MVP Rankings 1.0

[Dat Pass]

I had two points.

1 - the quality of the people voting isn't the best. There are quite a few people with no current ties to the league, Mugsy Bogues was just one example. There are quite a few more poeple like him on the list of voters than there are people like Jerry West.

2 - where is the logic in saying the guy the voters said had 3 top 50 teammates last year, but finished with a worse record, is better than the guy who had no top 50 teammates. Perhaps there is not as much thought given to absolute positions withing the 50, but that doesn't change the fact that multiple teammates of Kobe's were voted into the 50. This either shows a built in lakers bias within the voters or shows that Kobe won less with a lot more help.

1. There are not "quite a few", there are some.. And how do you know what ties they have to the league? Even if they have none, Im sure they still watch basketball. Are we going to totally disregard the opinions of the majority, just because it doesnt fit your argument? At the very worst, LeBron homers have got to realize Kobe and LeBron are equal in the eyes of the majority, and stop with the BS that "LeBron is widely regarded as the best in the NBA".. Cause thats just plain not true.

2. How many times do we need to go over this? Its very possible that they gave little thought to the list after the top 5-10 players. Disregard the rest of the list. Those people STILL THINK BY A 2-1 MARGIN THAT KOBE IS BETTER. How else can I get that thru your head?

[eatyourchildren]

GM Talent evaluation is a different observation from current nba player scouting evaulation. Just thought It'd throw that out there.

[INKtastic]

if you value the opinions of GMs so much, why not use their actual opinions instead of throwing in a bunch of people who may or may not have ties to the league.

Who will win MVP?

1 LeBron James 69%

If you could start a franchise with any player in the league, who would it be?

1 . LeBron James 78.6%

Which player forces oposing coaches to make the most adjustments

1 - LeBron James 39%

http://www.nba.com/news/features/gmsurv ... index.html

So they much have expected the cavs to have the best record and win the championship, right? Wrong.

Which team will win the NBA finals?

1. Lakers 60.7%

Which team will win the east

1. Boston Celtics 50.5%

http://www.nba.com/news/features/gmsurv ... index.html

GM's didn't expect the cavs to finish ahead of the Lakers or even to win the East. They expected them to finish 2nd in the east. And despite that, they overwhelmingly expect LeBron to win MVP. So enough with the claim that the Cavs have to finish ahead of the Lakers for LeBron to win MVP.

There is no underachieving as a team vs expectations from the people you you claim opinions mean the most - league GMs.

[Dat Pass]

Are you serious? Your arguing with me on things that arent even relevant.

1. The list I provided shows that people view Kobe as the best player in the game.
2. Your list doesnt even ask that question.
3. No one said the Cavs have to finish ahead of the Lakers for LeBron to win it.
4. The Cavs were favored to win the East by almost half the voters, they are currently in 4th.
5. The whole, "who would you start a franchise with" question is stupid, LeBron is what, 6yrs younger than Kobe? Of course that answer would be LeBron. It means nothing.

[INKtastic]

the cavs aren't 4th in the east, they are 3rd by all of 1/2 a game and just 1 1/2 games out of first with a lot of season left to play.

And they expect LeBron to be MVP while expecting Kobe to have the better team, what does that say about who they think is the best player?

[eatyourchildren]

Being forced to make adjustments doesn't mean anything without context. Is pulling all your guys into the paint (and letting Bron shoot jumpers) a more drastic adjustment than you'd do with any of the other top 5 guys? I say yes. Is that an indictment of LeBron or high praise? I don't know, do you?

Addendum: actually, look at Bron's hotspots for this season. I'd make a HUGE adjustment: force him to go left and collapse in the mid-post.

[Dat Pass]

the cavs aren't 4th in the east, they are 3rd by all of 1/2 a game and just 1 1/2 games out of first with a lot of season left to play.

http://www.nba.com/standings/team_recor ... d_Cnf.html

"With a lot of season left to play".. For all you know, the Cavs could fall further behind than that. Do you want us to start arguing about "possibilities"? We can only argue what has happened so far, and that is that the Cavs are in 4th place in their conference, clearly not living up to expectations.

[INKtastic]

the cavs aren't 4th in the east, they are 3rd by all of 1/2 a game and just 1 1/2 games out of first with a lot of season left to play.

http://www.nba.com/standings/team_recor ... d_Cnf.html

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/standings ... =standings

There is no defined order for sorting teams that have played a different number of games since that can't happen at the end of the season. But it doesn't make a lot of sense to put the teaam that's 2 games out ahead of the team that's 1 1/2 games out.

[YLSKillaCam]

Sorry Lebron fans, but this article is going to hurt.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/co ... 201.column

[Benedict_Boozer]

^CHI writers have been bitter ever since the Joakim Noah incident. Not surprised to see them hating on James. This comment was funny though:

It could be argued that Puppet LeBron has been more impressive than Actual LeBron.

Yeah no bias there

[YLSKillaCam]

^CHI writers have been bitter ever since the Joakim Noah incident. Not surprised to see them hating on James. This comment was funny though:

It could be argued that Puppet LeBron has been more impressive than Actual LeBron.

Yeah no bias there

Each columnist is from a different newspaper. The writer you quoted above works for a florida newspaper called the sun-sentinel. Sorry, Chicago bias don't work here.

[Benedict_Boozer]

Point taken. Still hard to take the opinions credible when people are writing mocking comments like that about a player.

