Race to the MVP.

[TheGarden]

I try to watch as much non-Knick games as I can because I'm not a stat junkie so I'll say right now

1. LeBron James
2. Chris Paul
3. Zach Randolph
4/5/6/7- Kobe/Melo/Duncan/Durant in some order

[donnieme]

Carmelo isn't even close to MVP. Subpar shooting percentages and less than 2 assists per game don't stand out as MVP-level stats. It's not like he scores more than LeBron either. LeBron is drastically better at literally every category there is. Currently LeBron is the runaway #1 (though that could change later on), followed by Paul/Kobe/Durant in some order.

Did the definition of subpar change recently? He's above average.


Also did you see the team without him yesterday? He's clearly very important to their success (19-1 run when he left in the 3rd quarter. He was guarding Marc Gasol last night and still led the team and have them a chance to win late.

exactly, when he went out with that 4th foul the team fell apart.

Last night

Carmelo was a +2, not a big number but look at the rest of the rotation

Brewer -9
Chandler -9
Felton -21
Kidd -8
Smith -8
Wallace -15
Novak +6

He shot 7/14, 1/2 3's, 5/5 FT's for 20 points and never got the benefit of the whistle last night

People say its more of the team playing well more than him leading and last night proved otherwise, they feed off of the attention Melo receives and the fact that he makes the right passes out of double teams

as far as his assists numbers, he's playing power forward. When has a PF ever averaged a ton of assists, they get doubled make a pass that leads to a pass for a score

the game is more than numbers how many times do we have to say this

True this, but don't overstate it. Chandler also went out with foul trouble around that period after the refs decided to get whistle-happy on the knicks. Rasheed also got tagged with a 5th foul in the 3rd quarter as well i think, allowing memphis frontline to have their way on the inside. But I get what you're saying though, they ran out of ideas and could have done with some melo-magic. His impact or potential-impact shouldn't be overlooked.

[TheGarden]

I feel you but even still Chandler was getting killed by Randolph and Sheed couldn't do much with Gasol anyway. I just felt like if Carmelo never got those cheap fouls we win that game and his numbers are better.

I just dont like how people attribute our wins to the team play yet Miami and OKC are only winning because LeBron and Durant are carrying them

[WinisKing]

I feel you but even still Chandler was getting killed by Randolph and Sheed couldn't do much with Gasol anyway. I just felt like if Carmelo never got those cheap fouls we win that game and his numbers are better.

I just dont like how people attribute our wins to the team play yet Miami and OKC are only winning because LeBron and Durant are carrying them

That is fairly accurate, Lebron is carrying Miami indeed

[donnieme]

I feel you but even still Chandler was getting killed by Randolph and Sheed couldn't do much with Gasol anyway. I just felt like if Carmelo never got those cheap fouls we win that game and his numbers are better.

I just dont like how people attribute our wins to the team play yet Miami and OKC are only winning because LeBron and Durant are carrying them

Yea, after a few games, I felt people were awarding James Mvp nominations too easily when he hadn't done much special. But of recent, he's really uped it, and I'm talking about his clutch, game winning roles in some of the recent games he's played. What Carmelo needs is a strong game winning performance to restake his claim for MVP at this stage of the season. He already has the W's. I already said earlier that I felt wade is just gonna keep coasting and it would cost miami a better record for lebron's MVP case but I can't see into the future so let's just see.

[Xekana]

Yeah Kidd and JR Smith are higher on my list than MELO

Lol

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[TheGarden]

I feel you but even still Chandler was getting killed by Randolph and Sheed couldn't do much with Gasol anyway. I just felt like if Carmelo never got those cheap fouls we win that game and his numbers are better.

I just dont like how people attribute our wins to the team play yet Miami and OKC are only winning because LeBron and Durant are carrying them

Yea, after a few games, I felt people were awarding James Mvp nominations too easily when he hadn't done much special. But of recent, he's really uped it, and I'm talking about his clutch, game winning roles in some of the recent games he's played. What Carmelo needs is a strong game winning performance to restake his claim for MVP at this stage of the season. He already has the W's. I already said earlier that I felt wade is just gonna keep coasting and it would cost miami a better record for lebron's MVP case but I can't see into the future so let's just see.

