Race for the MVP

[SpursFanFirst]

http://www.nba.com/features/player_rankings.html


Check out what he says about Tim...#10. It's a good thing no one else ever has an off night, or there wouldn't be an MVP!

Outside looking in: Manu at #13

[MrChug]

KG's running away with it...

[da_suns_fan__]

Horrible rankings.

Manu should be ahead of Duncan at this point.

LeBron is an MVP candidate even though his team is playing like garbage?

Allen Iverson? Seriously?

My Rankings:

1) Kevin Garnett
2) Kobe Bryant
3) Carlos Boozer
4) Manu Ginobili
5) Dwight Howard
6) Steve Nash
7) Chris Paul

And Im gonna stop my list there because no one else is even a real candidate at this point.

[41times]

Honestly, i have never understood the argument that you have to be on one of the top teams to be an MVP candidate. For me either you are Valuable or your are not.

If the Spurs lost either Duncan, Ginob or Parker. They would still be a very good team minus 1 of those players. Does that mean that they are valuable....NO

But on the other hand if Cleveland lost LeBron they would suck more than Monica Blewinski. So does that make LeBron more valuable? no, not necesarrily.

So i don't think you should be rewarded just because you are on a good team and i don't think you should be punished if you are on a mediocre team.

If you look at the numbers LeBron is the clear leader. He literally does it all for that team. If he finishes the season averaging 29-30 points and 7-8 rebounds and 7-8 assists there is NO WAY that he should not win the award. I don't care if Cleveland has only 45 wins.

But the media is in love with KG and the Boston Trio and Dwight Howard is finally getting the attention that the Beast deserves. And Yao is ranked too low too. He will average 24 points and 10 rebounds and he shoots a truly remarkable 90% Free Throws (are you paying attention shaq?) The problem is T-Mac is on the same team and they will split votes.

My Top 3 and the winner will be one of these:

Lebron
Howard
KG

[bdictjames]

I honestly think it should be changed to Best Player of the Year. Then Kobe Bryant would win it every single time.

[TDMVPDPOY]

lebron?

cp3
d12
kg

[sa_kid20]

If the Magic keep winning like they are Dwight Howard could seriously end up with the hardware

[dirk4mvp]

T-Mac should be higher. If he returns healthy he will rise.

[Jimcs50]

Dwight Howard has a shot. If Orlando wins the East, then I vote for him.

He will probably school TD tonight like he did last year with game winner.

[AnotherArgie]

That ranking is bullshit. See what it says about Dwight Howard (#1 as I write this):

"...the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week has more dunks (39) than 23 other teams in the league. He's already unstoppable now and he doesn't even have a jumper."

So, basically, the MVP award is based on *dunks*?

[anakha]

But on the other hand if Cleveland lost LeBron they would suck more than Monica Blewinski. So does that make LeBron more valuable? no, not necesarrily.

So i don't think you should be rewarded just because you are on a good team and i don't think you should be punished if you are on a mediocre team.

If you look at the numbers LeBron is the clear leader. He literally does it all for that team. If he finishes the season averaging 29-30 points and 7-8 rebounds and 7-8 assists there is NO WAY that he should not win the award. I don't care if Cleveland has only 45 wins.

But the media is in love with KG and the Boston Trio and Dwight Howard is finally getting the attention that the Beast deserves. And Yao is ranked too low too. He will average 24 points and 10 rebounds and he shoots a truly remarkable 90% Free Throws (are you paying attention shaq?) The problem is T-Mac is on the same team and they will split votes.

My Top 3 and the winner will be one of these:

Lebron
Howard
KG

Co-sign on Lebron.

The guy's gonna have a hernia from carrying the whole team by the All-Star break, at this rate.

[Stargazer]

I don't know -- if you are doing everything for your team, that's a knock against you in my book. Basketball is a team game, and part of what makes a player "valuable" is his ability to make other players better -- the prime example being the first year that Nash won, when virtually every other player on the team had a personal best year because of him. You can argue over whether that sort of catalyst effect should count more or less than pure talent, but it's got to at least be part of the mix.

[TDMVPDPOY]

That ranking is bullshit. See what it says about Dwight Howard (#1 as I write this):

"...the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week has more dunks (39) than 23 other teams in the league. He's already unstoppable now and he doesn't even have a jumper."

