<span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%">Will the Real MVP Please Stand Up</span>Words - Brandon Curry<div align="center"></div><div align="center">Who you got?</div>As the playoffs creep closer and teams are either fighting for a spot or just playing ?spoiler?, the possible Most Valuable Player candidates shine. They lead their squads to victories night after night, while scoring, dishing or just being a devoted leader. Many fans have different views when it comes to this, they want to see their guy get the award and no one else. This year?s race has a lot of candidates and none of them are showing signs of backing down to the others. So let me run over the players in contention and who I got for the award.Steve Nash ? PG ? Phoenix Suns Last year?s winner of the MVP award might be headed to his 2nd straight. The six-foot-three, 195-pound assist machine is leading Phoenix to a division title, while dishing out almost ten assists a game along with 19 PPG. He?s turned Boris Diaw (Former Atlanta Hawk) into a Most Improved Player candidate. Diaw is scoring 13 points a night, and has been valuable in the absence of perennial all-star, Amare Stoudemire. Amare?s injury is another reason why Nash could make it back-to-back MVP awards. Don?t let me forget about Raja Bell, Eddie House and James Jones. Bell averaging almost 15 a night and both House and Jones dumping in nine points per game, don?t you think Steve had to do with these three guys? success as well? I do.Kobe Bryant ? SG ? Los Angeles Lakers81 points. Now say that one more time to yourself. 81 points. Don?t forget Kobe?s 62 in three quarters against an improved Dallas defense as well. Bryant is averaging almost 35 points, sitting him atop the L in points per game. Not to mention a less talented Lakers squad than last year, and Kobe has them currently sitting in the 7th seed in the West. He consistently hits clutch shots night after night for LA and the 40+ nights seem to happen on a frequent basis. Put it this way, if you took Kobe Bryant off of the Lakers, would they have won ten games? I?ll let you figure that one out on your own.Dirk Nowitzki ? F ? Dallas Mavericks26 PPG., eight boards a night, and 2.5 games behind the San Antonio Spurs for the best record, Dirk has to be taken seriously when it comes to who gets the award. His sweet outside stroke and energized play has carried Dallas all year long. Actually we could probably say that about Nowitzki every year, the past couple of years. Finally the Mavs are playing better, especially on the defensive end, which has haunted them in the playoffs. Not much to say about Dirk, but is it really needed?LeBron James ? F ? Cleveland CavaliersIf the Most Valuable Award was given based on these past couple of weeks, then LeBron is the guy. James has put up amazing stats for his age, and leading the Cavs to victories. Especially seeing how his team sometimes forgets to play on the defensive end, LeBron has kept Cleveland a contender for the Eastern Conference Title. 31-7-6, plus the absence of shooting guard Larry Hughes, James has the Cavaliers at a 45-29 record. Plus a first trip to the playoffs for young King James, again, like the Kobe situation, what if the Cavs didn?t have LeBron James?Chauncey Billups ? PG ? Detroit PistonsThe Early favorite for the award has quieted down as of late. Mainly because of the rising of more possible candidates, but Billups still has the Pistons on top of the East and is running the show in Detroit. The best team?s best player is averaging 19 PPG. and dropping eight assists a contest, while only turning the ball over two times a game. Chauncey has to be in the running and he has to be among the top when it comes time to vote for who gets it. He might not get it, but I?m sure he won?t mind, seeing how the Detroit Pistons are looking like a championship team.Other Possible Candidates:Elton BrandDwyane WadeShawn MarionMy pick for the award:Steve Nash2. Kobe Bryant3. Dirk Nowitzki4. Chauncey Billups5. LeBron James.(Sources: NBA.com)
I don't think that Nash will win it, because Marion will take votes away, and rightfully so. Marion is just as much the MVP of the Suns as Nash is.As much as I hate to say it, the MVP this year has to be Kobe Bryant. He has led the Lakers to the post-season, and has the numbers deserving of an MVP.
The top three candidates are: Chauncey, Kobe and Steve.All three of them are team leaders and can pretty much do it all.
Probably because people had the hype of what LeBron did recently.My vote would be for Kobe, and not because he's my favorite player. Just look at his stats
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ELiiiTE @ Apr 5 2006, 06:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Probably because people had the hype of what LeBron did recently.My vote would be for Kobe, and not because he's my favorite player. Just look at his stats</div>Yeah I went back and fourth between him and Nash, and i went Nash.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Pistonfan11 @ Apr 5 2006, 06:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I don't think that Nash will win it, because Marion will take votes away, and rightfully so. Marion is just as much the MVP of the Suns as Nash is.</div> Shawn Marion won't take votes away. This race is between Nash and Bryant.
