MVP Article

[LEONARD]

The only thing worth noting is this:

"the Star-Telegram conducted an informal survey of approximately a third of the eligible MVP voters. According to the results, Mavs forward Dirk Nowitzki is running a close second to Phoenix point guard Steve Nash, the reigning MVP, with Cleveland's LeBron James third, Detroit's Chauncey Billups fourth and the LA Lakers' Kobe Bryant fifth. In our survey of media members with a vote for NBA Coach of the Year, more than 66 percent have Mavs coach Avery Johnson as the front-runner."

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/14356202.htm

[Pero]

Kobe fifth?!?! I think it`s pretty tied between these guys, but Kobe is at least among three, if not the MVP.

[LEONARD]

I have no idea what area of the country the 1/3 of the voters were from...take it for what it's worth. It's informal, but at least it's based on feedback from the actual voters, and not somebody's opinion...

[mike detroit]

kobe should be MVP the same way that pneumonia should be declared a cure for cancer.

[Pandaemonaeon]

If Kobe didn't score 81, would people still be talking about him? Yeah, I thought so.

[TDMVPDPOY]

look at this here, remember the season where kobe shot +30pts for around 11 straight games, that season he didnt win mvp, this season is goin to be no different. Nash says his not in the runnin for mvp this year, i agree with his statement.

[Pero]

You`ve got to be kidding me. He`s carried his team in to the playoffs all by himself and he isn`t even worth talking about? He would be talked about even if he hadn`t scored 81. Without him the Lakers would be a lottery team. You`re blind or a hater or both if you don`t see that.

[TDMVPDPOY]

with or without kobe they are lottery bound, no doubt about it.

would it make u happy u get mvp and get sweep by the spurs first round ? :D :elephant

[1Parker1]

You`ve got to be kidding me. He`s carried his team in to the playoffs all by himself and he isn`t even worth talking about? He would be talked about even if he hadn`t scored 81. Without him the Lakers would be a lottery team. You`re blind or a hater or both if you don`t see that.

:tu Lakers have the 7th seed in the tough Western Conference and have won 45 games with Kwame Brown and Smush Parker as their starters. Why? Kobe Bryant. And it's not just about that 81 point performance, which I'll admit helps his cause. But honestly, when you look back at this season 10 years from now...which player will you be talking about and remember the most?

[NCaliSpurs]

Dirk has a 60 win season playing with Jerry Stackhouse. I repeat - Jerry Stackhouse.

He has been the leader of a team that has blown-out both the Spurs and the Pistons.

Impeccable.

He should win it. But some people are so enamoured with Mr. Nash.

Tough break for the German.

[1Parker1]

^I'm denying that I think Dirk should win it. He's managed to lead the Mavs to 60 wins, which is huge. Until a few months ago, my pick for MVP was still Nash. But they've gone downhill a lot since then, but he still deserves serious consideration. Did you watch the Lakers vs Suns game yesterday? For anyone who said that Marion was the MVP needed to watch that game. Suns were hopeless without Nash, their game looked completely different out there. The only thing against Nash is, Does he really deserve to go down in history as one of the few players to win back to back MVP's? Not so sure he's that good.

[TDMVPDPOY]

nash didnt even have a good reason to sit out that game, he was just restin for the playoffs. i wouldnt give mvp to a player who sits out of games

[1Parker1]

nash didnt even have a good reason to sit out that game, he was just restin for the playoffs. i wouldnt give mvp to a player who sits out of games


:wtf Suns have already clinched the #2 playoff spot. And Nash does have a thigh contusion, so it's not like his injury is completely bogus. Why wouldn't he rest up for the playoffs if he could??

[mike detroit]

it basically goes to the constant problem with the mvp award as to how you define it. if you're looking at simply what player is the most valuable to their team, then sure, it would be idiocy not to consider kobe. but that's not traditionally how the award has been determined. voters have generally considered it more as who is the mvp of the teams that are actually good. by that rationale, kobe doesn't qualify because the lakers are god awful.

