duncan228
04-11-2009, 08:31 PM
NBA Beat: NBA MVP? It's LeBron over Kobe (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/NBA_Beat_NBA_MVP_Its_LeBron_over_Kobe.html)
Mike Monroe
By Thursday afternoon, the 123 official voters for the NBA's postseason awards must submit their ballots, including a one-through-five ranking of the players in the race for Most Valuable Player.
I've been an official voter since 1985, and can't remember a tougher decision than the one that faces those who must give their No. 1 vote to either LeBron James or Kobe Bryant.
Dwyane Wade?
He's slid over the past couple of weeks, maybe even out of the top three, depending on a voter's criteria. Those who value the record of each candidate's team — count me among those — won't be placing him among the top three.
Below are the five players who will show up on my official ballot, in the order I believe they should be in, as of Saturday morning.
If the standings change between now and Wednesday night, this order may change, too.
As always, I am informed, but not driven, by the formula three-time MVP Larry Bird devised to quantify any player's true value: points, rebounds, assists, steal and blocks, minus missed shots, missed free throws and turnovers. The sum is divided by games played. It's a great jumping-off point for careful consideration.
LeBron James, Cavaliers
Bird average: 32.15
Case for MVP: He has the highest Bird value. Additionally, he's nearly as good a closer as Bryant, still the player every coach would want taking a deciding shot in Game 7 of an NBA Finals. He's worthy of consideration for the All-Defensive team, too. Simply, he gets the vote because he's the reason Cavaliers have the best record.
Kobe Bryant, Lakers
Bird average: 24.26
Case for MVP: No player in the league is more reliable when the ball is in his hands and the game is on the line, or more focused on getting a stop in the same circumstance. Plus, he understands, more than at any time in his career, how to make his teammates better.
Dwight Howard, Magic
Bird average: 27.32
Case for MVP: The Magic's rise to super-elite level — they still have a shot at 60 wins — is built around Howard's dominance in the paint. His Bird average is killed by his Achilles' heel, free-throw bricking, which also makes him a poor crunch-time option.
Dwyane Wade, Heat
Bird average: 28.98
Case for MVP: He's had a great season, but he'll have to be content with the league scoring title. The Heat's record doesn't merit his being named MVP, even if he did carry a team that featured two rookies in prominent roles.
Chris Paul, Hornets
Bird average: 30.3
Case for MVP: Last season's runner-up for MVP honors, Paul's numbers this season are even better than last, but not enough to carry the Hornets past some injury woes. He can use this injustice as motivation for next season.
Mike Monroe
By Thursday afternoon, the 123 official voters for the NBA's postseason awards must submit their ballots, including a one-through-five ranking of the players in the race for Most Valuable Player.
I've been an official voter since 1985, and can't remember a tougher decision than the one that faces those who must give their No. 1 vote to either LeBron James or Kobe Bryant.
Dwyane Wade?
He's slid over the past couple of weeks, maybe even out of the top three, depending on a voter's criteria. Those who value the record of each candidate's team — count me among those — won't be placing him among the top three.
Below are the five players who will show up on my official ballot, in the order I believe they should be in, as of Saturday morning.
If the standings change between now and Wednesday night, this order may change, too.
As always, I am informed, but not driven, by the formula three-time MVP Larry Bird devised to quantify any player's true value: points, rebounds, assists, steal and blocks, minus missed shots, missed free throws and turnovers. The sum is divided by games played. It's a great jumping-off point for careful consideration.
LeBron James, Cavaliers
Bird average: 32.15
Case for MVP: He has the highest Bird value. Additionally, he's nearly as good a closer as Bryant, still the player every coach would want taking a deciding shot in Game 7 of an NBA Finals. He's worthy of consideration for the All-Defensive team, too. Simply, he gets the vote because he's the reason Cavaliers have the best record.
Kobe Bryant, Lakers
Bird average: 24.26
Case for MVP: No player in the league is more reliable when the ball is in his hands and the game is on the line, or more focused on getting a stop in the same circumstance. Plus, he understands, more than at any time in his career, how to make his teammates better.
Dwight Howard, Magic
Bird average: 27.32
Case for MVP: The Magic's rise to super-elite level — they still have a shot at 60 wins — is built around Howard's dominance in the paint. His Bird average is killed by his Achilles' heel, free-throw bricking, which also makes him a poor crunch-time option.
Dwyane Wade, Heat
Bird average: 28.98
Case for MVP: He's had a great season, but he'll have to be content with the league scoring title. The Heat's record doesn't merit his being named MVP, even if he did carry a team that featured two rookies in prominent roles.
Chris Paul, Hornets
Bird average: 30.3
Case for MVP: Last season's runner-up for MVP honors, Paul's numbers this season are even better than last, but not enough to carry the Hornets past some injury woes. He can use this injustice as motivation for next season.