amy020
03-08-2008, 11:17 PM
Web Posted: 03/08/2008 09:55 PM CST
Mike Monroe
San Antonio Express-News
Strange but true: When the Lakers beat the Kings at ARCO Arena in Sacramento on Tuesday, a game in which Kobe Bryant scored a breezy 34 points, fans chanted “M-V-P” as Bryant scored 17 in the fourth quarter.
To anyone who recalls the Lakers-Kings rivalry that reached its apex in the 2002 Western Conference semifinals, that is akin to PETA inviting Michael Vick to be keynote speaker at its annual meeting.
Such is the appeal of Bryant in a season he has led the Lakers to the top of the wacky Western Conference race.
Meanwhile, fans at Madison Square Garden serenaded LeBron James with the same chant as he put the finishing touches on a 50-point game against the Knicks on Wednesday night.
Some of the talking heads tasked with breaking down the Association, story line by story line, have turned this season’s MVP race into a three-man chase: Bryant, James and Hornets point guard Chris Paul.
Bryant’s teammate, Lamar Odom, says he should have received more MVP support in past votes. Odom thinks Bryant has “paid his dues” to be MVP this season.
“If you give it to LeBron,” Odom told Lakers beat writers last week, “it’s like, ‘Wow, that was quick.’.”
Bryant’s coach, Phil Jackson, said Bryant deserves an edge over James because the Lakers’ record is so much better.
James’ coach, Mike Brown, didn’t bother with debate. After his 50-point game, he went straight to acclamation.
“LeBron showed tonight he can do it all,” Brown said. "That's why he's the MVP.”
It was interesting, then, to listen to Suns coach Mike D’Antoni on Saturday morning as he insisted that any list of the world’s three best basketball players include one Emanuel Ginobili.
More than most — Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is the obvious exception — D’Antoni has a keen appreciation for everything Ginobili brings to the court. When he returned to Italy as head coach of Benetton Treviso after the Nuggets unfairly fired him after he coached them to a 16-34 record in the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season, Ginobili was the star player for Virtus Bologna, Benetton’s primary rival in the Italian League. He knew before most that Ginobili would be a star in the NBA.
“I’ll tell you what,” D’Antoni said, “since watching him in Europe and watching his maturity here, and this is a shame, he’s one of the best players in the world, without a doubt, but he never gets mentioned. He didn’t even make the All-Star team, which is a travesty.
“I think he exemplifies everything you want a player to be: great in the clutch, great at getting after a loose ball, great at defense, great at offense, unselfish; takes a contract for less money to make his team better.
“I don’t think there is one superlative you can say that is too much about him. Not (in San Antonio), but in the world he is unappreciated. Maybe because he is unorthodox, whatever. I don’t know. But I’ll tell you what, you can’t get a better player than him.
“You can debate Kobe or LeBron. Fine. But he is right there in the debate.”
Ginobili suffers by comparison because he is just one corner of the Spurs’ version of the triangle offense, the Big Three. He happily shares the glory with Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, content to win championship rings and applaud as Duncan and Parker hold aloft the Finals MVP trophy. Duncan remains the most vital of all Spurs because, at 6-feet-11, he is the focal point of the Spurs’ offense and their defensive anchor.
Nevertheless, D’Antoni is right, on each of his Saturday morning assertions: Ginobili deserves recognition as one of the best players in the world, he won’t get such recognition when the MVP votes are cast, and it is a shame.
Mike Monroe
San Antonio Express-News
Strange but true: When the Lakers beat the Kings at ARCO Arena in Sacramento on Tuesday, a game in which Kobe Bryant scored a breezy 34 points, fans chanted “M-V-P” as Bryant scored 17 in the fourth quarter.
To anyone who recalls the Lakers-Kings rivalry that reached its apex in the 2002 Western Conference semifinals, that is akin to PETA inviting Michael Vick to be keynote speaker at its annual meeting.
Such is the appeal of Bryant in a season he has led the Lakers to the top of the wacky Western Conference race.
Meanwhile, fans at Madison Square Garden serenaded LeBron James with the same chant as he put the finishing touches on a 50-point game against the Knicks on Wednesday night.
Some of the talking heads tasked with breaking down the Association, story line by story line, have turned this season’s MVP race into a three-man chase: Bryant, James and Hornets point guard Chris Paul.
Bryant’s teammate, Lamar Odom, says he should have received more MVP support in past votes. Odom thinks Bryant has “paid his dues” to be MVP this season.
“If you give it to LeBron,” Odom told Lakers beat writers last week, “it’s like, ‘Wow, that was quick.’.”
Bryant’s coach, Phil Jackson, said Bryant deserves an edge over James because the Lakers’ record is so much better.
James’ coach, Mike Brown, didn’t bother with debate. After his 50-point game, he went straight to acclamation.
“LeBron showed tonight he can do it all,” Brown said. "That's why he's the MVP.”
It was interesting, then, to listen to Suns coach Mike D’Antoni on Saturday morning as he insisted that any list of the world’s three best basketball players include one Emanuel Ginobili.
More than most — Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is the obvious exception — D’Antoni has a keen appreciation for everything Ginobili brings to the court. When he returned to Italy as head coach of Benetton Treviso after the Nuggets unfairly fired him after he coached them to a 16-34 record in the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season, Ginobili was the star player for Virtus Bologna, Benetton’s primary rival in the Italian League. He knew before most that Ginobili would be a star in the NBA.
“I’ll tell you what,” D’Antoni said, “since watching him in Europe and watching his maturity here, and this is a shame, he’s one of the best players in the world, without a doubt, but he never gets mentioned. He didn’t even make the All-Star team, which is a travesty.
“I think he exemplifies everything you want a player to be: great in the clutch, great at getting after a loose ball, great at defense, great at offense, unselfish; takes a contract for less money to make his team better.
“I don’t think there is one superlative you can say that is too much about him. Not (in San Antonio), but in the world he is unappreciated. Maybe because he is unorthodox, whatever. I don’t know. But I’ll tell you what, you can’t get a better player than him.
“You can debate Kobe or LeBron. Fine. But he is right there in the debate.”
Ginobili suffers by comparison because he is just one corner of the Spurs’ version of the triangle offense, the Big Three. He happily shares the glory with Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, content to win championship rings and applaud as Duncan and Parker hold aloft the Finals MVP trophy. Duncan remains the most vital of all Spurs because, at 6-feet-11, he is the focal point of the Spurs’ offense and their defensive anchor.
Nevertheless, D’Antoni is right, on each of his Saturday morning assertions: Ginobili deserves recognition as one of the best players in the world, he won’t get such recognition when the MVP votes are cast, and it is a shame.