[mavsfan1000]

Bell was out that game as well. Nash is NOT the MVP. He isn't even a top 5 player.

[DarkReign]

Dirk

+ great player, pretty damn clutch. Has meant everything to his team leading them thru a tremendous season.

- not a good defender. regularly has smaller players guard him with success.

LeBron

+ everything. Name it, hes good to great at it. Very capable defender.

- not so willing to take the game winner. recently debunked some of those criticisms, but...

Billups

+ pure point guard. Outstanding assist/turnover ratio. Very very clutch. Above average shooter. Good defender.

- Enamored with the 3-ball (although he shoots it well). Sometimes takes shot out of rythym of offense. Really, there isnt too much to criticize about his game, but for fairness sake, thats all I could come up with :)

Kobe

+Everything. Shooter, passer, defender...name it...hes most likely above-average to awesome at it.

- Selfish sometimes. Doesnt involve his teammates as much as he should. Buuuuuuut, thats about it.

Nash

+ excellent offensive instincts. Excellent shooter. Involves his teammates perfectly.

- couldnt play defense on a 2nd string HS point guard. Prone to turnovers due to reckless passes. Very one-dimensional player, although he is great at that one dimension.

------------------

This was in no particular order btw. I just thought I would list MY strengths and weaknesses of each.

Just so I dont come off as too homer-ish, about Chauncey.... He really doesnt have a single hole in his game. He is above-average at everything for his position. the knock though is just that...he isnt "OMGWTFCRZY" at any one thing. He is a tactician, imo. A perfect point guard. I would trade him for no one. But, that doesnt make him the MVP of the league.

[SirChaz]

Nash is NOT the MVP.

Nash IS the MVP, at least untill they name another one. :hat


He isn't even a top 5 player.

Good thing it isn't the best player award then. :rolleyes

[v2000]

Dirk

+ great player, pretty damn clutch. Has meant everything to his team leading them thru a tremendous season.

- not a good defender. regularly has smaller players guard him with success.

LeBron

+ everything. Name it, hes good to great at it. Very capable defender.

- not so willing to take the game winner. recently debunked some of those criticisms, but...

Billups

+ pure point guard. Outstanding assist/turnover ratio. Very very clutch. Above average shooter. Good defender.

- Enamored with the 3-ball (although he shoots it well). Sometimes takes shot out of rythym of offense. Really, there isnt too much to criticize about his game, but for fairness sake, thats all I could come up with :)

Kobe

+Everything. Shooter, passer, defender...name it...hes most likely above-average to awesome at it.

- Selfish sometimes. Doesnt involve his teammates as much as he should. Buuuuuuut, thats about it.

Nash

+ excellent offensive instincts. Above average shooter. Involves his teammates perfectly.

- couldnt play defense on a 2nd string HS point guard. Prone to turnovers due to reckless passes. Very one-dimensional player, although he is great at that one dimension.

------------------

This was in no particular order btw. I just thought I would list MY strengths and weaknesses of each.

Just so I dont come off as too homer-ish, about Chauncey.... He really doesnt have a single hole in his game. He is above-average at everything for his position. the knock though is just that...he isnt "OMGWTFCRZY" at any one thing. He is a tactician, imo. A perfect point guard. I would trade him for no one. But, that doesnt make him the MVP of the league.
You say Nash is just an above average shooter? He is one of the best jump shooters in the league. He just doesnt have to shoot a lot. Even when he was with the Mavs, he always beat Dirk in shooting contests, and quite a few people consider Dirk to be the best shooter in the NBA.

[Spurologist]

I am really tired about hearing this BS about how you should get your team involved or be on one of the top teams to get the award. MVP means MOST VALUABLE PLAYER. If that's how it's going to work, the they should change it to top team-teammates better-good player award. If the fakers didn't have KOBE they'd be shit and losing to the get a good lottery spot right now. They are in the 7th spot people. That in my eyes is a miracle.

