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NBA's MVP of the moment
Which player was most valuable through the first half of the NBA season, with a leg up in the race for the 2009-10 honor?
Just as last season’s MVP race was one of the closest in years, it is not easy to separate the leading candidates for this most subjective of the league’s awards.
As always, we are informed and guided by the tried-and-true statistical formula first devised 25 years ago by three-time MVP Larry Bird. The Celtics Hall of Famer reasoned that adding a player’s points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks and deducting his missed shots, missed free throws and turnovers, then dividing by the number of games played produced a number that best represented overall contribution.
The Bird Numbers are a great, objective look at candidates’ contributions. The subjective aspect of MVP consideration factors in the impact the player has on his team’s success. Do his teammates complement his contributions, or does he truly have to carry his team?
We’ve calculated the “Birdies” of the players we believe are the legitimate MVP candidates through the first half of the season and broken down how we would vote today.
Remember: MVP voters are required to rank candidates, one through five (statistics through Friday’s games):
1. LeBron James, Cavaliers
Points: 1,308
Missed FG: 434
Rebounds: 314
Missed FT: 92
Assists: 343
Turnovers: 158
Steals: 69
Blocks: 45
Bird average: 31.7
2. Kobe Bryant, Lakers
Points: 1,219
Missed FG: 534
Rebounds: 222
Missed FT: 54
Assists: 195
Turnovers: 126
Steals: 75
Blocks: 11
Bird average: 23.44
3. Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks
Points: 1,061
Missed FG: 417
Rebounds: 333
Missed FT: 36
Assists: 104
Turnovers: 83
Steals: 40
Blocks: 51
Bird average: 25.07
4. Tim Duncan, Spurs
Points: 778
Missed FG: 261
Rebounds: 410
Missed FT: 58
Assists: 122
Turnovers: 76
Steals: 21
Blocks: 51
Bird average: 25.85
5. Chris Bosh, Raptors
Points: 1,059
Missed FG: 334
Rebounds: 487
Missed FT: 84
Assists: 92
Turnovers: 100
Steals: 26
Blocks: 45
Bird average: 27.07
Summary
Putting defending MVP LeBron James first is a no-brainer. The other choices are much tougher, and if you wonder why Carmelo Anthony (25.11 Birdies) isn’t on our ballot, ask yourself if his value to the Nuggets exceeds that of Chauncey Billups.
By season’s end, the Thunder’s Kevin Durant (26.0 Birdies) could crack this list, and we’ll have to keep an eye on what the Celtics do in the second half if Kevin Garnett stays healthy.
blair #6?
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