Spurtacular
03-06-2016, 12:48 PM
Interestingly, the NBA has never had a unanimous selection.
http://www.ibtimes.com/nba-mvp-2016-will-warriors-stephen-curry-be-first-ever-unanimous-selection-2329617?rel=rel1
This article is the genesis for my post (ignore border line stupid claims like Curry would still win the MVP if he sat out the rest of the season).
Traditionally in cases where it could happen, some voter went rogue:
LeBron James had an all-time great MVP season in 2012-2013, averaging 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game while shooting 56.5 percent from the field. But one writer decided Carmelo Anthony was more deserving. In 1999-2000, Allen Iverson received one first-place vote, preventing Shaquille O’Neal from accomplishing the feat. The Los Angeles Lakers center had his most dominant season with 29.7 points, 13.6 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game.
Westbrook:
The NBA’s second-best point guard is having an historic season of his own, and he has a chance to sway at least one writer’s opinion. Through 61 games, Westbrook is filling the stat sheet like no other player, averaging 24.3 points, 10.3 assists and 7.5 rebounds per game. Only Oscar Robertson has averaged at least 24/10/7 in a season, and Westbrook is doing so for a team that could win close to 60 games.
Lebron:
LeBron James is no longer the best player in the league, but he can’t be ruled out as a possibility to get a first-place vote. He’s averaging his fewest points since he was a rookie, but the four-time MVP is still putting up 24.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game on 50.5 percent shooting. The Cleveland Cavaliers have been the No.1 seed in the Eastern Conference for almost the entire year, and they have an even better record than the Thunder.
Kawhi:
If someone does get a first-place vote because a writer believes he’s more valuable to his team than Curry, Kawhi Leonard might be the most likely player to prevent the Warriors’ star from being a unanimous selection. Leonard is the best player on the San Antonio Spurs, who are having an unbelievable season of their own.....
On paper, Curry has a lot more help than Leonard, who has led his team to nearly the same record as Golden State. Curry is aided by Klay Thompson, who scores 21.9 points per game, and Draymond Green, who leads the NBA in triple-doubles. LaMarcus Aldridge is San Antonio’s second-best player with 17.0 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, and while most teams would be lucky to have Tony Parker as their No.3 option, he’s no longer a top-five point guard, failing to play at an All-Star level. Tim Duncan remains an important part of the Spurs, but he plays just 25.2 minutes per game.
Leonard has impressive offensive numbers (20.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.5 apg), and his three-point percentage is even better than Curry’s (http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/player/_/stat/3-points). Most importantly, he’s the NBA’s best defensive player, and the ability to shut down the opposition’s top scorer on a nightly basis is what makes Leonard most valuable.
http://www.ibtimes.com/nba-mvp-2016-will-warriors-stephen-curry-be-first-ever-unanimous-selection-2329617?rel=rel1
This article is the genesis for my post (ignore border line stupid claims like Curry would still win the MVP if he sat out the rest of the season).
Traditionally in cases where it could happen, some voter went rogue:
LeBron James had an all-time great MVP season in 2012-2013, averaging 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game while shooting 56.5 percent from the field. But one writer decided Carmelo Anthony was more deserving. In 1999-2000, Allen Iverson received one first-place vote, preventing Shaquille O’Neal from accomplishing the feat. The Los Angeles Lakers center had his most dominant season with 29.7 points, 13.6 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game.
Westbrook:
The NBA’s second-best point guard is having an historic season of his own, and he has a chance to sway at least one writer’s opinion. Through 61 games, Westbrook is filling the stat sheet like no other player, averaging 24.3 points, 10.3 assists and 7.5 rebounds per game. Only Oscar Robertson has averaged at least 24/10/7 in a season, and Westbrook is doing so for a team that could win close to 60 games.
Lebron:
LeBron James is no longer the best player in the league, but he can’t be ruled out as a possibility to get a first-place vote. He’s averaging his fewest points since he was a rookie, but the four-time MVP is still putting up 24.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game on 50.5 percent shooting. The Cleveland Cavaliers have been the No.1 seed in the Eastern Conference for almost the entire year, and they have an even better record than the Thunder.
Kawhi:
If someone does get a first-place vote because a writer believes he’s more valuable to his team than Curry, Kawhi Leonard might be the most likely player to prevent the Warriors’ star from being a unanimous selection. Leonard is the best player on the San Antonio Spurs, who are having an unbelievable season of their own.....
On paper, Curry has a lot more help than Leonard, who has led his team to nearly the same record as Golden State. Curry is aided by Klay Thompson, who scores 21.9 points per game, and Draymond Green, who leads the NBA in triple-doubles. LaMarcus Aldridge is San Antonio’s second-best player with 17.0 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, and while most teams would be lucky to have Tony Parker as their No.3 option, he’s no longer a top-five point guard, failing to play at an All-Star level. Tim Duncan remains an important part of the Spurs, but he plays just 25.2 minutes per game.
Leonard has impressive offensive numbers (20.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.5 apg), and his three-point percentage is even better than Curry’s (http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/player/_/stat/3-points). Most importantly, he’s the NBA’s best defensive player, and the ability to shut down the opposition’s top scorer on a nightly basis is what makes Leonard most valuable.