LeBron James is making a strong case to be the NBA Finals MVP regardless of whether the Cleveland Cavaliers win or lose the series.

But in the event that the Golden State Warriors close out the series in game six or seven, James is not interested in individual silverware.

"I wouldn't feel good about it at all," James said on Tuesday, via ESPN.com.

"Because at the end of the day, I'm here to win a team prize, and that's to win a championship, not an individual prize."

Conventional wisdom says the MVP will come from the winning team, which could be Stephen Curry or even Andre Iguodala if the Warriors win the Finals, but James' averages of 36.6 points, 12.4 rebounds and 8.8 assists would be very difficult to ignore.

But Dirk Nowitzki, the MVP of the 2011 Finals, said even this virtuoso performance by James should not snatch the honour from the winning team.

Since the MVP award was introduced in 1969, only the inaugural winner - Jerry West - has won it while playing for the losing team in the NBA Finals.

"For me, it's got to be somebody from the winner," Nowitzki said.

"That's how I always viewed the MVP, even though LeBron is playing from another planet and he's single-handedly keeping the series close. I've always believed the MVP has to come from the winner."

With the Warriors up in the series 3-2, game six tips off on Tuesday in Cleveland.