MVP Watch 2008... Part 3.

[prekazi]

LOL@Kobe fans complaining from haters. Kind of ironic..

MVP RACE

1-CHRIS PAUL %50.1 KOBE BRYANT %49.9

Yeah it's that close. Exciting! I guess Kobe will win at the end. Gotta show some respect to the best player who hasn't won MVP.

Sympathy Votes: Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard, LeBron James

[Tesla]

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How did Kobe move up after doing almost nothing as his team nearly blew a 25 point lead?

way to twist it quite a bit man...

How the hell did they get the lead in the first place?

hmmm, I know it *looks* a lot more impressive when a player has a good performance at the very end of a game (clutch), but the game is 48minutes long.

Kobe had a pretty good game on the road, he was getting doubled at the end, but he did miss some free-throws in the game that he probably shouldn't have.

Anyways, Kobe+Lakers winning 1 of these 4games of hell without Pau is good enough for me to keep him in that 2man race with Chris Paul.

They did afterall beat the 2nd best home team in the league....

[spurket]

KG or CP3.

Nowitzki won't win but is still more deserving than Kobe.

PER
Nowitzki > Kobe

On court/Off court Net +/-
Nowitzki > Kobe

Clutch stats
Nowitzki > Kobe

[Big Bird]

KG or CP3.

Nowitzki won't win but is still more deserving than Kobe.

PER
Nowitzki > Kobe

On court/Off court Net +/-
Nowitzki > Kobe

Clutch stats
Nowitzki > Kobe

What? Anyway, that's an awfully selective way to choose the MVP. Not to mention that your second sentence is laughable. Dirk? I mean... seriously?

[INKtastic]

Dirk doesn't have better clutch stats than Kobe - and that part really isn't close. Kobe has been the 2nd best clutch player in the league this year.

[JDawg]

No, I didn't even read the reacap, I watched the last 4 minutes - I turned it on when the score was getting close. Kobe let them take him out of the game while they came back. The 3rd time in the last couple of weeks I watched Kobe do little down the stretch of what was a close game. First time of the 3 times they were able to get a win, partly because Dallas made bad decisions once they cut it to 4.

And Kobe had 20 points at halftime, was at 24/7/2 when they went up by 25 with 5:43 left in the 3rd. He scored all of 5 points the rest of the way, had no rebounds and no assists.

Kobe's play during the comeback. 5 points on 2-6 shooting including an airball, 1-2 from the line, 2 fouls, a turnover.

I've seen MVP candidates lead teams back from down 20+ points, it's pretty rare to see them on the wrong end of the near comeback.

LJ,

brother you GOTTA stop the hate.

ITS LBJ and kobe as the two best best players in the game BY FAR.

people keep talking about paul as one of the best. he's not. period. and here's the reason: i was mentioning to my friend the other day off one simple play that kobe had in the houston game. it was a rather simple play really.

kobe went in to the teeth of the defense right below ft line. Drew abou 4 guys and instead of passing, took the shot over the D and missed it. not a difficult shot. But i remember thinking to myself, a pg would have passed that to the open shooter.

in this case there were literally TWO open shooters because of the D kobe drew. So what's this all about?

Basically, this: \kobe or lebron can get an open shot for a teammate better than any pg EVER in a halfcourt set.

who you think would generate more attetnion when they get in the paint: kobe/lebron OR Chris paul?

kobe and lebron are the two most lethal and feared scorers in the game. Entire defenses collapse to deny them baskets. if they wnated to, they could LITERALLY get in the paint every possession of every half court sequence and get someone an open look JUST like a pg. But they dont because that's not how their team uses them. At least not kobe...dont know about lebron as much.

Chew on that one for a mintue folks. kobe or lebron doesnt EVEN NEED a pick to get into the paint. They jsut ake their man into he paint and have 3 guys converge. if they were of the mind to do NOTHING but set up a teammate for a score, they could do it all night better than any pg known to man. That doenst mean they can run a break or have better vision. NOT by any means. But in the halfcourt, where the pg's goal is to get into the paint and create havoc to create someone an open shot....WHO could do it better than \kobe or lebron IF that's what thye wnated to do???

And with that, LBJ, you gotta stop bashing KOBE.

The lakers were leading by 22 with 3 minutes left inteh 3rd. kobe picked up his fourth foul. sat for the final 3 minutes of the 3rd and the lakers got outscored by 10. Then he came in the fourth and the lead stayed at 10 for about he whole quarter. mavs couldnt get it back with kboe on the floor. ONLY with him off it.

Then he injured himself with about 4 minutes left. So, he did the smart thing and let his teammates try and close it out with a 10 point lead.

he was being doubled 35 feet from the hoop, upon the catch. if that odenst tell you how anemic the team is, i dont know what is. WHAT TEAM can afford to double a player that hard 35 feet from the hoop because they are THAT scared of that player killing them.