So, basically, the MVP award is based on *dunks*?

some ppl prefer creating ur own plays, footworks, the works

some prefer as long you put the ball in the basket and stats increase

shaq won it with only dunkn only, i dont see why d12 cant win if he dunks his team to a 1st seed in the leastern conference....

they can talk about regular season plays, but when playoffs come along, thats when duncan and the spurs lay the smackdown on every team

[mystargtr34]

LeBron James is the modern day 6'8" version of Allen Iverson. Iverson averaged 30 points and 8 assists and 3 steals for like 3 straight years on a bad team and he never won... so why should LeBron based on numbers?

He only makes the pass that will get him an assist in the box score... he plays one of 5 offense and dribbles the majority of the shot clock much like Iverson... doesnt play defense like Iverson...

He is a bigger more athletic Iverson circa 03-06.

[TampaDude]

The guy's gonna have a hernia from carrying the whole team by the All-Star break, at this rate.

:lol

[KidCongo]

LeBron James is the modern day 6'8" version of Allen Iverson. Iverson averaged 30 points and 8 assists and 3 steals for like 3 straight years on a bad team and he never won... so why should LeBron based on numbers?

He only makes the pass that will get him an assist in the box score... he plays one of 5 offense and dribbles the majority of the shot clock much like Iverson... doesnt play defense like Iverson...

He is a bigger more athletic Iverson circa 03-06.

His defense has improved this year. Leads the team in blocks and steals. With Eric Snow out and Larry he is the best man to man defender the Cavs have. Doing absoloutly everything if only the FO surrounded him with better players, but that's another matter.

[Walter Craparita]

Duncan does not belong in the top 10.

[Medvedenko]

If it was based on Dunks than Bynum should be in it...he's second in the league behind Howard....now a lot behind but.....

Actually I would say this is my list for MVP.

KG
Kobe
Lebron
Tparker

[E20]

Horrible rankings.

Manu should be ahead of Duncan at this point.

LeBron is an MVP candidate even though his team is playing like garbage?

Allen Iverson? Seriously?

My Rankings:

1) Kevin Garnett
2) Kobe Bryant
3) Carlos Boozer
4) Manu Ginobili
5) Dwight Howard
6) Steve Nash
7) Chris Paul

And Im gonna stop my list there because no one else is even a real candidate at this point.
I agree. Except for the Lebron part, he needs to be in there.

[ArgSpursFan.]

So,is this a Dunks ranking or what???????
Them,how the hell did Nash won it twice???
an MVP shoud lead the league in at least 2 positive categories(PER and PPG ,APG or RPG)+ taking his team to the playoffs. Otherwise it's a joke award.

[Cry Havoc]

Looking at the top players, there are so many MVP candidates this year so far.

[anakha]

LeBron James is the modern day 6'8" version of Allen Iverson. Iverson averaged 30 points and 8 assists and 3 steals for like 3 straight years on a bad team and he never won... so why should LeBron based on numbers?

He only makes the pass that will get him an assist in the box score... he plays one of 5 offense and dribbles the majority of the shot clock much like Iverson... doesnt play defense like Iverson...

He is a bigger more athletic Iverson circa 03-06.

One big difference between the two, though, IMO:

Iverson's past performances with the Sixers (and some might even say, with the Nuggets to this day) highlight the reality that he needs a team built completely around him, to showcase his strengths and hide his weaknesses.

In 2000-2001, the Sixers had a lot of tough, rugged defenders who didn't need to take a lot of shots, which allowed Iverson to pretty much take as many shots as he wanted in the Sixers' offense, and who were able to hide the fact that he was basically playing out of position on defense (since the team's real PG, Snow, mostly defended SGs and Iverson mostly defended PGs).

In subsequent years, attempts to obtain secondary scorers mostly ended in failure as Iverson's tendency to dominate the ball resulted in him having difficulty in letting those secondary scorers handle the ball and have sufficient time in setting up plays.

While it's too early to say if Lebron and the Cavs will have the same issues as Iverson and the Sixers had, from what I've seen, I don't think Lebron needs a team built around him as much as having somebody to take some of the load off him offensively. Ilgauskas is trying to do so, but he's more of a tertiary scorer at best, IMO.

IF Lebron keeps this performance up, and IF the Cavs make the playoffs as at least a middle seed, I'd have to say he's earned that MVP trophy.

[TheAuthority]

Horrible rankings.

Manu should be ahead of Duncan at this point.


Really? Just because Manu's putting up better numbers, Duncan is still the be all and end all. Need I not remind anyone it's like 15 games into the season as well.

