2012-13 Player of the Year Discussion Thread

TheChosen618 · Post #461 » by **TheChosen618** » Fri Jun 21, 2013 3:40 pm

Dr Positivity wrote:1. Lebron James
2. Kevin Durant
3. Chris Paul
4. Marc Gasol
5. Tony Parker

After this playoff run, I am thinking of putting Duncan over Gasol.

My top 5 is....

1. Lebron
2. Durant
3. CP3
4. Duncan
5. George

The playoffs changed the #4 and #5 spot for me completely. When the regular season ended, I was thinking of putting Harden, Melo, Kobe, or Wade on those spots. Due to how they all massively underachieved (except Kobe because he didn't play), I couldn't put them for either #4 or #5.

Curry was impressive against the Nuggets but the Nuggets aren't much of a defensive team. When they played an elite/impressive defense in the Spurs, Curry wasn't playing at that high of a level anymore. It mainly changed when the Spurs put Danny Green on him.

Vinsanity420 · Post #462 » by **Vinsanity420** » Fri Jun 21, 2013 5:08 pm

Gasol's offense isn't as good as Duncan's, and the defensive advantage is not enough to make up for it.

Post #463 » by **bondom34** » Fri Jun 21, 2013 5:28 pm

Dr Positivity wrote:1. Lebron James
2. Kevin Durant
3. Chris Paul
4. Marc Gasol
5. Tony Parker

Was just going to post exactly this, except I flipped 4 and 5 (its close at that point though). Honorable mention/next 5 in no order:
Kobe, Harden, Curry, Melo, Duncan

HeartBreakKid · Post #464 » by **HeartBreakKid** » Fri Jun 21, 2013 5:45 pm

I think Paul George being thrusted into the top 5 is absurd, and I don't use the word absurd just to be cute. His offense really isn't anything special, I don't even see the argument on how Paul George is better than Duncan, Garnett or Gasol who are all superior to him defensively (well the argument would be minutes played for some of them but just saying).

therealbig3 · Post #465 » by **therealbig3** » Fri Jun 21, 2013 8:16 pm

1. LeBron
2. Durant
3. CP3
4. Curry
5. Gasol

Really don't understand the case for Parker...at all. He wasn't even top 3 at his own position this year. CP3, Deron, and Curry were better. If Westbrook and Kyrie were healthier, I'd have taken them over Parker too.

Post #466 » by **bondom34** » Fri Jun 21, 2013 8:24 pm

therealbig3 wrote:1. LeBron
2. Durant
3. CP3
4. Curry
5. Gasol

Really don't understand the case for Parker...at all. He wasn't even top 3 at his own position this year. CP3, Deron, and Curry were better. If Westbrook and Kyrie were healthier, I'd have taken them over Parker too.

Facoring in making the Finals, it was tight with other PGs, and I think the postseason run put him ahead slightly. Curry for me was right there, and Williams was a slow starter that came on later in the year, plus lack of postseason success factored in. I don't get George in the top 5 though as HBK said, he was basically the same in RS and PS, and was just on a bigger stage against MIA and NYK with a few big games, which I think moved opinions.

Vinsanity420 · Post #467 » by **Vinsanity420** » Fri Jun 21, 2013 8:56 pm

1. LeBron
2. KD
3. Paul
4. Curry
5. Duncan

In the end, I am digging the big fundamental for #5. Calm, cool approach to the game, and phenomenal in the final 2 road games of the series. I was debating his value on offense, but now I am comfortable enough to place him at 5, ahead of Gasol.

Vinsanity420 · Post #468 » by **Vinsanity420** » Fri Jun 21, 2013 9:02 pm

And George is being considered Top 5 because... weak year at the 4/5 spots. If this were 2006, George/Gasol/Duncan/Parker aren't remotely being considered.

TheChosen618 · Post #469 » by **TheChosen618** » Sat Jun 22, 2013 6:21 am

Vinsanity420 wrote:And George is being considered Top 5 because... weak year at the 4/5 spots. If this were 2006, George/Gasol/Duncan/Parker aren't remotely being considered.

