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My surprise pick for MVP

March 17, 2008 @ 7:12 pm by Eddie Johnson · Filed under Amare Stoudemire, Chris Paul, Isiah Thomas, Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Tracy McGrady, Uncategorized

This year’s MVP winner will be the most scrutinized of any year we have seen.

Steve Nash coming from out of nowhere to win back-to-back was definitely an eye opener two years ago, but with so many teams and players having great seasons the lucky winner this year will be treated like an  elected official because he will not have over 51 percent in favor of his nomination.

Why?

This season is sick with great stories involving players and teams. Everyone has their own formula in deciding who the front runner with one month to go is. So I came up with my own formula to come to my pick as  MVP.

Once I came up with this formula I voted without looking at statistics the first time to see who would come out on top. The second time I looked at the stats and I still came up with the same player.

I am sure readers will beat up my method and abuse my choice if their favorite player did not get the nod, but I will tell you just like the NCAA told Arizona State when they got omitted from the 64 team field… This is  my formula and you have to live with my pick – well at least in this article.

I think we all can agree that five players stick out brightly when it comes to the finalists. Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Kevin Garnett and Tracy McGrady are the strongest candidates.

McGrady beat out Amare Stoudemire, Baron Davis, Tim Duncan and Deron Williams for the fifth player just based on what the Rockets have done in regards to this 22-game winning streak.

I took 11 categories and graded each player with a rating of 1 to 10 and then added the total. Then I saw who the winner was.

That seems so simple, right?

Well, without these so-called calculations… If someone asked me who I thought was the best NBA player on the planet? Without hesitation I would declare Kobe Bryant and then follow it up with a statement like,  “LeBron James will past him very soon like a locomotive once his defense continues to improve.”

I would also mention that Amare Stoudemire might give both of them a run for their money if he continues the torrid pace he is on.

That would be my basic armchair fan response, but I should get credit for researching further and not voting with my heart.

So I did and here it is.

My categories are.

1.  Offensive stats.
2. Passing.
3. Rebounding.
4. Overall defensive ability.
5. Effort.
6. Attitude.
7. Making teammates better.
8. Crunch time.
9. Showmanship.
10.  Wow factor.
11.  Team record.

Although not proven by numbers, categories like crunch time, showmanship and wow factor are a major part of the greatness of a player.

Example… Even though LeBron has scored more points than anyone in the league in the fourth quarter, which player would you feel comfortable with taking the last shot?

I would say Kobe without a doubt.

What player makes you say “Wow” on a consistent basis?

Well, I guess it depends if you like the high-flying acts of Kobe, LeBron and McGrady. Or maybe you enjoy the dribbling exploits and crossovers of Chris Paul in the land of the giants?

Which player gives you the impression that his attitude an effort is like Groundhog Day in that every time you watch him you notice it.

These are the things I think about when I pick my MVP and now you have the chance to dispute my choice or agree wholeheartedly that Chris Paul should win the MVP if the season ended today.

Paul (100 points) narrowly beat out Kobe (99) and Lebron (97) in my voting. And as I stated earlier, I voted twice without looking at stats and then taking them into consideration. He edged Kobe in the winning record  category for the simple fact the Hornets have blown out the defending champion Spurs twice this season. That was the difference.

LeBron has to improve his individual defense if he wants to jump over Kobe and Paul in the next few years. He also suffered with the subpar record the Cavaliers have at the moment. Yes, they have had injuries. But  didn’t McGrady lose Yao Ming and they still have kept winning with virtually no other stars in the more difficult Western Conference.

Bottom line… Chris Paul is such a joy to watch and observe. I really love the way Paul leads his team. He is constantly communicating with teammates and coaches and will confront them without hesitation. I have  not seen a little man do that since Isiah Thomas led the Pistons to back-to-back championships. The reason Paul can command this audience is because those players realize he not only leads by example, but he  makes them better. I can recall only a handful of players that had this ability. They are Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Steve Nash.

They all have one thing in common. They have MVP awards. Chris Paul should receive his this season.

