NBA MVP Between Kobe, D-Wade, and LBJ: It's Mamba v. Flash v. King

Discussion in 'NBA General' started by Legacy, Mar 16, 2009.

  1. Legacy

    Legacy Beast

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    [​IMG]

    The Most Valuable Player award usually goes to the best player on the best team in the league. That's how the award has always been described, and it's most likely going to stay that way.

    But that should not be the way the award is. A true MVP is a player whose team would be nothing without them.

    If you took Kevin Garnett off the Boston Celtics, they would still be a Playoff team. On the other hand, if you took Chris Paul off the New Orleans Hornets, they wouldn't come close to the postseason.

    To me, the MVP award should be given to one the top three players in the league in a particular season. To determine which, take each player off his respective team, and ask yourself whose team would be the worst.

    Whoever's team is the worst without the player, it's that team's guy who is truly "Most Valuable."

    This season, the award is up for grabs among Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade. In this article, I will make a case for each player to win the award, and in the end, I will choose my MVP.

    Kobe Bryant

    Last season's MVP is having another spectacular season. He is the oldest of the three candidates, but in my opinion, he's the best player of the three.

    Bryant possesses a killer attitude on the court and has matured from his earlier seasons.

    During the 2005-06 season, Bryant took the Los Angeles Lakers to the Playoffs with Smush Parker, Luke Walton, Lamar Odom, and Kwame Brown rounding out the starting five. Parker, Walton, and Brown would have all been back-ups on other teams.

    As for Odom, he was a bad player when he was the second option.

    Kobe went off that year, scoring 81 in a game and 62 in three quarters. That season, Kobe would have been a no-brainer for the award.

    This season, though, Odom has been playing great as a third option, Pau Gasol is becoming a solid player in the triangle offense, and the team has many shooters capable of spacing the floor. Without Bryant, the Lakers would be an average team; not in the Playoffs, but a high lottery team.

    Sorry, Laker fans, but I do not believe Bryant deserves the award this season.


    LeBron James

    LeBron James is 24 years old and is already arguably the greatest basketball player in the world. Last season, I thought Kobe was easily better than James, but now it's way closer.

    James' defense and jump-shooting have both improved tremendously. He has surprised many critics by becoming one of the most intimidating one-on-one defenders in the league, and though his shooting remains inconsistent from beyond the arc, he can now hit the mid-range jumper regularly.

    He still needs to work on his free-throw shooting, considering how much he gets fouled on his attacks on the basket with the game on the line. We've seen him miss clutch foul shots before; with his work ethic, I see him improving soon.

    As for James being the MVP, he makes his teammates better, his court vision is amazing, and he can play any position on the floor. He has the speed of a point guard with the strength of a center.

    And without LeBron, the Cleveland Cavaliers would be worse than the Lakers. They have a bunch of shooters that space the floor and some nice offensive rebounders., but Mo Williams isn't capable of leading a team, and the Cavs would struggle without LBJ emphasizing defense.
    And the Lakers still have Phil Jackson on the sidelines. Mike Brown is no Phil Jackson.

    Still, though he may go down as the greatest to ever play the game, James is not going to win MVP in my book this season.


    Dwyane Wade

    Many forgot about Dwyane Wade last season. He was injured, the Miami Heat were the laughingstock of the Association, and LeBron, Kobe, and Chris Paul were tearing up the league.

    This season, it's been a whole different story.

    Wade is back at the top of the NBA alongside James and Bryant, and he has been an unbelievable player at times this year. Wade has been one of the "clutchest" players, if not the most clutch player, in the league this year.

    His on-ball defense isn't great, but he is the best shot-blocking guard in the league and plays the passing lanes well.

    Wade may not be as rawly talented as a LeBron or a Kobe, but he isn't too far behind. He's my MVP for the 2008-09 NBA season.

    Without him, the Heat would be at the bottom of the league, just like they were last season. The team has no other player to step up.

    Kobe has Pau Gasol and LeBron has Mo Williams. Dwyane has a washed-up, injury-prone Jermaine O'Neal and rookie Michael Beasley.

    If the Heat are able to win 46 or more games, Dwyane Wade has to be considered the most valuable to his team, which is why I think he is the true MVP.
     
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  2. durvasa

    durvasa JBB Rockets Fan

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    Are we debating who will win the MVP, or who is most deserving?