NO ONE EXCEPT KOBE AND LEBRON. So, my point is, im not sure why kobe and lebron fans kill each other when both are BY FAR the two most prolific players in the game by far and quite frankly, with great teammates around both, they become VIRTUALLY unbeatable.

So to criticize kobe for having the most anemic of teammates like \luke Walton, or Fisher, etc. is beyond ridiculous.

I mean walton, fisher etc.....jeezus...these guys are train wrekcs. Vlad's a train wreck usually too. The defense is usually pathetic as these guys cant guard a paper bag. Farmar has hit the wall. DJ Mbenga is a reject of other teams. A refugee! we got nine guys healthy. you know somethign about this man!!!

Sasha and Fisher missed crucual ft's each that would have made it a 4 point game instead of a 2 point game.

how can kobe be constantly berated for trying to carry scrubs. how can the same be done of lebron.

teams dont understnad how great they have it.

im freaking telling you, you give kobe and lebron great supporting casts, kind of like kobe has when even ONE of his bigs are healthy and all of sudden they become nearly unbeatable, routinely blowing teams out.

All either guy needs is ONE other great player and its over for the league.

its kobe vs. lebron in the finals. So fans of both guys gotta STOP attacking eachother.

seriously!!!!

[eatyourchildren]

Dirk doesn't have better clutch stats than Kobe - and that part really isn't close. Kobe has been the 2nd best clutch player in the league this year.

Re: The Game

You're looking at it too much like a one-game context. Even if I were to agree with you that he wasn't good in the 4th quarter (and I don't),
did you notice Kobe's demeanor that 4th?

No panic, no frustration. He was a team player. He passed out of early doubles, which in the triangle can be better than trying to dribble out of it. He had a hot Radmanovic to punish teams if they chose to do so. It also got Lamar to attack the basket that way too.

It's like that quote I posted earlier that nobody really wanted to respond to: Kobe makes plays happen by making the defenders overload the strong-side.

He saw a 25 point lead dwindle to 12 when he was on the bench for THREE MINUTES. And when he came back he forced maybe 2 shots. If you want to knock him for riding his teammates, you can. But as a Lakers fan, I love this evolution of Kobe Bryant.

[Jules Winnfield]

In my book, a near comeback is not a comeback.

Before the Lakers came into Dallas, Dallas was 29-4 on their home floor. We the Lakers left, they were 29-5. That is an 88% win percentage.

Kobe went in there and got them up by 25, on that home floor. He built up enough of a cushion so that the Lakers could win.

Kobe has played like a MVP all season and they are tied for the best record in the West. Kobe's the MVP. I don't understand any of the arguments against him.

Paul's team has been at full strength all year. At NO POINT has Paul played on a team that is worst in talent than Kobe's. At NO POINT has Bynum and Gasol played together and Kobe's still lead his team to the best record.

Dallas and Phoenix stuggled integrating two great players. Kobe helps Pau blend right in.

The guys does EVERYTHING you want in an MVP and still some people are so blinded by hate they bring up dumb arguments against him.

[C'mon Cavs]

In my book, a near comeback is not a comeback.

Before the Lakers came into Dallas, Dallas was 29-4 on their home floor. We the Lakers left, they were 29-5. That is an 88% win percentage.

Kobe went in there and got them up by 25, on that home floor. He built up enough of a cushion so that the Lakers could win.

Kobe has played like a MVP all season and they are tied for the best record in the West. Kobe's the MVP. I don't understand any of the arguments against him.

Paul's team has been at full strength all year. At NO POINT has Paul played on a team that is worst in talent than Kobe's. At NO POINT has Bynum and Gasol played together and Kobe's still lead his team to the best record.

Dallas and Phoenix stuggled integrating two great players. Kobe helps Pau blend right in.

The guys does EVERYTHING you want in an MVP and still some people are so blinded by hate they bring up dumb arguments against him.

Well, those are different situations to compare. Dallas and Phoenix both had to give up major parts of their team to get Kidd and Shaq. The Lakers gave up basically nothing and got a player who fit their team very well.

[Andrew Bynasty]

And Kobe had 20 points at halftime, was at 24/7/2 when they went up by 25 with 5:43 left in the 3rd. He scored all of 5 points the rest of the way, had no rebounds and no assists.

Kobe's play during the comeback. 5 points on 2-6 shooting including an airball, 1-2 from the line, 2 fouls, a turnover.

I've seen MVP candidates lead teams back from down 20+ points, it's pretty rare to see them on the wrong end of the near comeback.