TRACY MCGRADY

1. Offensive stats: 7
2. Passing: 7
3. Rebounding: 6
4. Overall defensive ability: 6
5. Effort: 8
6. Attitude: 8
7. Making teammates better: 8
8. Crunch time: 8
9. Showmanship: 8
10.Wow factor: 8
11.Team record: 10

Total: 84

KEVIN GARNETT

1. Offensive stats: 8
2. Passing: 6
3. Rebounding: 9
4. Overall defensive ability: 9
5. Effort: 10
6. Attitude: 10
7. Making teammates better: 8
8. Crunch time: 7
9. Showmanship: 9
10.Wow factor: 7
11.Team record: 9

Total: 92

LEBRON JAMES

1. Offensive stats: 10
2. Passing: 8
3. Rebounding: 9
4. Overall defensive ability: 7
5. Effort: 9
6. Attitude: 9
7. Making teammates better: 9
8. Crunch time: 9
9. Showmanship: 10
10.Wow factor: 10
11.Team record: 7

Total: 97

KOBE BRYANT

1. Offensive stats:  10
2. Passing:  7
3. Rebounding: 7
4. Overall Defensive ability: 10
5. Effort: 10
6. Attitude: 9
7. Making teammates better: 8
8. Crunch time: 10
9. Showmanship: 10
10.Wow factor: 10
11.Team record: 8

Total: 99

CHRIS PAUL

1. Offensive stats: 8
2. Passing: 10
3. Rebounding: 5
4. Overall defensive ability: 10
5. Effort: 10
6. Attitude: 10
7. Making teammates better: 10
8. Crunch time: 10
9. Showmanship: 9
10.Wow factor: 9
11.Team record: 9

Total 100

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196 Comments

1. Kingsblade Said,

   March 17, 2008 @ 7:39 pm

   I can’t wait to hear from the parade of Kobe and Lebron fans about this one.

   Should be amusing.

2. Rey Said,

   March 17, 2008 @ 8:19 pm

   In general, I agree with this assessment but the Lakers have a better record than NO… doesn’t that give Kobe the lead?

3. dabiznezz Said,

   March 17, 2008 @ 8:21 pm

   simple way to show this is biast.
   you gave chris paul a 9 for team record.
   you gave kobe a 8.
   lakers have a better record.
   so juss off a that, it would be a tie.
   kobes attitude is arguably a 10.
   but on the team record alone kobe and paul would atleasat share the mvp award.
   also sections 5,6,8,9,10 your superstars will get a 10 every time, just that gives them an unfair advantage over everyone else.
   and section 4, u shud rate players on performance and not ability.
   and i cant wait for all the “hes just a kobe fan” comments to come along!!!!!

4. koly tenguela Said,

   March 17, 2008 @ 8:23 pm

   I am so tired of people saying that Lebron is a poor defender,PEOPLE LIVING OUT OF CLICHES. Lebron can’t defend big time for 4 quarters because the load he has to carry offensively is so big but when he put his mind on it, he is as good as anyone in the league cause he is so unbelievably physically gifted.
   If you don’t believe it eddie, ask Kobe himself, he knows what a motivated lebron is able to do defensively.
   iN mvp? THERE’S THE WORD VALUABLE; so look at the records of
   all those teams without their key player; none of them is as bad than the cavs without lebron even in the weaker eastern conference.
   Chris Paul is absolutely unbelievable and in my opinion is second after Lebron in the mvp rankings but please everyone who’s trying to judge without bias know that Lebron is the best player in the NBA today.
   Judging by your so called method, the difference defensively between Lebron and Kobe or Paul is not as big than the difference between 7 and 10 and that’s what you are using for saying that those 2 guys are more deserving.
   HAVE YOU SEEN THE LAST MATCHUPS BETWEEN KOBE AND LEBRON. do you really think that this guy is not a very good defender.
   Eddie, you have always been a partial, one sided guy, like when you were trying to explain to us that your childhood buddy ISIAH THOMAS was having redeeming qualities or when you were cheering for the suns while trying to act like you were just talking about facts but this time,too much is too much. I understand your new darling are the hornets but please just recognize lebron’s greatness. Lebron is what i was dreaming about but thinking it would never happen: a cross between my two favourites players of all time, magic and jordan.
   Stop nitpicking about him and just recognize and enjoy his greatness while you can.
   AND BY THE WAY, could you ask your buddy isiah thomas to do a favor to all the true knicks fans like me and resign.

