MVP Watch 2008... Part 3.

[MT1983]

I just wish the Hornets were on the tube more. Who outside of a Laker fan doesn't get sick of the Lakers 2-3 times a week? We need more Chris Paul. Dude is just special. Dwight Howard is another guy I'd like to see more of without having to have the league pass.

[CB4MiamiHeat]

I love watching Kobe and the Lakers..but i agree we need more Hornets, and like i said its probably hurting his chances........tho after today he might pick up some steam.

[Nebroc]

I just wish the Hornets were on the tube more. Who outside of a Laker fan doesn't get sick of the Lakers 2-3 times a week? We need more Chris Paul. Dude is just special. Dwight Howard is another guy I'd like to see more of without having to have the league pass.

Agreed. Dwight and Paul are two guys that I definitally think need to get on TV more often. Seems like every other day it's the heat and lakers! Anyways, Paul deserves MVP.

[JusBus32]

I still take Kobe.

[shobe_81]

Are u guys kidding me?

Lebron is the one who gets so many damn tube games and just about as much does Wade!

Look at Cavs five straight game stretch coming starting April 3:
vs Chicago TNT
vs Orlando ESPN
vs New Jersey ESPN
@ Chicago ESPN2
vs Miami ABC

[MT1983]

Are u guys kidding me?

Lebron is the one who gets so many damn tube games and just about as much does Wade!

Look at Cavs five straight game stretch coming starting April 3:
vs Chicago TNT
vs Orlando ESPN
vs New Jersey ESPN
@ Chicago ESPN2
vs Miami ABC

You're right. I get sick of Lebron as well. I admit I didn't realize they had that many nationally televised games coming up.

[Nebroc]

That's even worse because the Cavs are so horrid to watch.

[HarlemHeat37]

Chris Paul really has to win MVP..

[shobe_81]

If Hornets finish strong, It should be Paul no doubt!

[MT1983]

Paul's post all-star break numbers: fg% 53.6%, 3pt% 44.2%, ft% 85.1, ppg 24.4, apg 12.4, spg 3.1. And these numbers do not include tonight's explosion. Hornets are 10-5 since the break.

I'm done slurping Paul for the night.

[RobertGlory]

tonight was a game we ABSOLUTELY had to have, as it was the only "break" in our SA-LAL-@DET-CHI-HOU-BOS-@IND-@CLE-@BOS-@TOR-@ORL stretch.

[eatyourchildren]

This is a non-sequitur from all the MVP talk, but I just wanted to point out ways in which Kobe's "better ball" has been expressed in games even though it doesn't translate into stats or PER. And this is even in a losing effort against the Rockets.

(From http://20secondtimeout.blogspot.com/)

"Although Bryant attempted a lot of shots, it was also clear throughout the game that he was trying to involve Mbenga and others in the offense...Bryant made several great passes to Mbenga, Vladimir Radmanovic and others that sometimes did not even result in shot attempts after the recipient bobbled the ball.fter Mbenga mishandled passes from Bryant on consecutive first half possessions, Mark Jackson said, "I understand the unselfishness of Kobe Bryant but those last two plays have to be shot attempts. The Rockets would prefer Mbenga taking shots as opposed to Bryant.""

"Early in the second quarter, Ronny Turiaf caught a lob from Jordan Farmar and dunked the ball. Van Gundy immediately said, "You know who made that play? Kobe Bryant. He was on the other post and Shane Battier did not want to leave him to come and help. That's where greatness stands out even when you don't have the ball." On the opening possession of the fourth quarter, the Lakers ran a similar play: Farmar dribbled the ball up the court and Bryant flashed into the left block. Farmar passed to Luke Walton, who acted like he was going to feed the ball to Bryant. Instead, Farmar cut off of a back pick set by Turiaf and caught a lob from Walton for an easy hoop. The back side was completely empty because the defense was focused on Bryant."

Yes, the players around Bryant have gotten better, but that has a lot to do with Bryant, even though there are people here who would rather not give him credit.