    To me, it's practically a lock that LeBron James wins it unless Cleveland starts to slump badly. Wade is deserving, in my opinion, but there's no precedent for a player on a sub-50 win team winning MVP. Kobe Bryant has a legitimate claim to "best player on the planet", but I don't see how it can be argued that he's as valuable to the Lakers as LeBron or Wade are to their teams. He's just not asked to do as much over the course of a game.
     
  3. JE

    JE Suspended

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    Wade = most deserving

    LeBron = the likely winner
     
  4. Mamba

    Mamba The King is Back Staff Member Global Moderator

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    My only knock on LeBron being the favorite is this...his team doesn't have a quality road win. They are 0-2 against the Lakers (their only home loss), 1-2 against Boston (0-2 in Boston) and so far 0-1 against Orlando (in Orlando). LeBron also isn't as complete of a player as Kobe. While he is improving, he isn't the defender and shooter that Kobe is. The Cavs have an identical record to the Lakers', but they get to buff that up in the Eastern Conference. Again, my only beef against LeBron winning the MVP is so far he has proven he can't win the important games, especially road ones.

    Wade is in Kobe's situation from 2005-2006. I think he deserves the MVP more than anybody this year, but his team isn't an elite team. If the NBA were to award him the media, they need to retro-act themselves and award Kobe the MVP for 2005. In 2005, Kobe made 40 point games a regular thing, 50 point games look easy, and 60 point games something that could always be expected. It was nothing for him to go out there and drop 50+ on any given night, the team just didn't have the talent around him. Fuck, the starting lineup consisted of Smush Parker. If the NBA had an award for offensive player of the year, it'd be Wade. However, he is no MVP simply because he is a victim of the talent around him.

    Me being a Lakers' fan, I think the MVP is Kobe. He does everything that you want, and more. He is the best in the league at reading the tempo of the game and getting the feel for the game. He can attack at any point of the game, score at will, etc. He plays lock down defense, can rebound, and even can distribute the ball when need be. He is still the best player in the world, and not many paid analysts would argue that fact. The thing holding him down is he makes everything look so easy. He has sat 12 fourth quarters so far this year (I could be wrong on that number). It's insane. The guy is the best player in the league, and the MVP in my eyes. We're 2-0 against Cleveland, 2-0 against Boston, I think 2-1 against the Spurs. Unfortunately we're 0-2 against the Magic.

    I am also a realist and I think LeBron is the favorite to win the award, but if for some reason the Lakers' end up having the best record in the league and have like a 3 game advantage on Cleveland (which probably won't happen), I think it'll be another rip off for Kobe.
     
  5. Sex Panther

    Sex Panther works every time.

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    I'd be very very suprised if Lebron doesn't win the MVP this year
     
  6. Mr. J

    Mr. J Triple Up

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    I think Wade is the most deserving. He's about close to giving a 15-win team home court advantage in the playoffs.

    I know its a team game and whatnot, but Wade is pretty much single handily taking the Heat to the playoffs.

    I think LeBron will win it though.
     
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  7. JE

    JE Suspended

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    Bingo.
     
  8. kobe23

    kobe23 JBB JustBBall Member

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    LeBron - its his already. i just hope they falter and Lakers pull away (as of now there is only a 0.5% chance of that happening)

    Kobe - Finals MVP!!!

    Wade - Give it to him ONLY if the NBA gives Kobe the 05-06 MVP trophy. Not impressed at all by the Heat's record (36-32, good enough for only 9th in the West, the 05-06 Kobe led lakers finished 45 - 37 and were only 7th seeds in the west: Chalmers > Smush, Marion/JO > '05 Odom, Haslem > 1/2 Mihm + Kwame)
     
    Last edited: Mar 20, 2009
  9. Run BJM

    Run BJM Heavy lies the crown. Staff Member Global Moderator

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    Agree. Bron's going to take it. Say what you will about Kobe's D or his shooting, Bron's stats > Kobe in every area except 3 pt % (hes 1 % below Kobe) and FT%. Bottom line is both teams have the same record but Bron is outproducing Kobe on the stat sheet and hes got his team to have the same record as the Lakers with Mo Williams as his #2 guy. Kobe's got Pau, Gasol, had Bynum half the season and Phil is coaching. Hes had yet another great year but Bron has just flat out been better this year; the stats say it, hes carried a crappier team with a shitty coach to the same record as the L's.

