Pooh
05-04-2004, 06:21 PM
Pacer finishes a distant 3rd behind award winner Garnett
By Mark Montieth
[email protected]
May 4, 2004
Jermaine O'Neal was no different from the vast majority of media who cast a ballot for the NBA's Most Valuable Player award.
He thought Kevin Garnett should have won it.
"It's not a slap to my face," O'Neal said Monday after learning he had finished third behind Garnett and Tim Duncan.
"He deserved it. You have to step back and say, 'This guy was better than me this year.' "
Garnett, in his ninth season with Minnesota, was a landslide winner, receiving 120 of a possible 123 first-place votes and 1,219 points. Players were awarded 10 points for each first-place vote, seven points for second place, five for third, three for fourth and one for fifth.
Duncan, the San Antonio forward who won the past two seasons, received 716 points. O'Neal received 523 points, including two first-place votes, the best finish by an Indiana Pacer in the NBA.
Garnett averaged career bests in scoring (24.2), rebounding (13.9) and blocked shots (2.2). He ranked second in scoring behind Orlando's Tracy McGrady, but still became the first player since Bob McAdoo 29 years ago to lead the league in total points and rebounds.
He also averaged five assists and 1.5 steals, led the NBA with 71 double-doubles and was an all-defensive team selection. He and Pacers president Larry Bird are the only NBA players to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for five consecutive years.
Beyond his statistics, he's also highly regarded for his leadership and practice effort. Minnesota guard Fred Hoiberg, a former Pacer, compared him to Reggie Miller for bringing consistent hustle and enthusiasm to work every day.
"I've always tried to do what I've been doing every year," Garnett said upon accepting the award at a news conference in Minneapolis. "The teammates I have, they just made a person like me glow. They made things so simple and easy at times. They bring the fun out of the game."
O'Neal averaged 20.1 points, 10 rebounds, 2.55 blocks, 2.1 assists and .76 steals. Although he was far behind Garnett, a fellow South Carolina native, his finish represented another step in his development. He was voted the league's Most Improved Player two years ago, was a third-team all-NBA selection the past two seasons and a second-team selection this season.
"Jermaine has taken a quantum leap into the upper echelon of players in this league," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "He's become known as an MVP candidate and I think it's going to be consistent from year to year.
"It's a building block. It's a step. It's got to be good motivation for him to keep getting better and I know he will."
O'Neal agrees. He said an MVP award is "on the tree of things I want to accomplish before I retire," although not as prominently as a league championship.
Only 25 years old, he has plenty of time left.
But Duncan just turned 28 and Garnett turns 28 on May 19, so O'Neal can't just wait for them to grow out of his way. It will take a great deal of work to surpass them.
"Next year I have to be able to excel my game, kind of like (Garnett) did this year," O'Neal said.
link (http://www.indystar.com/articles/0/143500-4950-036.html)
By Mark Montieth
[email protected]
May 4, 2004
Jermaine O'Neal was no different from the vast majority of media who cast a ballot for the NBA's Most Valuable Player award.
He thought Kevin Garnett should have won it.
"It's not a slap to my face," O'Neal said Monday after learning he had finished third behind Garnett and Tim Duncan.
"He deserved it. You have to step back and say, 'This guy was better than me this year.' "
Garnett, in his ninth season with Minnesota, was a landslide winner, receiving 120 of a possible 123 first-place votes and 1,219 points. Players were awarded 10 points for each first-place vote, seven points for second place, five for third, three for fourth and one for fifth.
Duncan, the San Antonio forward who won the past two seasons, received 716 points. O'Neal received 523 points, including two first-place votes, the best finish by an Indiana Pacer in the NBA.
Garnett averaged career bests in scoring (24.2), rebounding (13.9) and blocked shots (2.2). He ranked second in scoring behind Orlando's Tracy McGrady, but still became the first player since Bob McAdoo 29 years ago to lead the league in total points and rebounds.
He also averaged five assists and 1.5 steals, led the NBA with 71 double-doubles and was an all-defensive team selection. He and Pacers president Larry Bird are the only NBA players to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for five consecutive years.
Beyond his statistics, he's also highly regarded for his leadership and practice effort. Minnesota guard Fred Hoiberg, a former Pacer, compared him to Reggie Miller for bringing consistent hustle and enthusiasm to work every day.
"I've always tried to do what I've been doing every year," Garnett said upon accepting the award at a news conference in Minneapolis. "The teammates I have, they just made a person like me glow. They made things so simple and easy at times. They bring the fun out of the game."
O'Neal averaged 20.1 points, 10 rebounds, 2.55 blocks, 2.1 assists and .76 steals. Although he was far behind Garnett, a fellow South Carolina native, his finish represented another step in his development. He was voted the league's Most Improved Player two years ago, was a third-team all-NBA selection the past two seasons and a second-team selection this season.
"Jermaine has taken a quantum leap into the upper echelon of players in this league," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "He's become known as an MVP candidate and I think it's going to be consistent from year to year.
"It's a building block. It's a step. It's got to be good motivation for him to keep getting better and I know he will."
O'Neal agrees. He said an MVP award is "on the tree of things I want to accomplish before I retire," although not as prominently as a league championship.
Only 25 years old, he has plenty of time left.
But Duncan just turned 28 and Garnett turns 28 on May 19, so O'Neal can't just wait for them to grow out of his way. It will take a great deal of work to surpass them.
"Next year I have to be able to excel my game, kind of like (Garnett) did this year," O'Neal said.
link (http://www.indystar.com/articles/0/143500-4950-036.html)