On a related note, Chad Ford from ESPN in his chat just said Lebron is his #1 choice for MVP:

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/30030

Kobe, Melo, Dirk or Lebron? Who has been the MVP with 40% of the season played?
Chad Ford
(1:11 PM)


1. LeBron 2. Melo

[YLSKillaCam]

Point taken. Still hard to take the opinions credible when people are writing mocking comments like that about a player.

On a related note, Chad Ford from ESPN in his chat just said Lebron is his #1 choice for MVP:

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/30030

Kobe, Melo, Dirk or Lebron? Who has been the MVP with 40% of the season played?
Chad Ford
(1:11 PM)


1. LeBron 2. Melo

Clearly not credible. Ford has a well documented history of Kobe hating and he's a NBA draft guy. By his own admission, he has no clue what's going on in the NBA day to day.

[CzBoobie]

It doesn't matter if there is bias or not, the guy who wrote the bit about the puppet and LeBron struggling under Shaq or whatever is a moron, plain and simple.

[YLSKillaCam]

Point taken. Still hard to take the opinions credible when people are writing mocking comments like that about a player.

On a related note, Chad Ford from ESPN in his chat just said Lebron is his #1 choice for MVP:

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/30030

Kobe, Melo, Dirk or Lebron? Who has been the MVP with 40% of the season played?
Chad Ford
(1:11 PM)


1. LeBron 2. Melo

Clearly not credible. Ford has a well documented history of Kobe hating and he's a NBA draft guy. By his own admission, he has no clue what's going on in the NBA day to day.

And really, Melo over Kobe. It would've been better for you guys if he would've put Kobe second. Now he just looks like a hater.

[Dat Pass]

Its hilarious how LeBron homers can completely ignore the opinions of the majority, and come back with a quote from ONE guy and think that it means more.. Seriously guys?

[Benedict_Boozer]

And really, Melo over Kobe. It would've been better for you guys if he would've put Kobe second. Now he just looks like a hater.

LOL I didn't say I agreed with Ford, just sharing information that is related to the thread. Ford probably actually has a real vote.

[YLSKillaCam]

Santa (North Pole)

A lump of coal for you, Mr. Ford. Next year, I would like to see you on the Nice List.
Chad Ford (1:21 PM)

Clearly Santa's a Kobe fan ... along with the thousand or so readers writing in right now telling me I'm an idiot for picking LeBron or Melo over Kobe in the MVP race.

At least people are making it known what's up.

[FatSam]

Sorry Lebron fans, but this article is going to hurt.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/co ... 201.column

Usual suspects on list (Kobe, Dwyane, Carmelo, LeBron), but 1 stands tall

Signed, sealed, delivered

Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel

Can it be anyone other than Kobe "Nine Fingers" Bryant? The best player on the best team. Case closed. Already, Bryant has the season's signature moment with his off-balance 3-pointer against Dwyane Wade and the Heat.

Otherwise, you have Carmelo Anthony, who has had some of his best performances in losses, taking the word "valuable" somewhat out of the equation. Then there's LeBron James, who is struggling under the weight of having to carry Shaquille O'Neal. It could be argued that Puppet LeBron has been more impressive than Actual LeBron.

As for Wade? He already has said the scoring title has become a been-there, done-that experience. Also in position to make moves are Steve Nash, Dwight Howard and Joe Johnson, based on their teams' finishes.

iwinderman@tribune.com

No catching Bryant

Brian Schmitz, Orlando Sentinel

Is this a trick question? Even those clueless people Jay Leno finds to interview on the street know that Kobe's the MVP.

The better question: Who's second? It's a long way. You'd have to make two connections and a layover before you get to LeBron or D-Wade.

Kobe has tried to add some suspense, playing with a broken finger, and it's still not close. He could score 20 in a body cast.

All he has done is make this season's Lakers better than last season's title team ... hit a couple game-winning shots ... score at will ... keep Ron Artest from becoming a reality show ... and allow Phil Jackson to remain in his orthopedic highchair.

We have a BCS title game, a Super Bowl and a Final Four to play, and the race is over. Kobe doesn't blow these kinds of leads.

bschmitz@tribune.com

Kobe's value is sky-high

K.C. Johnson, Chicago Tribune

Kobe Bryant is the NBA's MVP, MVC and MVW. He's the most valuable player, competitor and winner -- even if he breaks nine more fingers.

Beyond Bryant's spectacular scoring ability and still-dominant defense, his will wears down opponents and emboldens teammates.

Funny how Pau Gasol no longer is considered soft now that he's Bryant's super sidekick.

Bryant still can score in bunches when he wants or needs to. But his recent game-winner against the Bucks proves yet again why he's the league's most valuable player:

He wins.

kcjohnson@tribune.com

Best choice is obvious

Lisa Dillman, Los Angeles Times

What hasn't Kobe Bryant done in the first quarter of the season? If there is a glaring, missing link, we can't think of it.

He has played hurt and sick -- of course, he always has been able to do that; the worse he seems, the better he plays. And the Lakers (22-4) were without Pau Gasol for the first nine games and still sit atop the NBA.

The intangibles favor Bryant as the league's MVP at the quarter mark, and so do the hard numbers. He's shooting better than 48 percent and averaging 28.9 points, ahead of his MVP pace of 2007-08.

As a colleague put it best: Best player on the best team. Best way to end an argument.

[Dat Pass]

Is this a trick question? Even those clueless people Jay Leno finds to interview on the street know that Kobe's the MVP.

The better question: Who's second? It's a long way.

Best part.