5. Top Gun Said,

   March 17, 2008 @ 8:36 pm

   I don’t understand how Chris Paul got a 10 for crunch time (he’s no Deron…lol) The Lakers have a better team record than Hornets, so that’s another mistake in your simple calculations. I also believe Lebron’s passing shouldn’t be an 8 because of the many turnovers he has. Not a big fan of Kobe like most people, but i still think he is the greatest player in the league at the moment.

   BTW, if you ask DeShawn…LeBron is overrated

6. joe Said,

   March 17, 2008 @ 8:51 pm

   i think eddie got this wrong off the bat. how does he give lebron a 9 in crunchtime and then give paul a 10. David west or peja takes those shots. crunch time doesnt neccessarily have to do with making the last shot but thats the way eddie defines it. I think anyone would agree that lebron is unstoppable in crunch time if they’ve seen him put up those important shots. i remember when he just blew by brandon roy of an inbound pass at half court with like 4 secs left. chris paul cant do that. he should be given a 8 or 9 which would give him a 98 or 99. which would put kobe aheah or they would tie.

7. Nikkiboy Said,

   March 17, 2008 @ 8:54 pm

   Agree, Paul should win the MVP. He is too young to be so dominant. Koly, this is Eddie’s blog. It is his own opinion we can disagree but we can’t be pathetically hostile towards him.

8. Sami Ahmed Said,

   March 17, 2008 @ 9:00 pm

   I would agree whole heartedly that Chris Paul is without question the league’s MVP.

   Winning aside, considering his size @ under 6 foot just look at his insane stat line :

   21.3ppg(49%fg 87%ft) 11.3apg(2.5topg) 3.9rpg 2.7spg

   Couple this with the fact that the Hornets lack roster depth they have one of the top records in the entire league (something which Lebron does not though the entire team is designed around him). There are no weaknesses in Paul’s game save his height.

   Paul = MVP

9. Zac Said,

   March 17, 2008 @ 9:08 pm

   The fact that kobe has never finished better than 5th in MVP voting, and the fact the lakers are at the top of the west and finally the fact that kobe is the best player in the world i think is enough to get him MVP this year

10. Eddie Said,

    March 17, 2008 @ 9:09 pm

    Give me a break. Chris Paul is surrounded by stars like Peja, Chandler, and West. Dont give me the bullshit thing that he has ten assists per game or whatsoever that “he makes his teammates better”. God just pass the ball to Peja and he automatically gets an assist because Peja’s one of the best shooters in the league. Just pass the ball to Chandler and West, he automatically gets an assist too because they’re really strong in the paint. Paul aint an mvp candidate.

11. daniel Said,

    March 17, 2008 @ 9:11 pm

    koly tenguela u seem to be making the case that Lebron is the MVP and that he is this and he is that, well u of course are entilted to your opinion. However, i disagree on a few of you points. The frist is Lebrons Defense, yes i agree that Lebron can be a good defender and at times has defended opponants really well in the 4th, however it is very clear that his defense through an entire game is not impressive and i have seen many times him get beat of the dribble, lost on screen and other defensive errors. Most of these errors are not due to ability but lack of effort. I know he carries the load for his team ALOT but lack of effort cant happen if you want to win consistenly.

    Another point is you comment of “everyone who’s trying to judge without bias know that Lebron is the best player in the NBA today.” Now i really cant agree here, defensivly, its clear that of the other candidates for the title of best player in the NBA (Duncan, Kobe, Garnett) are better on overall defenders that cant even be argued in my opionion. As for offensivly, yea, Lebron got mad offensive game but we all saw what the spurs did to him last year, ask popovic is he would be able to exploit a weakness in Kobes game the way he did Lebrons…..im doubtful.

    Finally, the MVP Voting doesnt make sense…….since Nash won it it has seemingly been re-defined and i just dont understand how someone wins the award anymore because being the best player in the game dont win it anymore….also, How Can Lebron win the award this year is Kobe couldnt win it before when he was putting up 30-35 points a game and playing for a mediocore team?