He has a defining moment that other MVP candidate don't. HE SCORED 81 POINTS. He leads the league in scoring with 35+ points a game. You can argue that he is selfish but he has help kwame in a decent player nowadays. Never thought I'd say kwame was good. What I am saying is, you can't deviate from the definition of mvp. Value to your team is number one above all. I am not a big kobe fan, but kobe should get the award. I think everyone's hate for kobe is making them oblivious to kobe's stand as the true MVP.

If he doesn't, someone please change the definition of MVP

[nkdlunch]

If Kobe didn't score 81, would people still be talking about him?

yup they would.

[Bruno]

Agree, Kobe is the guy who deserves to be MVP.

If he scores 3 points against Hornets, it will be the second time since 1968 that a player score more than 35 ppg (Jordan did it only one time in 1987). Kobe's other stats are quite good too, he has scored 81 points in one game and Lakers will make the playoff.

[DarkReign]

Whooooooa.....calm down.

If I had to choose an MVP it would probably be Kobe or Dirk. I am nto a voter and I dont have League Pass.

He is selfish. But you are right, the Lakers would be the doormat of the league if it werent for Kobe. On the other hand, the Lakers wouldnt have Smush Parker at starting point guard if Kobe wasnt there.

Whichever way you want to go. I could care less.

[DarkReign]

You say Nash is just an above average shooter?

Fine. Correction. Excellent shooter.

[reader]

Agree, Kobe is the guy who deserves to be MVP.

If he scores 3 points against Hornets, it will be the second time since 1968 that a player score more than 35 ppg (Jordan did it only one time in 1987). Kobe's other stats are quite good too, he has scored 81 points in one game and Lakers will make the playoff.


When Jordan did it, he did not get MVP.


Bryant's 35-points-per-game season, in which he has six 50-point games, evokes comparisons to Michael Jordan's 1986-87 season, when Jordan hit the 50 mark eight times and averaged 37.1 points per game. But the Bulls had a 40-42 record that season and Magic Johnson won the MVP award by averaging 23.9 points, 12.2 assists and 6.3 rebounds while leading the Lakers to a 65-17 record.

Edit, forgot to add the link, it is an interesting article from the LA Times

http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-adande17apr17,1,1366201.column?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba-lakers

[bdubya]

If the fakers didn't have KOBE they'd be shit and losing to the get a good lottery spot right now.

If they didn't have Kobe, they'd still have Shaq , and probably a higher seed.

I'm just sayin'....

[Bruno]

Thanks reader for the link and the info.
No 24/12/6 player with a 65-17 team this year = Kobe deserves to be MVP.

[mavsfan1000]

Nash doesn't play defense. That's why he is not a top 5 player or top 5 valuable player to the nba. The suns won't be able to play their game but they still would score. Dirk out would take away Dallas's outside threat and no one else on the Mavericks are a go to player. That means Dallas is in just as bad shape. Without Lebron the Cavs are in some serious shit. They might be last place again. Kobe same thing. The most overlooked player is Dwyane Wade. Even without Shaq the Heat were able to win half their games. Wade has been carrying some players that have been known to being chemistry killers.

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

Wade should not garner top 5 MVP consideration. I think the Heat would be the same team(record-wise) if you subbed out Wade for say Redd or Ben Gordon...

[mavsfan1000]

Wade should not garner top 5 MVP consideration. I think the Heat would be the same team(record-wise) if you subbed out Wade for say Redd or Ben Gordon...
:rolleyes You seriously need to watch some Heat games and see how much Wade does for Miami. He has no weaknesses and is able to score at will. His most underrated part of his game is his passing. He is able to get a lot of open look to other players. You can't blame Wade for his teams poor outside shooting. Ben Gordon or Redd? That is laughable right there to say they would be the same team with those players.

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

And yet they still play .500 ball without Shaq...

[baseline bum]

If Kobe didn't score 81, would people still be talking about him? Yeah, I thought so.

Yes. Beating Dallas 62-61 through three quarters, as well as that 30 foot fadeaway game-winner in Dallas aren't going to be forgotten.