You take Duncan off this team, they're probably .500 right now - if that. Take Manu off, they probably still have a similar record to what they have now. I've never seen anyone impact a game the way Duncan does first hand, besides maybe Shaq in his earlier days. And even then, he was never a huge defensive presence like Duncan is. He has always been a huge liability on the pick and roll. Duncan doesn't need to put up huge numbers, but if he's needed to, he can. He's selfless on the basketball court. Not trying to discount the way Manu is playing, but let's not get crazy.

[TheAuthority]

Also wanted to say, I'd just give the MVP to LeBron every year until he gets a decent squad around him. People are keen on saying Kobe has no one around him. Yet he has Lamar Odom and a young stud in Bynum. Who does LeBron have? LARRY HUGHES? :lmao Some people are fucking jokes.

Kevin Garnett? Really? With 2 other borderline superstars on the team, playing in the East? Interesting.

[SRJ]

Manu should be ahead of Duncan at this point.

Goddammit...I agree with dumb_suns_fan on something. (My opinion must be wrong about this)

Duncan is the straw that stirs the drink. No one is disputing this. I just think Manu has played better so far.


Honestly, i have never understood the argument that you have to be on one of the top teams to be an MVP candidate. For me either you are Valuable or your are not.

I understand what you mean, but let me ask you: What value does a given player have if his team isn't a playoff team? You could replace that player with literally anyone and it wouldn't matter. Ergo, no value.


I honestly think it should be changed to Best Player of the Year.

I agree, except that I wouldn't change it - I would add a Player of the Year award to go alongside the MVP. Many times they are the same player, but not always.

[mystargtr34]

Goddammit...I agree with dumb_suns_fan on something. (My opinion must be wrong about this)

Duncan is the straw that stirs the drink. No one is disputing this. I just think Manu has played better so far.



I understand what you mean, but let me ask you: What value does a given player have if his team isn't a playoff team? You could replace that player with literally anyone and it wouldn't matter. Ergo, no value.



I agree, except that I wouldn't change it - I would add a Player of the Year award to go alongside the MVP. Many times they are the same player, but not always.

The point of playing basketball is to win games. If they gave championships to teams who were made up of player/players with the sexiest stat lines then yeh, LeBron would probably win MVP every year. Yeh he has taken his team to a 6-6 record without much talent around... but lets not forget the Cavs are one of the best defensive teams in the league.

Last season... for all of LeBrons greatness... the Cavs were ranked... i think 20th or so in Offensive Efficiency... while they were in the top 5 of defensive efficiency. For all of Mike Brown's weaknesses as a coach, and there are many, hes drilled in the defensive aspect of the game to his team... alot of this teams success has to do with their team defense.

[anakha]

but lets not forget the Cavs are one of the best defensive teams in the league.

Even without the stats in hand right now, I'd venture to say that isn't quite the case now.

Just by looking at the games they've had so far, they look to be allowing about 103 ppg. That goes a long way towards explaining their relative lack of success compared to last year.

[SpursIndonesia]

If it was based on Dunks than Bynum should be in it...he's second in the league behind Howard....now a lot behind but.....

Actually I would say this is my list for MVP.

KG
Kobe
Lebron
Tparker

Now, that's a purple colored opinion -not the Kobe part, but actually the Parker part.
:p:

[mathbzh]

Kevin Garnett? Really? With 2 other borderline superstars on the team, playing in the East? Interesting.

Every year, the MVP goes to the best player in a top team. In top team you always play with superstar or borderline superstar.

How is Garnett playing with Pierce and Allen different that Nash playing with Marion and Amare or Garnett playing with Cassel and Sprewell or Duncan with Ginobili and Parker or Nowitsky with Howard and Terry?

[E20]

I'm rooting for Dwight Howard to get MVP. He is playing at such a higher level than everybody else right now.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Dwight is definitely a bad ass who, if he keeps playing this way, deserves it.

[TheAuthority]

Every year, the MVP goes to the best player in a top team. In top team you always play with superstar or borderline superstar.

How is Garnett playing with Pierce and Allen different that Nash playing with Marion and Amare or Garnett playing with Cassel and Sprewell or Duncan with Ginobili and Parker or Nowitsky with Howard and Terry?

You just made my argument for LeBron even stronger.

[Rummpd]

Where the heck is Parker - better than Paul and Nash. End of discussion.