You haters are unreal. The Lakers took a 25pt lead (mainly due to superb play by Kobe) agaisnt A 29-4 HOME TEAM and they did it without Bynum, Gasol, Mihm and Ariza...

And all you can do is complain about Kobe after he came back into the game?
Kobe shouldnt even have had to come back into that game.

The Lakers managed to score 1 point in the 3 minutes Kobe sat. 1 point.

And they still won. Let me repeat.

The Lakers beat the 2nd best home team in the league last night without their #2 and #3 best players... And they were up by 25 at one point.

You are un-freakin-belivable.

[Andrew Bynasty]

Nowitzki won't win but is still more deserving than Kobe.

This is downright laughable...

[Milan24]

[quote="LABallaz08"][/quote]
Actually, the Jazz are the best home team in the league. BTW, I agree with what you said.

[Dirk_diggler_41]

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Shaq lost votes because he had Kobe on his team. It's the same issue KG faces this year with Pierce as a teammate. It's hard to give MVP to a guy who's team can still dominate without him.

No, it is hard to give an MVP to a player who hasn't had a really great year.
KG's season is nowhere near as good as Shaq's from the early 2000's.

[Datruth345]

KG
Chris Paul
Lebron
Kobe

[Dirk_diggler_41]

KG
Chris Paul
Lebron
Kobe

Since KG's and Pierce's stats are pretty similar and Pierce has played in more games, what is the logic of giving the award to KG over Pierce?

Though neither deserves the award! I am not saying that team success should not be a factor; it just shouldn't be the only factor.

[G35]

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Well, those are different situations to compare. Dallas and Phoenix both had to give up major parts of their team to get Kidd and Shaq. The Lakers gave up basically nothing and got a player who fit their team very well.

As much as everyone knows Kwame sucks he was the Lakers starting C after Bynum went down. He was the starting C all last year.

Does everyone remember how hard it is to learn the triangle offense? Just because you put a talented player on a team doesn't mean everything just blends together. Kobe improved Gasols game. Gasol is now a 58% shooter after never shooting better than 54% his career.

If Bynum never goes down the Lakers would not have fallen off the #1 spot. They would have a 4 or 5 game cushion. Since December the Lakers were 16-3. It wouldn't even be close right now.

Bynum has played 35 games this year.
Gasol has played 19 games for the Lakers

I would like to see Kobe win but being impartial would help these discussions. Right now I do see it between Paul and Kobe. Paul has been stuck on awesome for a while now. I wouldn't complain if the season ended today and Paul won. But Kobe has been just as valuable and has a legitimate case.

You can tell there are some people that just want somebody, ANYBODY but Kobe to win. Begging. People that aren't even Hornets fans are pulling for Paul just so Kobe doesn't win.

Everytime there is a Laker game the amount of messages concerning Kobe is bigger than for any other player........

[Datruth345]

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Since KG's and Pierce's stats are pretty similar and Pierce has played in more games, what is the logic of giving the award to KG over Pierce?

Though neither deserves the award! I am not saying that team success should not be a factor; it just shouldn't be the only factor.

fine if you insist...

KG
Pierce
Chris Paul
Lebron
Kobe

no bust seriously

but you can't look at boxscores and stats to determine the MVP, thats just not how you determine the award. so while Pierce and KG have similar numbers, and Pierce has been playing MVP level basketball these last 2 games. KG is the MVP, i don't really know how you want me to defend that, his play has spoken for itself this year

[Dirk_diggler_41]

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fine if you insist...

KG
Pierce
Chris Paul
Lebron
Kobe

no bust seriously

but you can't look at boxscores and stats to determine the MVP, thats just not how you determine the award. so while Pierce and KG have similar numbers, and Pierce has been playing MVP level basketball these last 2 games. KG is the MVP, i don't really know how you want me to defend that, his play has spoken for itself this year

What makes you think I haven

[Andrew Bynasty]

How can you have the top 2 MOST VALUABLE players be on the same team? That makes 0 sense. And if you take out the first 3 seasons of KG's career, he's averaging career lows in almost every single category. (ppg, rpg, apg, bpg) And despite having an unreal amount of talent around him, his team is only 8 games ahead of the Lakers... And the Celtics went 8-2 without Garnett.

This is clearly a race between CP3 and Kobe. I dont think anyone else is even close anymore. LeBron's stats are ridiculous, but his team is gonna win about 45-47 games.

[Dirk_diggler_41]

And if you take out the first 3 seasons of KG's career, he's averaging career lows in almost every single category. (ppg, rpg, apg, bpg) And despite having an unreal amount of talent around him, his team is only 8 games ahead of the Lakers... And the Celtics went 8-2 without Garnett.

Canned Response: STATS AREN'T EVERYTHING! STATS LIE! STATS RAPED MY MOTHER!