Pretty much.... too many great offensive perimeter players faltered in the playoffs too like Melo, Harden, Wade, etc. George on the other hand was pretty good in the post-season. Even when he was struggling with his scoring, he was still able to make an imprint with his defense which is something none of those perimeter guys except Wade could do.

Mutnt · Post #470 » by **Mutnt** » Sat Jun 22, 2013 12:36 pm

1. LeBron
2. Durant
3. CP3
4. Duncan
5. Parker

I'm comfortable with that.

ronnymac2 · Post #471 » by **ronnymac2** » Sat Jun 22, 2013 6:15 pm

When does official voting begin?

Post #472 » by **Doctor MJ** » Sun Jun 23, 2013 1:47 am

ronnymac2 wrote:When does official voting begin?

In the next couple days I'm going to go through to assemble a first pass list of voters. I may add a few more after that because I've been too busy to really publicize this like normal. Once I've got that list, I'll make the Voting thread which will stand for 1 week, and then I'll tally.

Post #473 » by **Doctor MJ** » Sun Jun 23, 2013 1:52 am

Vinsanity420 wrote:And George is being considered Top 5 because... weak year at the 4/5 spots. If this were 2006, George/Gasol/Duncan/Parker aren't remotely being considered.

The thing for me is that I don't know if I see a non-big getting anywhere near the Top 5 without being excellent on offense. The Pacers handed George far greater primacy this year so his stats look vaguely star-ish, but he was inefficient and the offense fell from well above average to well below average. I look at him and I see potential on that front, but for the moment, I don't know how terribly impressed I am.

And I do have to ask:

Would you be voting George this high if his team had played worse in the playoffs?
Wasn't Hibbert the MVP of the Pacers in the playoffs?

Post #474 » by **bondom34** » Sun Jun 23, 2013 2:10 am

Doctor MJ wrote:
Vinsanity420 wrote:And George is being considered Top 5 because... weak year at the 4/5 spots. If this were 2006, George/Gasol/Duncan/Parker aren't remotely being considered.

The thing for me is that I don't know if I see a non-big getting anywhere near the Top 5 without being excellent on offense. The Pacers handed George far greater primacy this year so his stats look vaguely star-ish, but he was inefficient and the offense fell from well above average to well below average. I look at him and I see potential on that front, but for the moment, I don't know how terribly impressed I am.

And I do have to ask:

Would you be voting George this high if his team had played worse in the playoffs?
Wasn't Hibbert the MVP of the Pacers in the playoffs?

To me this was the main reason he's not, and probably not really even top 10.

Narigo · Post #475 » by **Narigo** » Sun Jun 23, 2013 5:28 am

1. LeBron James
2. Kevin Durant
3. Chris Paul
4. James Harden
5. Tim Duncan or Russell Westbrook

#5 is still a toss up for me. I feel Westbrook was better player than Duncan in regular season. His impact showed in the postseason when he was out. Duncan was solid from both sides of the floor. Had a good postseason and finals and was the best player for the Spurs playoff run.

After that there is Kobe, Melo, Gasol, Parker, Curry, George, Howard, and D-Will as honorable mentions

TheChosen618 · Post #476 » by **TheChosen618** » Sun Jun 23, 2013 5:42 am

Doctor MJ wrote:And I do have to ask:

Would you be voting George this high if his team had played worse in the playoffs?
Wasn't Hibbert the MVP of the Pacers in the playoffs?

1. I'm not sure what you mean in this first question.

2. I do think Hibbert was the most impactful player against the Knicks and the Heat, but overall including the regular season, PG was clearly the best player on the Pacers. I think George was pretty valuable in both series too due to his perimeter defense on Melo and Lebron and also his hot shooting against Miami.

I have no problem with someone not putting George in their top 5. I just have a hard time thinking of the guy in the 5th spot. My top 4 is pretty set with Lebron, Durant, Cp3, and Duncan, but the 5th guy is really tough to pick.

