<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Moo2K4:</div><div class="quote_post">Here's a thought for you. Okafor is on a LOSING team. That's not going to help him in the long run. Plus, look at the position he was put in. He IS the franchise player. He is the person they look to to score first before anyone else. Ben Gordon on the other hand, is a 3rd option until crunch time comes. Plus, he's put up impressive stats consistently and has been amazing when clutch time comes around. To show that, he leads the league with 18 double digit scoring fourth quarters. And another look thing, look at the position they actually play. Okafor is a forward, as is Howard, so they're bound to pull down more boards and get more blocks than Ben Gordon, so I don't see how you can use that against him. He's 6'3". It's obvious that he's not going to pull down 8 or 10 boards and get a block or two every night, so to use that AGAINST him is very unfair. I think that he deserves it much more than the other two. He's been the biggest reason as to why Chicago comes away with close games now compared to earlier in the season. Plus, they're in playoff contention and for that matter, in a race to potentially win that division and get homecourt. Whereas you look at Orlando, and they've been struggling as of late. They've cooled off considerably since an unexpected and impressive start. Than you look at Charlotte, whom, after starting off 7-13, have totally fallen apart. Chicago on the other hand, battled back after an 0-9 start to get to 32-28, which currently gives them the sixth seed in the East, just a half game out of fifth and only 5.5 games out of the division lead. And a huge reason for this is because of Ben Gordon. So personally, I think you should take that into account. He is a huge reason why they're winning games. Okafor has been good however his team has been horrible. Dwight Howard has been good, but he's not been consistent at times, especially offensively. And beyond that, his team is sliding. So, if you actually take everything aside from stats into account, I think Ben Gordon should win it over Okafor and Howard.</div> So? Who's fault is that Emeka's because he is on an expansion team. Let me as you, if Ben Gordon was drafted before Emeka and was taken by Charlotte, do you think the Bobcats would have a significantly better record? He has no one too look up to. No real veterans, no captains or anyone who has accomplished something really special in their careers. Ben Gordon is a great player and I am not at all questioning his ability, but other than scoring, what does he do? Give you 2 turnovers, a little less than 2 assists. As the supposed third option, he takes the second most shots a game on the Bulls, so of course it's no surprise he has to have some good scoring numbers. I'm not using the rebounding thing against him, the point I'm trying to make is, that they are dominating. Big men are supposed to grab boards and block shots...right? Gordon is just scoring?that?s it. They are amongst the league leaders in this (think about Duncan, KG etc.) Okafor is 6th in the NBA in double doubles, while Howard is 16th. And the fact that they are just rookies is impresive. They are also blocking shots as well and amongst the leaders in this department as just rookies. Howard is shooting about 50% from the field, Okafor just finished shattering the records of one of the leagues most dominant players. So, Ben Gordon steps up in crunch time and he scores. His team consists of players that were taken 2nd, 4th, two 7th?s and a couple of experienced veterans. OBVIOUSLY They?re going to do better than a BRAND NEW franchise. That?s not fair to bring up the success of his team as a factor. Unless you think Ben Gordon would have made a bigger impact on the Bobcats than Okafor, and actually lead a new team with no one to look up to, as a rookie, than sure, I?d take Gordon too. The Magic did trade away Mobley which caused that turn of the season and even so, the Bulls have won more games than the Magic by a percentage of 3. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">If you ask me, yes, Stoudamire was head and shoulders above everyone else. Stack had a bit more points than him but Damon had more steals and much more assists.</div> Alright, Okafor and Gordon are just about identical in points, Meka is averaging much more rebounds per game (due to their positioning ? just like Stoudemire) less turnovers, and finished breaking Shaq?ss double-double record. I think that?s head and shoulders above Gordon who steps up in crunch time?where a majority of his minutes come from. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Again, I would think Iverson is head and shoulders above everyone else. Leading rookies in scoring by about 5ppg is impressive.</div> Yeah, and also leading the rookies and I?m pretty sure the league with 4.4 turnovers a game. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">With Carter, the Raptors had their best season ever, and his stats were better than Pierce's, who was his closest competitor.</div> How much better? 1.8 more points, .7 less rebounds, .6 more assists, .6 less steals and .5 more blocks. That doesn?t seem like head and shoulders at all. Of course Pierce couldn?t do that with Boston who have the best history in the NBA. The most the Raptors ever won at the time was 30 games. Not too hard to exceed. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Magic made the playoffs; Nets and Clippers didn't.</div> Well yeah of course they did. When you are playing with a great PG who is a great distributor and a man who scores 27 points every game will most likely give you a playoff berth. But when you have your franchise player missing 15 games in the season, your second option who gives you 17ppg out for 33 games, I?m almost sure the rookie?s team will struggle. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">His team made the playoffs.</div> Yeah, but in a close race. It could have gone either way for any of them they were just put in different situations. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Cleveland improved by over 20 games with the same roster and Lebron. And the hype is just too much to say no to.</div> No they didn?t, they improved 18 games. Denver on the other hand improved by 26 games. No Cleveland didn?t have their same roster. They traded a headache and bad example for a young rookie, for an experienced veteran in Eric Williams, and another experienced veteran in Tony Battie. They also traded an underachieving player and a potential TT, and got a PG who happens to be the captain of that team right now. I think those are big moves. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">It should be pretty evident that players who win the ROYs either have to help their teams to success or have much better stats than everyone else.</div> Yeah and in this case, Okafor is putting up much better stats than Ben Gordon.
