Why is Paul George named as a 3rd candidate for 2019 MVP award ahead of Jokic?

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Who should be the third candidate for 2019 MVP award together with Giannis and Harden?

Paul George
44
26%
Nikola Jokic
104
62%
Kevin Durant
6
4%
under-65 games Kawhi or Embiid
8
5%
other
7
4%
 
Total votes: 169

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Re: Why is Paul George named as a 3rd candidate for 2019 MVP award ahead of Jokic or Durant? 

Post#21 » by neo515 » Sat May 18, 2019 4:51 am

Optms wrote:KD actually sacrificed the chemistry of the team in order to obtain that elite production to get into the MVP race. Making it seem as if the rest of the team had regressed and he was now their savior. It was all a farce.

Don't believe? Check on Golden State after post injury. Destroying elite teams left and right.

KD is the real joke here. Not Paul George.


What are you talking about "destroying elite teams left and right"? They've played three games since KD got injured, barely winning two in the last minutes. It's obvious that GS isn't nearly as strong without KD, and they won't be favored against the Bucks unless he returns healthy. They may be more fun to watch, but this team isn't scaring anyone without Durant.
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Re: Why is Paul George named as a 3rd candidate for 2019 MVP award ahead of Jokic or Durant? 

Post#22 » by RunOKC » Sat May 18, 2019 4:55 am

Because he got more votes.
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Re: Why is Paul George named as a 3rd candidate for 2019 MVP award ahead of Jokic or Durant? 

Post#23 » by Optms » Sat May 18, 2019 4:59 am

neo515 wrote:
Optms wrote:KD actually sacrificed the chemistry of the team in order to obtain that elite production to get into the MVP race. Making it seem as if the rest of the team had regressed and he was now their savior. It was all a farce.

Don't believe? Check on Golden State after post injury. Destroying elite teams left and right.

KD is the real joke here. Not Paul George.


What are you talking about "destroying elite teams left and right"? They've played three games since KD got injured, barely winning two in the last minutes. It's obvious that GS isn't nearly as strong without KD, and they won't be favored against the Bucks unless he returns healthy. They may be more fun to watch, but this team isn't scaring anyone without Durant.


4-0 Since KD went down.

Against the "only team that can beat the Warriors" and now making the Blazers look like cupcakes. The same team that the Nuggets took to 7 and the same team that demolished the Thunder.

Facts remain. The Warriors are undefeated without KD and their record (not just this post season but in general) without him just proves my point. I know exactly what I'm talking about. What are YOU talking about?
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Re: Why is Paul George named as a 3rd candidate for 2019 MVP award ahead of Jokic or Durant? 

Post#24 » by dabonett » Sat May 18, 2019 5:01 am

Why not pre-season mvp?
Mvp is definitely a minor award. Real superstars want to win the ring, not a second round exit
Real individual award should be playoff Mvp.
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Re: Why is Paul George named as a 3rd candidate for 2019 MVP award ahead of Jokic or Durant? 

Post#25 » by NBAFan93 » Sat May 18, 2019 5:07 am

THE J0KER wrote:
ken6199 wrote:One thing though OP, if OKC didn't overhaul that -15 deficit, Denver would have dropped to 3rd, one game from 4th.

I guess it's all momentum based. PG's January and Feburary performance were unparalled by any month from Jokic, I even say it's right up there with Harden's historical December-Feburary run because PG was elite on defense too. The voters value those months over Jokic's consistency.

Also, Denver got blown out by their bad matchup (Houston) but PG drilled that buzz beater on Houston on the final day also shifted some weights. I have PG 3rd, though by a hair.
Talking about matchups isn't Denver-Oklahoma 4-0 should be more relevant for this discussion? BTW George stats in January are 30-8-4, but Jokic January numbers are also awesome 25-12-8, with better W-L record, so it is not like George outclassed him like you suggesting.


Well, if you’re going to go there w/ the records, I believe OKC was 3-1 against Houston and 2-0 against Milwaukee. Or does that only matter for the 3rd place candidate? Plus, PG was playing injured for the third of the season and still finished w/ great numbers - second in the league in scoring and first in steals.
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Re: Why is Paul George named as a 3rd candidate for 2019 MVP award ahead of Jokic or Durant? 

Post#26 » by mtron929 » Sat May 18, 2019 5:14 am

In general, people tend to be impressed by an overachieving season. Moreover, these players (often) are not judged by some objective standard but a standard based on their past seasons. So we know that Paul George is a good player and he had probably his best season. And for some people, there is a bonus point that comes with this. I disagree with this, and this type of a mindset unfairly penalizes the all time greats such as Lebron James and Michael Jordan who are not compared to other players when it comes to the MVP race but to their past performances.

So if someone like Lebron James had a season that is on par with Paul George's 18-19 season, people would be heavily disappointed and there is no way that Lebron would be considered top 3 in the MVP votes. However, people expect less from Paul George so they want to compensate his overachieving achievement.
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Re: Why is Paul George named as a 3rd candidate for 2019 MVP award ahead of Jokic or Durant? 

Post#27 » by THE J0KER » Sat May 18, 2019 5:15 am

ken6199 wrote:
THE J0KER wrote:
ken6199 wrote:One thing though OP, if OKC didn't overhaul that -15 deficit, Denver would have dropped to 3rd, one game from 4th.

I guess it's all momentum based. PG's January and Feburary performance were unparalled by any month from Jokic, I even say it's right up there with Harden's historical December-Feburary run because PG was elite on defense too. The voters value those months over Jokic's consistency.

Also, Denver got blown out by their bad matchup (Houston) but PG drilled that buzz beater on Houston on the final day also shifted some weights. I have PG 3rd, though by a hair.
Talking about matchups isn't Denver-Oklahoma 4-0 should be more relevant for this discussion? BTW George stats in January are 30-8-4, but Jokic January numbers are also awesome 25-12-8, with better W-L record, so it is not like George outclassed him like you suggesting.

