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about time!
Updated: March 23, 2006
Amazing Race: MVP compe ion heats up
By ESPN.com
Down the stretch we're in what is shaping up to be one of the closest MVP races in NBA history. Steve Nash of the Suns appears to be the favorite. But he has plenty of compe ion.
The Mavs' Dirk Nowitzki certainly has an outside shot. Elton Brand continues to be a steady force for the Clippers. The defending champion Spurs have a dark-horse candidate in Tony Parker. And Kobe Bryant has proven he can never be counted out.
Meanwhile, the East has two young studs in Miami's Dwyane Wade and Cleveland's LeBron James. Plus, there's Detroit's Chauncey Billups, Boston's Paul Pierce and the list goes on ...
So who will win? Our ESPN.com experts call the race.
Use the drop-down box below to see our experts' picks:
Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs
Right now, we're about 82 percent of the way through the season, and I'm about 82 percent certain that I'll change my mind by the time the real ballots come out. But since this survey is informal, I've convinced myself it's a worthy cause to throw a first-place vote to Parker.
With the Spurs owning the best record in franchise history after 67 games, I'm going with the guy who's made them tick all year as Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili have operated far below 100 percent. Tony has had maybe four bad games all season, and he's a point guard shooting an unfathomable 55 percent.
Strong cases can be made for Chauncey Billups and Dwyane Wade, too, but unless the Spurs go 15-0 the rest of the way, it might make too much sense to ditch Parker, line up with the masses and pick between Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki, with Nash holding the edge so far. -- Chris Sheridan
about time!
If the Spurs did go 15-0 and Tony averaged 25 a game during that stretch, maybe. We'd also have to overtake Detroit for the #1 seed for that to happen.
TP for MVP... I wish...
mmm no. but this year, race for MVP is wide open. Tony is not too far. especially if ppl consider Wade a serious candidate
TP is a good player but he is still far away for being an mvp like nash did last year. HE might become playoffs mvp but that spot is already designed for duncan
TP FOR MVP
OH MY!!
I'm just glad someone mentioned it. I've been thinking it for a while, but I'm obviously biased.
Not that TP is not deserving of the award, but there is no chance this is going to happen. The Spurs are still clearly Duncan's team, despite him hobbling around, and players like Nash, Wade, Dirk and Billups are just more instrumental to the success of their respective teams.
However, Parker for Finals MVP is a real possibility.
Tony Parker is a great young talent, but this is clearly not his year. However, he is only 23, so he'll have many years ahead of him to improve his game. I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes a consistent MVP candidate in the next 5 years.
If he was an MVP he'd set his ego aside and give Manu the damn ball yesterday in the 4th. He can't be the man every night and he has to realize it. Is he gonna need Brent to bail his ass out in Game 7 this year too?
Too bad he won't win it. But its freaking awesome that some in the national media actually consider Tony Parker as a legit candidate. And if you stop to really think about his value, he makes true sense as a candidate.
I agree. I don't think he should win it, but if people are going to mention Billups and Nash, then Parker has to at least be in the conversation. The Spurs have a similar record, and it's mainly due to him.
I think I speak for all of us when I say "Shut Up"
I don't think TP deserves MVP, as great as he's been playing...there are guys who are playing even better and are even more critical to the success of their team: Dirk, Nash, Kobe, Brand, etc.
i dont think guyz like parker/lehype/wade/melo are goin to win mvp this year, they will get votes though. Got a feeling dirk is goin to win it, unless his team starts to choke now till end of the season then nash gets the mvp again, i dont want to see nash repeat, his name doesnt belong in the likes of duncan/bird/magic/jordan guyz that have won b2b mvps.
Sign Kidd!
Holt has him speed dial right, Shawn Michaels
I think the best players on the best teams should always be considered for the MVP, meaning the best player from teams like the Pistons, Spurs, Heat, and Mavericks, there are a couple other teams that are close but those are the four best teams in the league and their best players should all be candidates.
That's not to say that Steve Nash doesn't deserve it, that team is the worst in the league without him and that's a guaran- ing-tee so right now it's certainly his to loose, but it shouldn't be a suprise to see Tony's name mentioned, and it should be taken seriously...
TP's awesome. It's good to hear that he's getting a lot of the recognition that he deserves. However, TP is TP because of Duncan. Kind of like when Shaq was still in LA, (and now with D.Wade), he opened up everything for everyone including Kobe.
I guess I'm trying to say that with Duncan on the team, it's too difficult. If TP had his own team like Kobe, he might have a better chance.
Then again I might be biased - I named my fantasy basketball team Duncan Donuts.
No doubt Tony is a great player, and ever-improving...but is he kidding? Not this year. Not because he doesn't deserve it, but because there are so many other players who deserve it just as much if not more.
Tony Parker is far from the MVP but he is a solid point guard for the spurs.
yeah i doubt TP is gonna get MVP, if he did, everyone will think it got fixed
Dirk is goin to win it, i dunno why guyz are still knockin on him about his defense, when if you look at last year nash didnt even bothered playin defense, even though nash did carry that crap suns team to a huge turn around. But then you look at the mavs, last season they manage to win 50+ games without the canadian, this season that are on target to win 60 games.
If dirk doesnt win mvp, he better blame it on KVH
I think most of you are missing the boat here. Nobody really thinks he's going to win it. The fact that he's getting recongized is the reason people are happy. He's the reason they're wining, with Manu and Tim being hurt all yr and having sub par yrs the record would be around 40 wins.
He is much more than a "solid PG". But I don't see him as the season's MVP.
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