Nash wins it, although Kobe is absolutely amazing. 81 points in a win? Thats nuts. Kobe leads his team to the playoffs, but the Suns will be the 2 seed, and since there led by Nash, he wins it. He helped Boris Diaw, James Jones, Leonardo Barbosa, and now Tim Thomas to having great seasons. Marion wouldn't be where he is w/o Nash. Plus, Amare has hardly played.
For some reason, I like LeBron winning it. He's carried the Cleveland franchise on his back, and the free agent signings, Marshall and Jones, haven't done jack for this ball-club. Hughes has just missed about the whole season, and is completely new to the system. Gooden has been solid, but at times he could be very inconsistant. Z is the only consistent, and good performer folllowing LeBron. He's given them a good inside presence and he can be a matchup problem as well. Not to mention Cavs are riding a 9 game winning streak, and 'Bron has gone absolutely banannas.And if he could lead Cleveland somewhere in the post season, he'd be a top choice for MVP IMO.
See, thats the problem. I hate it when the fans get to vote for the All-Stars or for the MVP. Some of them vote for just their favorite player.
Raja Bell's stats have not improved from last season (with the Jazz). Same with Kurt Thomas. Same with the entire team minus Boris Diaw...and that's why D'Antoni deserves Coach of the Year. Diaw was placed in his natural position, putting him closer to the rim...perfect way to get the most out of your player. If you've followed Marion throughout his career, his defense has been the best (well, one of the best) in the league since he came into the NBA, and his numbers aren't significantly different without Nash. His rebounds are up, assists are actually down, and his PPG is nearly the same.So for MVP, it has to go to Kobe. What player on Phoenix does Odom remind you of? That's right...Diaw. Kobe's teammates are pretty pathetic when you compare them to the Suns, even before Nash, so you can't put the Suns' success all on Steve's shoulders, much like you can do with Kobe.Let's go ahead and remove Marion from that roster. Nash/Diaw would compare to Kobe/Odom, and if not, Nash still has Thomas and Bell. Who wins more games? I'd put my house on it...the Lakers would reach for more wins.
KOBE IS NOT IN THE RACE.HE IS IN THE RACE, BUT HE NOT A PRIME-TIME CANDIDATE. That tile belongs to Dirk, Nash, and Billups. Dirk and Nash will finish Top 2, or Dirk and Billups. GUARENTEED.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Shadyballa8D12 @ Apr 5 2006, 08:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>How many times has Steve Nash scored 81 points?</div>How many times has Nash scored 40 or more?Zero.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (The Lefty @ Apr 5 2006, 08:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Kobe and Nash are top 2.</div>I said that earlier in the season, but as of late, Nash hasn't impressed me. I'm more impressed with Marion than Nash.Kobe and Bron...and Kobe wins it. LeBron will have his chance down the road.
Well, IMO this has changed over past few weeks. Nash has slowed down greatly and Suns have been slumping while Kobe is still doing his thing and Bron is blowing up. Kobe has 2,500 points this season....let that settle. He is gonna be on top 10 list of most PPG for one season...a list that includes all of those huge Wilt seasons. He had 5 straight games of 45 points or more, he is only player to break 60 points this season (did it twice), and has well over 20-25 40 point games. Sprinkle in a few 50 point games and a ton of 30 point games, and you have scoring history. Then you consider he is leading a crap team to 7th seed (which is good) in western conference playoffs....let all that settle.Now look at Bron....32/7/7 on 48% shooting. Leading a crap team (and dissapointing team outside Bron) to homecourt advantage in playoffs, and probably a 50 win season if they keep it going. I don't care how young he is or how bad his defense is or how he isn't clutch, no one has carried his team as successfully as Bron has, and he has put up historic numbers while doing it. And unlike Kobe....his team WILL advance to 2nd round of playoffs.Steve Nash has cooled down, and has put up some bad games towards end of season, most notably the NJ game. The Mavs have also greatly cooled down, and I didn't think Dirk was a top 3 candidate to begin with. The numbers aren't there for Dirk and his impact on his team isn't as great as the other 3. And since Mavs will get 4th seed, he is in same boat as Bron record wise.
MVP is throughout the whole year, not recent. Phoenix is still ahead of the division, and Nash is the reason. Kobe is a good choice, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him win it, but you guys know that scoring isn't everything, right?
