LeBron James became the third youngest player ever to win the NBA’s MVP award earlier today. At 24 years, 106 days on the final day of the regular season, James is the youngest player to win the award since Moses Malone (24 years, 16 days) in 1978-79. Wes Unseld was 23 when he won it in 1968-69.

On the heels of that announcement, the defending NBA Champion Boston Celtics took the floor in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Semi-Final series with the Orlando Magic. And arguably the MVP of the 2008-2009 version of the Boston Celtics, former UK Wildcat and Louisville native Rajon Rondo continued to fill the stat sheet. 

In the Celtics’ first round slugfest with Chicago, Rondo averaged 19.4 points, 11.6 assists, 9.3 rebounds and 2.7 steals. Rondo played a sub-par game one, a game that saw Boston storm back from 28 down to cut it to four, and Ray Allen got a wide open look to cut it to one with 45 seconds to play, but the ball went in and out and that was about the end of the comeback.

Rondo, while finishing just 2-of-12 from the field with seven turnovers, still approached triple-double status with 14 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and three steals.

The Magic were too much for Rondo and the C's in Game 1

Other players with ties to the great state of Kentucky that are still alive in the NBA playoffs are:

Courtney Lee, Magic: The Western Kentucky product from Indianapolis, Indiana moved into the starting lineup on Jan. 6th, and finished the season averaging 8.4 points and 2.3 boards a game. Lee is recovering from surgery to repair his fractured sinus cavity. He didn’t travel with the team to Boston for Game 1 and will not play in Game 2. He has been cleared, though, to play later in the series.

Chuck Hayes, Rockets: Former Kentucky Wildcat has seen his role diminish lately, still averaging 3.5 rebounds a contest.

Randolph Morris, Hawks: Also a former KY Wildcat, Morris has done about as much in the pros as he did in the Bluegrass; nothing. Morris played in only 23 games this year, averaging just under four minutes a contest and just 0.8 points and 0.9 rebounds.

James Singleton, Mavericks: The Murray State grad saw action in 62 games this season for Dallas. Averaged 5.1 points and 4.0 boards in 14 quality minutes a game.