If Steve Nash wins MVP, I have a good argument that John Stockton was robbed.

In Atlanta, he has no one setting him up, he doesn't have Marion and Amare taking the focus of the defense inside the paint, which opens up the perimeter even more, and he's having to create all his shots himself.

He's not jacking up shots either, yes he's a higher option, but he doesn't seem like a selfish player. Al Harrington get's his shots, he looks for the open man, and the Hawks are also playing a much slower pace than the Suns did. JJ is taking 2.3 more FGA than he did last season, and scoring 2.4 more PPG. I can't hate on that.

Also he started out really bad in the beginning of the season because he was adjusting to the role. Take out the first month of the year, and he's averaging:
20.3 PPG | 3.9 RPG | 6.9 APG | 1.4 SPG | 47.6% FG | 38.3% 3PT

Michael Redd went from a 44% 3PT shooter to a 35% 3PT shooter. JJ is down from a 47.8% 3PT shooter to a 35.6% 3PT shooter, yes, a big drop, but consdering his new role, I actually expected him to be in the 34% range.

He's actually doing a lot better than I expected. I had him at 19-4-4 in this role, but he's averaging about 20 PPG, 4 RPG, and 6+ APG while shooting 45.6% FG and 35.6% 3PT. For a first option SG, those are some nice percetanges.

 

I agree and disagree

Agree: Nash and Stockton r the same type of players and if nash got it stockton should also.. nash averaged 10+ assists stockton did 2... They both were the same so how come stockton didnt get?

Disagree: Bcoz if nash gets injured the team will suck.. nash is very valuable 2 his team.. They need him. Hes the leader. He make good plays.. He creates good choits. he is very valuable 2 his team.. They'll suck if they dont have him.. Stockton wasnt that valuable 2 his team.. Karl Malone could lead th team... Stockton wasnt just as valuable as Nash is to his team...

Steve nash made marion and stoudemire better. He does things that makes his teammates look better

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Disagree: Bcoz if nash gets injured the team will suck.. nash is very valuable 2 his team.. They need him. Hes the leader. He make good plays.. He creates good choits. he is very valuable 2 his team.. They'll suck if they dont have him.. Stockton wasnt that valuable 2 his team.. Karl Malone could lead th team... Stockton wasnt just as valuable as Nash is to his team...</div>
You said nothing to prove this outside of opinion. Stockton did not miss a game in his career, we don't know how good his team would be without him. We also don't truly know how good the Suns team last season would be without Nash, and with the more open offensive system. 03-04 did not prove anything as some seem to think, they were an injured and disfunctional team after all the problems, and trading. They definately aren't as good because the team still wouldn't have a true playmaker, unless they wanted to wait half a season for JJ to learn it well like he has in ATL, but they would not suck. A few games can only say so much, and their's so many other factors in small samples.

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Steve nash made marion and stoudemire better. He does things that makes his teammates look better</div>
Nash get's his teammates open shots, but are you saying Stockton can't do the same? Did Stockton not help Malone also get open shots?

 

well said

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting swyftdahoe:</div><div class="quote_post">I'm not gonna argue that Nash is a better player than Stockton.. I think that's just absurd.. Granted, that could be a debate if Nash sustains this level of excellence for like another 5 years and Phoenix actually wins a title..

In any case, MVP is purely about what one player does in 1 season!! And 1 season only! In that sense, Stockton was never the MVP of any single season during his career but Nash was definitely the MVP last year.. Does that diminish at all how GREAT of a career Stockton had? Hell no! But his great career shouldn't be used as a counterpoint to diminish how GREAT of a season Nash had last year either..</div>


very well said

 

I just wanted to start a healthy debate.

I understand why Stockton never won.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Johnnybrasco:</div><div class="quote_post">Stockon made karl malone good, steve nash is making guys like raja bell and boris diaw good, i think that's enough said. Aside from defense how can you argue stoncton was more talented? I've even heard commentors talk about how steve nash is in fact a better passer then he was. Stocton was great but subtract malone from hsi career, and how would he have been remembered?</div>


I don't agree that nash is better then stockton, i don't think he is near stockton's level, especially looking at it from a career aspect. The problem was that Stockton had Malone and he was playing a better era, not to mention the turn around of the team which was noted before.

 

[/QUOTE]Nash get's his teammates open shots, but are you saying Stockton can't do the same? Did Stockton not help Malone also get open shots?[/QUOTE]


I wasnt comparing on that sentence. i was just saying that nash helps players make better thats y he deserved mvp..

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">"Jordan" is not an acceptable answer.</div> According to who? You? Jordan is ABSOLUTELY an exceptable answer and the only reason you said it isnt is because it completely puts your whole arguement to rest. JORDAN!!!!

 

Well first of all the NBA MVP is a popularity contest. The MVP is decided by a vote of 126 media members, and we all know what the media can be like. Every year there are many players that are equally qualified to win the award. We've got 31 teams in the league now baby.

Stockton had some great years and everyone here knows how smooth and quick he was with the ball. Stockton played in fricking Utah, which gave him very little exposure to the national media. He was shy, hickish and hated the spotlight. He played with the best power forward of all time and people probably tend to thing that is why everything he did looked so easy. Stockton and Nash's career stats are very similar. Look:

http://www.bballone.com/johns/johnstocktonstats.html

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/steve_nash/index.html

I'm one of Nash's biggest fans, and even I don't believe that he would have won the MVP if Kobe, Vince, Tracy, or any of the other physically talented freaks had <u>actually</u> been playing GOOD basketball and leading their teams to 60-70 wins like Nash was.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting GiantMidget:</div><div class="quote_post">According to who? You? Jordan is ABSOLUTELY an exceptable answer and the only reason you said it isnt is because it completely puts your whole arguement to rest. JORDAN!!!!</div>
It's because I want to foster discussion, not spew from idiot fanboy bandwagoners like yourself.