12. Ridiculous Said,

    March 17, 2008 @ 9:19 pm

    So “showmanship” and “wow factor” account for twenty points in your system and “overall defensive ability” counts for ten?! Probably not the best way to build a team…

    Cleveland, in a significantly weaker conference, is seven wins behind the Lakers and LeBron scores only one point less than Kobe, but Kobe is one win ahead of Paul and Paul gets the extra point?! This makes no sense.

    Amare, with 24.3 ppg, 9.3 rpg, and little defense gets a mention, but Dwight Howard, with 21.6 ppg, 14.4 rpg, good defense, and more wins than LeBron doesn’t even enter the conversation….. strange.

13. Doug Said,

    March 17, 2008 @ 9:26 pm

    this is some good stuff! CP3 is indeed MVP! it would be a shame for anyone esle to be given the award

14. koly tenguela Said,

    March 17, 2008 @ 9:36 pm

    Nikkiboy,
    first of all, you need to know that i consider eddie’s blog very interesting even when i disagree with him and that i have always been respectful of him for the fact that he was taking time to read the comments and sometimes answer which is not so common.
    That said , it’s my absolute right to think that Eddie can be sometimes one sided ( if you don’t believe me, read his past columns) and to think that people who are saying that Lebron is a poor defender are making their opinions based on a cliche.
    I have no interest in disrespecting eddie but disagreeing with him doesn’t mean to me being pathetic or disrespectful.
    Once again, using eddie’s method do you really think that if Chris Paul deserves a 10 defensively, Lebron is just a 7. IS THAT REALLY WHAT YOU THINK?
    Your argument is to say that Paul is too young for being so dominant but who really has been as great and dominant than Lebron at such a young age. Lebron owns pretty much all the precocity’s records. That’s your argument, REALLY?

15. Eddie Said,

    March 17, 2008 @ 9:46 pm

    Koly

    remember i am grading Lebrons defense compared to the other MVP candidates. i think he has improved greatly. don’t take it personal, i love Lebrons game. i think he will possibly wind up as the best player ever if he starts to win championships.

    He right now is the most dominant player in the game, but the MVP is about wins and production. he took a hit in the wins category and that cost him in the voting.

16. Eddie Said,

    March 17, 2008 @ 9:48 pm

    Rey

    the Lakers record is better, and they have better proven talent around Kobe. So that is why Paul got a better number. no one expected this from the Hornets.

17. koly tenguela Said,

    March 17, 2008 @ 10:21 pm

    daniel,
    if you have ever played basketball in your life, you probably know that it’s really hard to put big time effort and energy offensively and defensively. It has nothing to do with a lack of effort and you can’t say Lebron is not a competitor or someone who don’t want to win consistently. You are talking about a guy who lead a starting lineup made of the likes of gibson-pavlovic-gooden -ilgauskas all the way to the finals.
    “we all saw what the spurs did to him last year, ask popovic is he would be able to exploit a weakness in Kobes game the way he did Lebrons…..im doubtful”
    Please,with better teammates it would not have beeen the same. Playing with Ginobili and Parker and an all league defender in Bowen and crafty veterans like Horry, Barry, Finley etc… has nothing to do with playing with Snow, Jones or pavlovic. I’m exagerating things a little bit but you get the point. Plus don’t forget that Lebron is far from being a finished poroduct, he’s just 4 years removed from high school. Thanks God, he got some things that he need to improve on his game.

18. Stew Said,

    March 17, 2008 @ 10:51 pm

    hi Eddie

    This part i dont understand, Kobe’s Team record: 8 vs Chris Paul’s Team record: 9, and you say that “the Lakers record is better, and they have better proven talent around Kobe. So that is why Paul got a better number. no one expected this from the Hornets.”

    But why is it that Garnett’s Team record: 9 when he got 2 all stars behind him???

19. Nick Said,

    March 17, 2008 @ 11:03 pm

    Why does McGrady have a 10 for team record, while Garnett has a 9? Boston have the best record in the league. Also James and KG both have a 9 for rebounding?

