Right now it is pretty much assumed that Shaq will take the MVP and I'm not going to argue that. What I am going to argue is why Steve Nash is going to finish second. Why? He isnt even the most valuable player on his own team!! You could replace Nash with any average or better starting PG in the NBA and the Suns would still be a top team in league. BUT if you take away Amare Stoudamire who else could do what he is doing for them? Who else? No one else is athletic enough and big enough to do what he is doing. Most people point at last year and then this year and say 'look at the difference' and thats why Nash should be MVP. But there are so many more reasons than just adding Nash. Adding Q, giving Joe Johnson more playing time, moving Amare to center and Shawn Marion to power forward and Joe Johnson, Matrix, and Amare all getting better are also the reasons for the huge turnaround. Im not saying that Nash doesnt deserve credit but I am saying that he is getting too much credit and Amare and others arent getting enough. All I am saying is that if anyone should be considered for MVP from that team it should be Amare. I know people will argue this but I wont be on the site for the next two days to argue (religious obligations ) Anyway I think Isiah Thomas should be fired.
I totally agree that nash should not be runner up for mvp, its almost certain that shaq will take it, but if anyone else besides shaq got it, i think it would have to be Allen Iverson.
First of all; have you ever seen a Phoenix Suns game? Steve Nash is the number one factor to the Suns success with the fast break game. When they take him out and replace him with Barbosa or anyone else, there is a notable drop in the tempo of the game. Why do you think Amare is putting up 26 points a game? He doesent create that much for himself, Nash does, and he creates for everyone else too. Nash makes everyone else on his team better because of his passing and because of his leadership and motivation. To say that Nash isnt even a MVP candidate is simply put, stupid. He led the Phoenix Suns to the best record in the league, and averaged a double-double in points and assists. He also shot 50% from the field, tying Kevin Garnett (last years MVP) for the 20th place. The league hasnt had a pointguard for MVP since Magic Johnson, but it deserves one. While Shaq is a great player, he doesent deserve to be the MVP as much as Nash does. Sure, he came in and lifted the Heat a great deal, but he didnt do it alone. With Dwayne Wade, the two Jones, Udonis Haslem and a strong backup cast, Shaq cant take responsibility for all the good things. Shaq is only making 22,9 points, which is 1,4 points above what he scored last year when he had 3 other superstars on the team. He is also averaging career lows in rebounds per game and freethrow percentage.
Both players have a great supporting cast, but look at this. When both players went down with injuries, how well did their team perform? Also, Shaq is a great player and has helped the Heat franchise reach highs in wins and such, but Nash is doing the same thing but is the glue that makes it work. You can have a bunch of scorers who just run around and look for their own shots while dribbling shot clock out. Anyone who has watched the Suns know that if Steve is not playing, their a WHOLE different team who are not cohesive enough to constantly go on big runs. With Nash in, they don't even fear going down big because they know that their most likely going to look at 110 pts at the end of the 4th. Right now your seeing what Dallas could have been with some D (and the Man-Beast, Amare). Shaq is helping others around him, NASH IS HELPING PEOPLE GET CAREER HIGHS. Nash is just too important to his team.
Agreed, Bahir and Sabretooth. I'll add that we should remember that Phoenix had 29 wins last season, and 62 this season - a mark that equals 1993's Phoenix team, which lost in the Finals and starred Sir Charles, Thunder Dan, and Kevin Johnson, among others. Also, Phoenix added Quentin Richardson at the beginning of the season - he was the only significant addition to the team besides Nash (and perhaps Jim Jackson, but he only played 40 games.) The main trade-off was Marbury for Nash - and here are the results - +33 wins.
LOL....sorry but shaq is not having a career year...if anything he is having a sub-par year. Nash on the other hand is having a career year...PERIOD. Nash in game and out is like day and night. Watch some Suns games people...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting JWohl:</div><div class="quote_post">Right now it is pretty much assumed that Shaq will take the MVP and I'm not going to argue that. What I am going to argue is why Steve Nash is going to finish second. Why? He isnt even the most valuable player on his own team!! You could replace Nash with any average or better starting PG in the NBA and the Suns would still be a top team in league. BUT if you take away Amare Stoudamire who else could do what he is doing for them? Who else? No one else is athletic enough and big enough to do what he is doing. Most people point at last year and then this year and say 'look at the difference' and thats why Nash should be MVP. But there are so many more reasons than just adding Nash. Adding Q, giving Joe Johnson more playing time, moving Amare to center and Shawn Marion to power forward and Joe Johnson, Matrix, and Amare all getting better are also the reasons for the huge turnaround. Im not saying that Nash doesnt deserve credit but I am saying that he is getting too much credit and Amare and others arent getting enough. All I am saying is that if anyone should be considered for MVP from that team it should be Amare. I know people will argue this but I wont be on the site for the next two days to argue (religious obligations ) Anyway I think Isiah Thomas should be fired.</div> You couldn't be more wrong. Just look at the game on March 28th played against Denver. No Stoudamire, and they still beat, arguably the the best team since the All-Star break. Nash is just as valuable as Stoudamire.