Thats just how voters look at it I guess. PG has that heroic feeling of carrying the team with his wingman MVP guard playing like crap, and he carried them until his shoulder broke down.That's a lot of momentum over Jokic at that point. Remember around the ASB people ranked PG above Harden in the mvp race? I think if Jokic's overall play was more March/April heavy, or that stretch of Jokic carrying the team through injuries on various teammates had happened later in the season instead of December, he would have gone ahead. Plus, PG's team (before the playoff started) was primed to be one of the two major threats to dethrone the Warriors with PG being their best player. All those little things mattered narrative wise.
I can't agree, because perception is that Jokic, Giannis, Harden, LeBron, Davis and Kawhi carried about their teams as lone stars unlike Durant/Curry, George, Embiid, which have support of co-star teammates. So that criteria was in Jokic favor too.

You say that at the time of ASG some experts gives advantage to George even ahead of Harden, but at the time Houston was #6 and Oklahoma was #3, but at the end of the season it was opposite.

Also, I don't think George amazing recovery story should have to do anything with this nomination. After all, in meantime he played already 4 all-star games after comeback.
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Re: Why is Paul George named as a 3rd candidate for 2019 MVP award ahead of Jokic or Durant? 

Post#28 » by WarriorGM » Sat May 18, 2019 5:20 am

Media awards are for marketing purposes. The NBA feels it can sell Paul George easier than it can sell Nikola Jokic.
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Re: Why is Paul George named as a 3rd candidate for 2019 MVP award ahead of Jokic or Durant? 

Post#29 » by THE J0KER » Sat May 18, 2019 5:24 am

dabonett wrote:Why not pre-season mvp?
Mvp is definitely a minor award. Real superstars want to win the ring, not a second round exit
Real individual award should be playoff Mvp.
In reality MVP is not minor award but most important and most prestigious individual award in NBA, and even being nominated as TOP3 contender is notable career achievement.
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Re: Why is Paul George named as a 3rd candidate for 2019 MVP award ahead of Jokic or Durant? 

Post#30 » by Atmanne » Sat May 18, 2019 5:25 am

Don't recall anyone who had Durant in their top 3.
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Re: Why is Paul George named as a 3rd candidate for 2019 MVP award ahead of Jokic or Durant? 

Post#31 » by GSP » Sat May 18, 2019 5:26 am

Jokic and Lillard shouldve finished higher than George. He was on a tear for a while but he fell off after
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Re: Why is Paul George named as a 3rd candidate for 2019 MVP award ahead of Jokic or Durant? 

Post#32 » by kobe_vs_jordan » Sat May 18, 2019 5:35 am

Never understood why media determined decided this award.
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Re: Why is Paul George named as a 3rd candidate for 2019 MVP award ahead of Jokic or Durant? 

Post#33 » by Frank Dux » Sat May 18, 2019 5:37 am

George had a great year but it just doesn't feel right putting him up there with Harden and Giannis. Those guys were on another level.

I don't think George is worthy of being in the discussion as OKC finished sixth in their conference. Jokic is the lone star on a team that finished 2nd in the western conference. In terms of value, Jokic wins over Paul George quite easily.

Jokic isn't getting love because his game isn't sexy.
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Re: Why is Paul George named as a 3rd candidate for 2019 MVP award ahead of Jokic or Durant? 

Post#34 » by NBAFan93 » Sat May 18, 2019 5:50 am

Just noticed Durant in the title of this thread - that’s ridiculous. The vast majority of his teams loses were at a time when he was leading them w/o Steph.
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Re: Why is Paul George named as a 3rd candidate for 2019 MVP award ahead of Jokic or Durant? 

Post#35 » by Woodsanity » Sat May 18, 2019 6:42 am

PG was not as good or impactful as Jokic in the RS. Just goes to show how incompetent these voters are. Its not even close to be frank.
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Re: Why is Paul George named as a 3rd candidate for 2019 MVP award ahead of Jokic or Durant? 

Post#36 » by Rauxcee » Sat May 18, 2019 6:45 am

The award has always been voted on. It stands to reason that the reason George is the third candidate is because he received the third highest amount of votes.

Of course whether you agree with the voters is probably what the discussion is about.
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Re: Why is Paul George named as a 3rd candidate for 2019 MVP award ahead of Jokic or Durant? 

Post#37 » by Plossum » Sat May 18, 2019 7:20 am

George was pretty amazing up until his injury. It feels a bit semantics to me whether Jokic or George is 3/4. It’s gonna come down to Giannis or Harden and everyone knows it. Who cares who came third and fourth? Can anyone tell me who did last year without looking it up? I sure as hell cannot.
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Re: Why is Paul George named as a 3rd candidate for 2019 MVP award ahead of Jokic or Durant? 

Post#38 » by Sark » Sat May 18, 2019 7:37 am

Paul George 5.72 RAPM, 3rd overall

Nikola Jokic 2.23 RAPM, 46th overall
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Re: Why is Paul George named as a 3rd candidate for 2019 MVP award ahead of Jokic or Durant? 

Post#39 » by Sark » Sat May 18, 2019 7:38 am

Wasabi_Johnson wrote:Never understood why media determined decided this award.



Who else should do it? Do you want to go back to players voting? I don't think that would be the best idea.
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Re: Why is Paul George named as a 3rd candidate for 2019 MVP award ahead of Jokic or Durant? 

Post#40 » by Dupp » Sat May 18, 2019 8:28 am

Well both Joker and PG deserved it over KD.


But yeah I don’t really see any reason for PG over Joker.... pre injury sure but he didn’t finish the season strong.

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