20. MICHAEL B Said,

    March 17, 2008 @ 11:08 pm

    UM, HOW DO YOU GIVE PAUL A BETTER RECORD THAN KOBE, CONSIDERING THAT 1) THEY HAVE THE IDENTICAL RECORD AT 45-21
    2) LAKERS HAVE PLAYED A TOUGHER SCHEDULE THUS FAR ACCORDING TO ESPN

    DUMBASS.

21. MICHAEL B Said,

    March 17, 2008 @ 11:09 pm

    NOT TO MENTION THAT LITERALLY EVERY SINGLE LAKER IS HAVING A CAREER BEST SEASON. BUT YOU HAVE PAUL MAKING HIS TEAMMATES BETTER AT 10, WTH KOBE AT 8.

    DUMBASS, AGAIN.

22. Nadav Said,

    March 17, 2008 @ 11:12 pm

    There’s no way Paul gets more points than Kobe for record despite his team being lower in the standings because of the talent around him. West is the only all-star of either supporting cast, chandler is the perfect compliment to paul, as are stojakovic and peterson. those shooters make getting assists easy. of course, Kobe has a good supporting cast, but Paul’s is not any worse. If you switch the 9 Paul got to Kobe and the 8 from Kobe to Paul, Kobe is the MVP, as it should be. Can you really tell me that the best player since MJ is going to retire without an MVP? Clearly, this is the year people are willing to give it to Kobe. Not the year he scored 35ppg or had 9 straight 40 pt games, and took a team that featured smush parker and kwame brown in its starting lineup to the playoffs in the west. How can Lebron get a 7 for record when his team would not make the playoffs in the west? One point more is all Kobe gets for leading his team through a season in which big trades have shaken up the franchise, and for overcoming an offseason that nearly broke laker fans’ hearts. I am not a laker fan - but I cannot avoid the MVP season that Kobe is having. He is most deserving.

23. Michael Bennett Said,

    March 17, 2008 @ 11:29 pm

    Even though I’m one of the biggest LeBron fans in the world, and I think this season is his best season to date, and he’s the world’s best player…

    I 1000% ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH YOU, EDDIE, that Chris Paul is the MVP right now, and hopefully at the end of the season.

    I think if LeBron played in the six games he missed (Cavs were 0-6 without him), then he’d be the #1 pick. But, right now, Chris Paul is the MVP.

    Great article, Eddie.

    PS - Do you think Byron Scott should win Coach of the Year, also? Remember, a previous article of yours gave more credit to Byron Scott than it did Chris Paul…

24. Eric Said,

    March 17, 2008 @ 11:35 pm

    Yeah even though I prefer Lebron as MVP chris paul would definitely deserve it too. Chris paul is probably the most dominant point guard today and he has led his team to a very good record in the toughest division in the league, yeah I agree with Eddie on this one.

25. Brady Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 12:15 am

    I agree with the fact that CP3 should be included in MVP discussion. and i agree also with the top 3 being paul, bryant and lebron.

    Where my opinion differs is that i believe, hands down, kobe bryant should win, with chris paul a close second. Kobe has been fantastic all year, doing whatever is need. some games he scores 50, some games he goes for 11 points, 11 dimes. Lebron puts up fantastic numbers, but being on a team where no one else does, certainly helps LBJ.

    Kobes numbers are fantastic, and thats with a dominant pau gasol, a inconsistent yet capable lamar odom , and a genuis pg in derek fisher. add bynum to the mix and he has alot to deal with. If kobe had tha ball in his hands more this year, like he has in past years, his numbers would be the same as lebron IMO.

    anyway. just my thoughts. would be happy to hear others opinions on my view

26. Nikkiboy Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 12:16 am

    koly, look at the records of NO and Cleveland. NO is in the West, in the same division with SPURS, MAVS, HOUSTON. There is no excuse for Lebron for his team with that record when he resides in the EAST. Though Lebron is the most talented individual player today and only Kobe is better than him.