[mavsfan1000]

That was a tough part of the schedule for Miami when they went .500. I think the Heat would be a 45-50 win team without Shaq. Wade doesn't have any players that you would want on a team except for Alonzo Mourning. Walker is a cancer and plays poor defense, Jason Williams is a poor decision maker and plays poor defense, Posey doesn't do much at all and is overrated on defense, Payton is over the hill and can't play defense. Put in Redd or Gordon without Shaq and the Heat don't make the playoffs.

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

Seriously? Miami a 50 win team without Shaq? Highly, highly debatable...

.500 ball without Shaq, +24 with him(.700)

Is there any doubt who the real MVP of the Heat is?

[mavsfan1000]

Seriously? Miami a 50 win team without Shaq? Highly, highly debatable...

.500 ball without Shaq, +24 with him(.700)

Is there any doubt who the real MVP of the Heat is?
The Heat without Wade would be in trouble. Shaq is not able to take the load of the offense like he used to. Since Wade hasn't missed many games it is hard to know how they would do but I think they would win between 42-45 games. The Heat last year in the playoffs did fine without Shaq if you remember. Like I said they went through a tough part of the schedule when Shaq was out this year. Anyways Alonzo would fill in for Shaq better than Walker filling in for Wade.

[Darrin]

it basically goes to the constant problem with the mvp award as to how you define it. if you're looking at simply what player is the most valuable to their team, then sure, it would be idiocy not to consider kobe. but that's not traditionally how the award has been determined. voters have generally considered it more as who is the mvp of the teams that are actually good. by that rationale, kobe doesn't qualify because the lakers are god awful.

1955-56: Bob Pettit: 25.7 ppg, 16.2 rpg for the 33-39 St. Louis Hawks.
1975-76: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 27.7 ppg, 16.9 rpg, 5.0 apg, and 4.12 bpg for the 40-42 Los Angeles Lakers.
1981-82: Moses Malone: 31.1 ppg, 14.7 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.54 bpg for the 46-36 Houston Rockets.
1987-88: Michael Jordan: 35.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5.9 apg, and 3.2 spg for the 50-32 Chicago Bulls.

Those aren't the only examples, just the best.

2005-06: Kobe Bryant: 35.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.5 apg, and 1.81 spg for the 44-37 Los Angeles Lakers.

[Spurologist]

Dirk out would take away Dallas's outside threat and no one else on the Mavericks are a go to player. That means Dallas is in just as bad shape.

True about the outside threat, but the glass isn't half empty. The mavs are stocked with talent and that will guarantee them a playoff spot. They would still be in great shape. But you still can't ignore Dirk's season. He has played great ball all year, but I just think kobe is ahead of him.

[Darrin]

What Kobe Bryant needs to do to win this award is beyond me. They keep moving the goal posts on him. He wins with Shaquille O'Neal, and it's not because of Bryant. Now that they are back to winning with Bryant, because he's not contending for a Championship, he can't have the award. Why? This is a top-five talent of this generation, and he's never seen the Most Valuable Player Award.

These are his statistics as the Lakers were making the NBA Finals four seasons in five, and winning three NBA Championships:

1999-00: 22.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 4.9 apg, and 1.61 spg for the 67-15 LA Lakers.
2000-01: 28.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 5.0 apg, and 1.68 spg for the 56-26 LA Lakers.
2001-02: 25.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5.5 apg, and 1.48 spg for the 58-28 LA Lakers.
2002-03: 30.0 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 5.9 apg, and 2.21 spg for the 50-32 LA Lakers.
2003-04: 24.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5.1 apg, and 1.79 spg for the 56-26 LA Lakers.

Historically, Bryant's statistics this season match up with the great scorers in league history:

Most Points in a single season:
1. Wilt Chamberlain - 4,029 (1960-61)
2. Wilt Chamberlain - 3,586 (1961-62)
3. Michael Jordan - 3,041 (1985-86)
4. Wilt Chamberlain - 3,033 (1959-60)
5. Wilt Chamberlain - 2,948 (1962-63)
6. Michael Jordan - 2,868 (1986-87)
7. Bob McAdoo - 2,831 (1973-74)
8. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 2,822 (1970-71)
9. Kobe Bryant - 2,797 (2005-06)*
10. Rick Barry - 2,775 (1965-66)

Every player on that list, except Rick Barry, won a Most Valuable Player Award. Three of those five players have multiple MVPs. With 2 games left to play (roughly 70 more points) he is on course for a top-seven scoring season, perhaps top-six. His scoring average is top-9 as well.

