before formally submitting the ballot by the April 27 deadline.

It's Magic Johnson saying that.

Or, more to the point, tweeting it.

Yes, the same Magic Johnson who has been nitpicking for weeks, accusing LeBron of being too chummy with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, not enough of a hard-nosed leader (and, by the way, you have no idea how off base that is until you sit courtside and listen to LeBron vent. Everyone got an earful during Monday's early struggles.).

Anyway, there it was Tuesday, on Johnson's Twitter account:

"The way @KingJames finished the 4th w/17 straight pts for the @MiamiHEAT last night, he is my MVP."

We're assuming Magic's account wasn't hacked, but we'll find out soon enough if that was the case.

Yes, it was epic, the rare player able to turn an April game in New Jersey into a meaningful moment.

A few more superlatives on LeBron's close Monday at the Prudential Center, from Heat PR executive and stats maven Rob Wilson:

• The 17 fourth-quarter points by James tied his high for points in a fourth quarter as a member of the Heat. He also had 17 fourth-quarter points at Utah on March 2, 2012.
• The 17 consecutive points he scored over the final 4:47 of the game were one shy of the franchise record for consecutive Heat points at any point of a game, set by Wade vs. Cleveland on Jan. 21, 2008 (yes, against LeBron).
• The 17 consecutive points to end Monday's game ties the Heat record for most consecutive points to end a Heat victory, set by Wade against Detroit on Feb. 12, 2006.

As Nets forward Gerald Green put it, "He was as good as I thought, as good as a video game."

Monday, it was as if LeBron had all the cheat codes.

And, apparently, he cracked the Magic Johnson code, as well.