27. sina Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 12:29 am

    you see, i’m a raptors fan, so i think CB4 is the best… no but seriously, if they give MVP to kobe, its because of pau, lamar, and it’s KOBE… ooooooooo…… AHHHHHHH, but in terms of what a player does for his team, chemistry, sportsmanship, individual talent….. pretty much everything that makes a true MVP. it’s CP3, i completely agree with you, without question. he can seriously not only run the offense, but the defense just as well

    chris paul should be MVP this year, he’s taken an underdog team and turned into one of the BEST! he is much like isiah thomas (crossover, speed, handles), but he will surpass thomas if he continues his great play. this kid is one of the more powerful PGs in the NBA, he shoots it well, he works with his team very well, is a great defensive talent (steals, power, pressure, brings about 5 boards a game). he doesn’t turn over the ball much and will surpass steve nash in assists per game in the rest of the season (recent games, he brings number like 26 points, 17 assists!!!). This guy is a triple-double threat in the future, I’m sure he’ll even get a quadruple-double in the near future. honestly, look at it any way you want; on paper, sportsmanship, wow factor… he’s got it all!

    let me just put it like this, this guy (in the future), will be a jason kidd who gets 11-12 points more per game, more steals, more powerful, more heart. he is one of those players who loves their team and has strong will power, when his team losses, it looks like he just died a little inside.

    my version, CP3 is just too good:

    CHRIS PAUL

    1. Offensive stats: 9 (this kid averages like 25+ points in the last couple game… he comes in scorching the other team)
    2. Passing: 10 (nash is nash, but this kid does what he does and turns over the ball less)
    3. Rebounding: 7 (he is like 6′ 3”, gets about 5 boards a game, he’s going to get better at it… his ability to get rebounds is 7)
    4. Overall defensive ability: 10
    5. Effort: 10
    6. Attitude: 10
    7. Making teammates better: 10 (i honestly want to give a 12, but that’s mathematically impossible)
    8. Crunch time: 10 (no question)
    9. Showmanship: 9 (while he has heart, sometimes he wants to win too bad… i guess)
    10.Wow factor: 10 (i’m sorry… but this kid sometimes does stuff i can’t even imagine in certain circumstances, he wows me ALL the time, just as much as lebron and kobe)
    11.Team record: 9

    Total 104

    the other candidates, below 100. although i think lebron is amazing, it’s CP3’s year, he’s doing it all, if only cavaliers record was slightly better, then he deserves it… actually even so, i think CP3 deserves it more, lebron should work on his defense and it’s all his…next year!

28. sina Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 12:34 am

    lebron is not a seven in defense, i didn’t see that, it’s more like 9.

29. zeus Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 12:48 am

    Lebron is nuts, but you cant give him mvp this year, if Kobe doesnt get it last year then you gotta judge and vote on those same merits. Nash deserved his 2 mvps, for one he led the suns without Amare, and the next year he led them with him, he was awesome both times, and totaly changed the game; which led to the warriors.
    I think if Houston finsihes ahead of lakers and hornets, with the best record in the west, tmac may be more deserving, but i would give it to cp3, neither kobe or lebron deserves(bc lebrons team is the 4th best in the east, and what a few games better thent he wizards minus gilbert and butler) and toronto minus chris bosh. Also with the steal LA got in pau, im taking points away from kobe, cause his team wasnt dominating the way they are now…

30. Dj Akura-C Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 12:49 am

    Man…
    I feel for Kobe. He puts up incredible numbers, get’s his team to the playoffs and he’s selfish. He get’s a better team around him, shares the rock, has his team at the top of the standings and now he’s not doing enough to win the MVP???

    C’mon…

    Let’s just come out and say it. Kobe was accused of having relations with a white woman… because of that the media has skwered him. No matter what he does, they will never vote for him to win the award no matter what. The hatred for Kobe has led to a very slanted attack against him that too many people have bought into.

    Growing up we were all told that the MVP goes to the best player in the league. That’s why Magic won it. That’s why Bird Won it. That’s why Kareem won it. That’s why Jordan one it. However, when you have a guy who is clearly the best player in the league for the past 5 years, they have to change the criteria of the award to avoid giving it to Kobe. Dirk who plays in both the NBA and extensively overseas states that Kobe is “the best player in the world” you can’t sell me on anyone else.