This is in addition to hitting the 60-point mark at least twice this season, and logging the second-best single game performance in NBA history. If Bryant were to win the award, he wouldn't be anywhere near the worst record for the MVP's team. That belongs to the inaguaral winner, Bob Pettit. His team finished six games under .500 at 33-39. In 1976, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won the award with a 40-42 record. What is so striking about Jabbar's winning is that he had already garnered the award twice.

Many Houston Rockets fans were upset that Hakeem Olajuwon, the eventual Finals MVP and member of the NBA Championship team, didn't win the award over David Robinson in 1994-95. Olajuwon's team would finish with a 47-35 record, or about 4 more wins than Bryant's team has currently.

This isn't really a hotbed issue in my mind. The only reason Bryant isn't winning this award hands-down is because of people's perception of the man, not because he isn't qualified for the award.

If not Bryant, a deserving talent, Chauncey Billups should win it.

[mavsfan1000]

True about the outside threat, but the glass isn't half empty. The mavs are stocked with talent and that will guarantee them a playoff spot. They would still be in great shape. But you still can't ignore Dirk's season. He has played great ball all year, but I just think kobe is ahead of him.
I'll admit it. Kobe is more valuable to the lakers than Dirk is to the mavs if you count on how many more games the lakers would lose compared to the mavs but Nash I disagree with. Barbosa, House, and Diaw can all run the point and will do enough for Suns to get in the playoffs.

[1Parker1]

This isn't really a hotbed issue in my mind. The only reason Bryant isn't winning this award hands-down is because of people's perception of the man, not because he isn't qualified for the award.

:tu Couldn't agree more. I'm not a Kobe fan myself, but any other player in the Western Conference with a 45 win team average 35 ppg and who's scored 81 points would be getting a lot more respect.

[1Parker1]

I'll admit it. Kobe is more valuable to the lakers than Dirk is to the mavs if you count on how many more games the lakers would lose compared to the mavs

Whoa. You finally got it! Maybe there is hope for you. I thought you were a blind homer....:)

[Pandaemonaeon]

Yes. Beating Dallas 62-61 through three quarters, as well as that 30 foot fadeaway game-winner in Dallas aren't going to be forgotten.

I meant in MVP talk, because that was sure as hell impressive and worth talking about.


For anyone who said that Marion was the MVP needed to watch that game. Suns were hopeless without Nash, their game looked completely different out there.

They missed a lot of pick-and-rolls and switching obviously but I thought they weren't that bad. They were kicking Golden State's ass for 2 1/2 quarters before their lack of defense caught up to them. But I think yesterday's game was living proof that Nash's teammates aren't chopped liver. Anytime you have a guy like Diaw who's better than most PGs in the realm of passing and getting everyone else involved, you're in good hands for a couple of games.

[1Parker1]

They missed a lot of pick-and-rolls and switching obviously but I thought they weren't that bad. They were kicking Golden State's ass for 2 1/2 quarters before their lack of defense caught up to them. But I think yesterday's game was living proof that Nash's teammates aren't chopped liver. Anytime you have a guy like Diaw who's better than most PGs in the realm of passing and getting everyone else involved, you're in good hands for a couple of games.


Were you watching the same game as me? Suns were down something like 27 points against the Lakers...a team which they've crushed in all their previous meetings this season with Nash in the lineup.

[mike detroit]

:rolleyes You seriously need to watch some Heat games and see how much Wade does for Miami. He has no weaknesses and is able to score at will. .

no weaknesses? you must not consider defense to be part of the game. He has all the physical tools to be a good defender, but right now he's piss poor.