MVP 3.0

[Doctor MJ]

BTW: Do you think the success of the Suns this year since giving away Shaq totally makes clear that he wasn't really helping the Suns last year despite his gaudy box score stats?

I'd also add on a related note the Cavs have gone 15-1 w/o Shaq this year (I'm excluding the two games Lebron missed.) in comparison to 40-13 with him in the lineup.

Also Shaq has a pretty poor plus minus total this year. I don't think Shaq has really helped teams since 2006.

I'm totally on the same page with you, though I already felt that way before this season so some may call me biased. It was so frustrating to see 1) people talking about the fall of the Suns, and 2) people praising Shaq's resurgence after joining the Suns, occurring at the same time. It was so obvious that the Suns had simply decided to make Shaq a focus on their offense and this was causing both phenomena.

More generally it just speaks to the difference between primacy and value. When a player has a 1 year aberration in basketball, either a peak or a nadir in productivity, very often is says a lot more about how the coach is running the team than about the player himself.

[Jimmy76]

Lebron



Durant
Melo
Kobe
Howard
Amare

Wow, Amare. I gotta say, I still see Nash as the star of the Suns. Do you see a shift, or have you always thought Amare superior?

BTW: Do you think the success of the Suns this year since giving away Shaq totally makes clear that he wasn't really helping the Suns last year despite his gaudy box score stats?

I'd also add on a related note the Cavs have gone 15-1 w/o Shaq this year (I'm excluding the two games Lebron missed.) in comparison to 40-13 with him in the lineup.

Also Shaq has a pretty poor plus minus total this year. I don't think Shaq has really helped teams since 2006.

suns fans jump on recent play too much Steve Nash is still very much the guy that makes this team go

*gain lead with nash on the floor*
*nash leaves floor lose lead*
*nash comes back gain lead again*

is incredibly common

[Dupp]

dirk should and will poll alot higehr than people are giving him credit for i think

[INKtastic]

I think this year LeBron is by far the MVP and he must take 122 1st place votes and break the Shaq's record.

Some people will vote for Durant solely on the fact he took a team from 23 wins to 52 wins in 1 season. LeBron will get 95% ish

when did the thunder win 52 games? And why does westbrook's contribution to their improvement get ignored?

The thunder have won 42 games and are currently the 7 seed. Here's their remaining schedule and their record this year against those teams

Houston (0-3)
Lakers (0-3)
Portland (1-1)
@philly (1-0)
@Boston (0-1)
@Dallas (1-2)
Minnesota (3-0)
@Utah (3-0)
Denver (1-2)
Phoenix (1-1)
@Golden State (3-0)
@Portland (1-1)
Memphis (1-1)

A combined 16-15 yet somehow you have them going 10-3.

[D Nice]

Lebron
Kobe
Durant
Anthony
Howard
Nowitski
Wade

Only players worth mentioning. Durant and Anthony are pretty interchangeable.

[joyner82]

LeBron
Durant
Howard
Kobe
Dirk


That's the top 5 and that's exactly how it's going to finish

[Reckless]

I think this year LeBron is by far the MVP and he must take 122 1st place votes and break the Shaq's record.

Some people will vote for Durant solely on the fact he took a team from 23 wins to 52 wins in 1 season. LeBron will get 95% ish

when did the thunder win 52 games? And why does westbrook's contribution to their improvement get ignored?

The thunder have won 42 games and are currently the 7 seed. Here's their remaining schedule and their record this year against those teams

Houston (0-3)
Lakers (0-3)
Portland (1-1)
@philly (1-0)
@Boston (0-1)
@Dallas (1-2)
Minnesota (3-0)
@Utah (3-0)
Denver (1-2)
Phoenix (1-1)
@Golden State (3-0)
@Portland (1-1)
Memphis (1-1)

A combined 16-15 yet somehow you have them going 10-3.

they aren't going 10-3, i see them going 8-5 at best.
that get's them 50 wins at best.

[crucifixx]

This is from 'NBA Player X Blog' from ESPN. If anybody doesn't know what it is, it's a blog written by an anonymous NBA player.

Funny thing is, instead of the Kobe versus LeBron debate heating up right now, a lot of players are talking about Dirk being the MVP of the league. He's been putting up great numbers on a really good team that doesn't get all the attention. A guy that tall who can pop from outside is nearly impossible to defend. So don't sleep on the Mavs, because I don't know a single guy who wants to play them in the postseason right now.

[KING JAMES1978]

This is from 'NBA Player X Blog' from ESPN. If anybody doesn't know what it is, it's a blog written by an anonymous NBA player.

Kobe is still the best player in the world to me, no matter how well Bron is playing. Kobe is the greatest right now, period. He's the one you want with the ball in his hands with the game on the line. Of course, LeBron is obviously amazing. He hasn't won a ring yet but he's hungry, and sometimes hunger trumps experience. Funny thing is, instead of the Kobe versus LeBron debate heating up right now, a lot of players are talking about Dirk being the MVP of the league. He's been putting up great numbers on a really good team that doesn't get all the attention. A guy that tall who can pop from outside is nearly impossible to defend. So don't sleep on the Mavs, because I don't know a single guy who wants to play them in the postseason right now.

So what???A player said that Kobe is the best and so what????
Listen to this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTl4l6TIIH4
And this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaSfliFOfuo
And this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IB2Wj6EZfGs

[crucifixx]

The point I was trying to bring up was the one about 'a lot of players talking about Dirk being MVP instead of Kobe or Lebron'. Again I'm not saying Dirk should be MVP, it's just an interesting fact.

[Dupp]

The point I was trying to bring up was the one about 'a lot of players talking about Dirk being MVP instead of Kobe or Lebron'. Again I'm not saying Dirk should be MVP, it's just an interesting fact.

i think hes def top 5,

[deadstock_bM]

Lebron.

I'm really feeling Kevin Durant though for a close 2nd place. Dont think at all the Thunder could be where they are without him.

[INKtastic]

Lebron.

I'm really feeling Kevin Durant though for a close 2nd place. Dont think at all the Thunder could be where they are without him.

7th place?

[Bay_Areas_Finest]

Lebron.

I'm really feeling Kevin Durant though for a close 2nd place. Dont think at all the Thunder could be where they are without him.

7th place?

What's your point? The Thunder don't have a whole lot outside of Durant, Westbrook, and Green, and even those guys are still very young and inexperienced. Their front court is pretty weak. Take Durant off that squad and the Thunder aren't even close to being playoff contenders.

7th is impressive, so stop trying to act like its not impressive or Durant isn't a worthy candidate. We know your boy toy is going to win the award, but Durant should be a #2 lock.

[INKtastic]

there's a huge difference between being 2nd place in a landslide vote and "a close second place". Close second place implies he would come close to winning MVP. The reality is while he's a contender for 2nd place, LeBron really should be unanimous MVP.

[magnumt]

there's a huge difference between being 2nd place in a landslide vote and "a close second place". Close second place implies he would come close to winning MVP. The reality is while he's a contender for 2nd place, LeBron really should be unanimous MVP.

[INKtastic]

bill simmons

LeBron deserves to win the MVP by something stronger than "unanimously." They should give him two. Or an oversized trophy.

http://twitter.com/sportsguy33/status/11012603783

[Austin]

Amare Stoudemire

Think about it...

[prekazi]

bill simmons

LeBron deserves to win the MVP by something stronger than "unanimously." They should give him two. Or an oversized trophy.

http://twitter.com/sportsguy33/status/11012603783

Truth!

[deadstock_bM]

Amare Stoudemire

Think about it...

Oh my god, your sig. When the hell...