Look at what happens when you give Bryant just one all-star (Pau), or even just a future all-star (Bynum). No star, like LeBron is learning this year, can truly do it on his own. But make no mistake, Bryant IS responsible for the play of those around him. Instead of making it seem like Bynum or Pau is the reason for success, how about thinking about those guys as enabling Kobe to kick it up another gear.[/i]

[mkot]

Chris Paul really has to win MVP..

If I had a vote he'd probably get mine too, but I don't...just don't let Kobe win over this kid. Amazing how good he is now, and how good he could be.

The Hornets are now 45-21, and look who his supporting cast is: the second-best player on that team is David West...the same David West who was beat by Boris Diaw for the Most Improved Player award in '05-'06. He's been hurt lately as well, and he didn't play tonight. His starting lineup tonight included Peja Stojakovic and Tyson Chandler...as well as Morris Peterson and Ryan freain' Bowen. I know it's against the lowly Bulls (and CP3 had to play 42 minutes) but still.

There's really only a few guys who merit consideration:

Chris Paul
LeBron James
Kobe Bryant
Kevin Garnett
Dwight Howard

McGrady, Duncan, and Nowitski fall in with the players in the next tier.

The things in Paul's favor are that he's clearly the best player on a team with some mediocre supporting cast, and probably the best point guard in the league, he plays both ends of the court very well, and his improvement has lead a formerly mediocre team into the league's elite teams. As of now, I think he clearly IS the MVP.

[Doctor MJ]

the second-best player on that team is David West...the same David West who was beat by Boris Diaw for the Most Improved Player award in '05-'06.

What kind of an argument is that? You gonna knock every player who has failed to win MIP or just the guys who finished 2nd?

[fadinaway]

His starting lineup tonight included Peja Stojakovic and Tyson Chandler...as well as Morris Peterson and Ryan freain' Bowen

Is that much worse than Fisher, Radmanovic, Odom and Turiaf..if not better?

If NO finishes better than LA, I'd accept Paul getting it but it's not like the guy is playing with scrubs. Don't forget Bonzi, Pargo and Wright off the bench and West starting when healthy..

That lineup is arguably better than LA's without Bynum and Ariza. It's certainly more diverse and not filled with one-dimensional shooters who play no defense..

[mkot]

-= original quote snipped =-



What kind of an argument is that? You gonna knock every player who has failed to win MIP or just the guys who finished 2nd?

Heh, not really an argument, just a personal feeling. I'm just bitter that the guy I'd rather have over David West two years ago isn't performing up to his potential for my team right now.

[og15]

None of these guys we're talking about have "bad" teams. Wright is okay, he's not neccesarily a player that one can start mentioning as "good" though, he's alright. Pargo also is just an alright player at best too. 40% FG, 33% 3PT (usually higher) a little scoring and a little dishing, but nothing special in either area, or in defense of efficiency.

Isn't Chris Paul doing something like breaking multiple efficiency records for PG's, even those set by Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson? I think he is. The guy has just been insane, I can't phathom how Nash got so much hype when he won MVP, and Chris Paul isn't getting the same even though he's playing better and on both ends.

[NO-KG-AI]

Chris has the highest PER ever recorded by a PG, 40th all time or something like that.

We have a good team, anyone who thinks the Hornets squad is mediocre is kidding themselves. Chris is tremendous, but we have a solid squad, and we are only growing stronger because Julian Wright is really stepping up.

[mkot]

His starting lineup tonight included Peja Stojakovic and Tyson Chandler...as well as Morris Peterson and Ryan freain' Bowen

Is that much worse than Fisher, Radmanovic, Odom and Turiaf..if not better?

If NO finishes better than LA, I'd accept Paul getting it but it's not like the guy is playing with scrubs. Don't forget Bonzi, Pargo and Wright off the bench and West starting when healthy..

That lineup is arguably better than LA's without Bynum and Ariza. It's certainly more diverse and not filled with one-dimensional shooters who play no defense..

I didn't say Kobe doesn't deserve it or Paul has a bad team (I said FORMERLY mediocre base on the fact that they were a lottery team last season with him out most of the season), but when healthy, the Lakers team clearly has a better supporting casts than what the Hornets have and I'm not even counting Bynum.

[INKtastic]

last year the hornets has an injury plagued season similar to what the cavs are facing this year. It wasn't just Paul that was out.