I have a hard time picking Melo cause he's a one-dimensional player that is inefficient and disappointed in the post-season.

Harden disappointed in the post-season too and isn't that diverse of a player. He's a more efficient version of Melo that passes a bit better.

Wade sucked in the post-season and was literally a liability most of the time.

Kobe and Westbrook didn't even play in the post-season due to injuries.

I think Parker is just put in a great situation. I feel like a lot of PGs could thrive as well or better than Parker could with the Spurs team and coaching.

I think if I will go with anyone over George for that 5th spot, it's Curry, but my problem with Curry is that in the post-season, he dominated the Nuggets, who aren't much of a defensive team. As soon as he faced the Spurs and had Danny Green guarding him, Curry didn't play all that well.

I had Marc Gasol in the top 5 at some point of the post-season, but he was outplayed by Duncan pretty badly and he isn't much of a force offensively. He isn't aggressive enough and doesn't look for his shot. He is a tremendous defender (DPOY) and passer though but he is a limited rebounder, similar to Tyson Chandler in 2012 (strictly on defense/rebounding).

It seems we are now entering an era with weak stars. There is Lebron and Durant and everyone else really.

ardee · Post #477 » by **ardee** » Sun Jun 23, 2013 7:47 am

Well this is pretty confusing, but I think I arrived at a conclusion.

1. LeBron James (duh)
2. Kevin Durant (I personally see a very small argument for CP3, based on his Playoffs being slightly better, but the regular season gap was pretty massive IMO, so KD gets this comfortably)
3. Chris Paul (he threatened to fall out of the top 3 some way into the regular season but he turned it up like crazy at the end, had this great stretch where he was putting up 08 and 09 type of numbers.... Then had himself a pretty good first round in a loss)
4. Steph Curry (just for lack of options. He had a great regular season, a fantastic first round, followed up by an ok second round. I think the hype was getting a bit silly and people weren't noticing the duds he was producing vs. SAS but it's all right, he deserves this)
5. Kobe Bryant (I don't care if you disagree, but I think his regular season was great enough to warrant this. Literally no one with a comparable regular season had a good enough Playoffs to overtake him, Harden, Parker, no one.)

So yeah, that's probably my ballot.

RoundMoundOfReb · Post #478 » by **RoundMoundOfReb** » Sun Jun 23, 2013 10:07 am

Could I Participate?

HeartBreakKid · Post #479 » by **HeartBreakKid** » Sun Jun 23, 2013 4:20 pm

ardee wrote:Well this is pretty confusing, but I think I arrived at a conclusion.

1. LeBron James (duh)
2. Kevin Durant (I personally see a very small argument for CP3, based on his Playoffs being slightly better, but the regular season gap was pretty massive IMO, so KD gets this comfortably)
3. Chris Paul (he threatened to fall out of the top 3 some way into the regular season but he turned it up like crazy at the end, had this great stretch where he was putting up 08 and 09 type of numbers.... Then had himself a pretty good first round in a loss)
4. Steph Curry (just for lack of options. He had a great regular season, a fantastic first round, followed up by an ok second round. I think the hype was getting a bit silly and people weren't noticing the duds he was producing vs. SAS but it's all right, he deserves this)
5. Kobe Bryant (I don't care if you disagree, but I think his regular season was great enough to warrant this. Literally no one with a comparable regular season had a good enough Playoffs to overtake him, Harden, Parker, no one.)

So yeah, that's probably my ballot.

So Kobe's lack of a post season helped him? Makes no sense. James Harden literally did the same thing Kobe Bryant did but more.

ceiling raiser · Post #480 » by **ceiling raiser** » Sun Jun 23, 2013 4:52 pm

I think LeBron, Durant, Paul, Duncan are locks, but I don't know who the last guy would be. Wade was hurt in the playoffs, Kobe struggled defensively and missed the postseason, Westbrook got hurt, and I don't want to overreact to Curry. I think it comes down to Gasol, Harden, possibly Hibbert, though any of the other four are fine too (but clearly a level below the four guys I have as locks, IMO).