Yeah Carmelo is going to need some of those signature games, playoff type performances to get his value up.

[og15]

So far I have Rudy Gay in the West..He put up crazy number against Lebron, Melo and Durant. He's having a great season. I know it does help that he has the best FC in the NBA..

20/6/2 on 49 TS%...those aren't even all star worthy numbers

It's the wrong assumption that some people make that the leading scorer of a team is the best player or leader of the team. Rudy Gay is one of the pieces but isn't the best player on his team, let alone an MVP candidate.

Carmelo isn't even close to MVP. Subpar shooting percentages and less than 2 assists per game don't stand out as MVP-level stats. It's not like he scores more than LeBron either. LeBron is drastically better at literally every category there is. Currently LeBron is the runaway #1 (though that could change later on), followed by Paul/Kobe/Durant in some order.

Did the definition of subpar change recently? He's above average.


Also did you see the team without him yesterday? He's clearly very important to their success (19-1 run when he left in the 3rd quarter. He was guarding Marc Gasol last night and still led the team and have them a chance to win late.

i think he might have been right. Carmelo is shooting 43.9% FG, league average is 44.3%, 32.3% 3PT, league average is 34.9%, .478 eFG%, league average is .484. He'll be fine though, hopefully, and of course he will be important to the team, so it's okay.

[TheGarden]

His numbers will go up when STAT comes back, less double teams will help that remember last night Memphis played him well but he still shot 50% and since this number is so important his TS% was 61 I think last night

[EvilSperm]

The more wins the lakers get, the more MVP votes Kobe will get

[kamelion4291]

His numbers will go up when STAT comes back, less double teams will help that remember last night Memphis played him well but he still shot 50% and since this number is so important his TS% was 61 I think last night

He was pretty good offensively but 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 5 turnovers isn't going to cut it. You can't be playing small ball at power forward and end the game at 3 rebounds. There's a reason why the Knicks are last in the NBA in rebounding and he's a huge reason for it.

[C-izMe]

So far I have Rudy Gay in the West..He put up crazy number against Lebron, Melo and Durant. He's having a great season. I know it does help that he has the best FC in the NBA..

20/6/2 on 49 TS%...those aren't even all star worthy numbers

It's the wrong assumption that some people make that the leading scorer of a team is the best player or leader of the team. Rudy Gay is one of the pieces but isn't the best player on his team, let alone an MVP candidate.

Carmelo isn't even close to MVP. Subpar shooting percentages and less than 2 assists per game don't stand out as MVP-level stats. It's not like he scores more than LeBron either. LeBron is drastically better at literally every category there is. Currently LeBron is the runaway #1 (though that could change later on), followed by Paul/Kobe/Durant in some order.

Did the definition of subpar change recently? He's above average.


Also did you see the team without him yesterday? He's clearly very important to their success (19-1 run when he left in the 3rd quarter. He was guarding Marc Gasol last night and still led the team and have them a chance to win late.

i think he might have been right. Carmelo is shooting 43.9% FG, league average is 44.3%, 32.3% 3PT, league average is 34.9%, .478 eFG%, league average is .484. He'll be fine though, hopefully, and of course he will be important to the team, so it's okay.

Use true shooting. It's points per shot attempt (including free throws). He's at 53.2. League average is 52.

[semi-sentient]

The more wins the lakers get, the more MVP votes Kobe will get

Kobe will be in the race once it's all said and done, but realistically he'll have to keep up his current production to have a real chance. I think the Lakers will have to a top 3 record in the league given the talent on their roster so they have a lot of catching up to do at this point.

As of right now I think LeBron is out in front and I'd probably put Durant 2nd. Duncan has a strong case for being in the top 3 so he seems as good a choice as any.

The MVP has traditionally come from a top 3 seed in the conference so right now it's entirely too premature to throw Kobe's name around.

[xStanton27]

Kobe won't get ahead of Lebron or Durant.

[og15]

Use true shooting. It's points per shot attempt (including free throws). He's at 53.2. League average is 52.

I don't disagree about using TS%, it's what I usually use, but he said supbar shooting percentages, so he really wasn't wrong in that statement.