    IMO Wade is most deserving. LeBron will actually win though. MVP is an overrated award though, they're nice but as a fan I'd value finals MVPs more than regular season MVPs.
     
  10. huevonkiller

    huevonkiller Change (Deftones)

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    I've always thought Big Z was a nice player, he deserves a mention with Mo, Run. The Lakers also started Derek Fisher and Vlad/Luke for various games, they are not impressive starters.

    I agree that Bron should win over Kobe this year and he's also the most deserving to me, but Bynum has had little impact on the overall win percentage of the Lakers. I think Pau is a more integral part to LA (this is due to the fact that Odom wasn't even averaging 30 minutes a game at the start of the year, Powell/DJ weren't seeing any minutes some nights, Drew was not consistent until the week before his injury, and Pau can play more minutes a night) but also at the same time Kobe's stats don't depend on the team around him, unless Drew comes back and he really has to give up shots. For Bryant to win it Drew would have had to gotten injured much earlier in the season at the very least. The Cavs haven't performed the best against Elite teams, and have zero quality road wins the entire year, those are the only knocks on them.

    I also just want Finals MVPs. :]
     
    Last edited: Mar 22, 2009
  11. kobe23

    kobe23 JBB JustBBall Member

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    ^ "Finals MVP" would look so much better than simply MVP on a Championship t-shirt im going to buy this june :D
     
  12. bbwchingy0007

    bbwchingy0007 BBW Member

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    You can pretty much say the same thing about LeBron the past few years, though. When he wasn't playing, the Cavs were awful, yet he even took them to the Finals one year. The voters have set a precedent, so for me it's gotta be LeBron this year, not Wade.
     
  13. KG5

    KG5 Rondo's #1 Fan

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    LeBron for MVP!!!! He has been awesome...

    Kobe at 24 <<<<<<< LeBron at 24

    Shouldn't LeBron be given credit for his veteran savvy at his age right now?

    Finals MVP:
    Its going to be one of these guys.
    Pierce, Allen, Garnett, Rondo, Perkins, Powe, Marbury, Moore, Scalabrine, Davis, House, or even Pruitt.
    get my drift? hahahaha
     
  14. bbwchingy0007

    bbwchingy0007 BBW Member

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    How will one of them win if they're not even in the Finals? :smiley-puzzled: :smiley-puzzled:
     
  15. Sir Desmond

    Sir Desmond JBB Stig!

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    There is literally no impartial argument for Kobe being the MVP. None whatsoever. I don't think even a Lakers fan honestly believes Kobe could/should be in contention.

    This is the most clear-cut vote since KG in 2004. Good on Wade for at least making it a debate, but LeBron will win this award unanimously and rightly so.
     
  16. kobe23

    kobe23 JBB JustBBall Member

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    Kobe did have a say when the LAkers where #1 OVERALL. but they've faltered since then. Wade however has none whatsoever.
     
  17. Legacy

    Legacy Beast

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    Rep me for this article I wrote. :pimp:
     
  18. Lost One

    Lost One ...

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    :pimp:
     
  19. Sir Desmond

    Sir Desmond JBB Stig!

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    Disagree. The Cavs have always been close enough that LeBron is ahead.
     
  20. Celtic Fan

    Celtic Fan Well-Known Member

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    Does wade have any shot at the MVP?
    He's playing out of his mind, but IMO the LeBron still wins it. Best record in the league, superb numbers and under rated defense on his part.
    I'd put Wade 2nd in the race ahead of Kobe right now.
    yeah, yeah some ppl will point out Wade is doing the same as Kobe did when the Lakers had not talent, like the yr Kobe averaged 35 ppg and carried his team to the playoffs but didn't win MVP.
    Here's the differences.
    http://www.basketball-reference.com/fc/pcm...o01&y2=2006[/url]
    Wade is taking 5 less shots per game
    Wade is averaging 5 percent better from the floor
    Wade is averaging 3 more apg
    Wade is averaging more steals and bpg.
    Wade has a higher PER and TS%.
    So Wade is having the better season that Kobe's best individual season.. and I still put him 2nd this year.
     

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