    “To me he is the best player in the world right now. That guy doesn’t know fear at all. He doesn’t care. He would have won it for the Americans single-handedly” -Dirk

    As much as I trust the opinions of ex-NBA’ers and other cats who have played competitively I must strongly disagree with the sentiment of any one other than Kobe winning the MVP this year.

    It’s over due.

31. Zac Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 12:50 am

    As much as i don’t like Kobe, i still think it’s his year. I think due to chris paul’s age he won’t win, he still has his whole career ahead of him. Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem, Bob McAdoo and Moses Malone were all 24 when they won the MVP award so i think cp will have to wait till at least next year. I wish they would do MVP voting after the playoffs, because i don’t think new orleans will get past the second round

32. Toni Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 12:50 am

    Good assessments of some very good players. Although, I would like to see Chris Bosh get some acknowledgment for what he has done with Toronto. I follow the NBA a lot and when I seen some stats that showed how Toronto has played with and without Chris Bosh in the lineup it’s absolutely astounding. The opponents points per game went up nearly 15 points per game since he has been out with a knee injury and Toronto has nearly lost every game. The entire team is focused around this one player and without him the team literally falls apart. Isn’t that what most valuable player is? I’m not saying he is the MVP, my vote goes to Lebron because I have no idea how he gets that “team” to win games. Although in the next few years when Bosh improves his passing and play during crunch time, wins will follow and I would expect him to be up there with the big boys very shortly. Comments?

    Toni, California.

33. BBALL JONES Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 1:10 am

    If LeBron doesn’t win the MVP I will go nuts. First of all, I like the breakdown above, but LeBron’s stats far outpace Kobe’s. It’s true - do the stat comparison. He’s just better. So to assign both a score of 10 for stats is a disservice to LeBron.

    Kobe is the most fluid player I see in the league at this time. He has a counter for every move the defense makes. However, his ability to escape defenses is not the deciding factor for me.

    Here is my reason… and this is a leisurely verbal walk so follow along…

    If next year an 11 foot tall man comes into the league and can literally do nothing but walk down the court, turn around and throw the ball in the hoop to the tune of 60ppg he is the MVP - no doubt about - no questions asked. His one skill so dominates the league that his lack of other skills is irrelevant. I don’t care how smooth he looks doing it - the 11 footer gets it done.

    This gets me back to the Kobe/LeBron thing. Kobe is certainly a more fluid player. He is no doubt less athletic though. In fact, LeBron’s athletic edge and ability to make his teammates, his average at best teammates, better pushes him by Kobe.
    The media wants to give the MVP to Kobe this year because it is “his time” just lake David Robinson had a time. If that happens fine - it will be nice when 30 years from now we retell stories of Kobe’s career. Still, there is no question that LeBron is better.

    My point is this, just because Kobe looks best doing it - doesn’t mean he’s the best at getting it done.

34. CP3MVP Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 1:51 am

    he should win it but we all no he has no chance to get the votes to win over kobe or lebron….and possibly kg

35. André Fiola Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 1:59 am

    for the team records, why wouldnt kg have a 10 regardless of confrence? bostons got the best record in the league. Also, shouldnt kobe have a better score for team record than paul? Also the “wow factor” should be pretty irrelavant, if you were doing the same thing for steve nash the 2 years he won it,im pretty sure he would be close to a 0 when it came to “wow factor” sure the suns were fun to watch but hes not overly athletic or anything, also, when tim duncan was winning mvps he was in no way shape or form fun to watch . Other than that i agree with whatever you have up there, i still think its kobe’s unless the hornets finish way above the lakers, which could happen with no pau and bynum

36. Mr. X Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 2:01 am

    you know what? i think we should give wade the mvp for being able to get the heat into double digits in the win column. hell yeah

37. statusmvp Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 2:44 am

    its chris paul…paul is mvp….kg has a good team but he is one the east…kobe has a GREAT team so he is out of the mix…king james jus puts up great numbers…the cav’s record is horrible considerin they are on the east coast…mvp goes to chris paul

38. Ishmael Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 3:06 am

    I think you go with your heart on this one, Eddie. Kobe deserves the MVP, even if I don’t like him. Defensively, leadership, tenacity, all that stuff.

    I saw LeBron absolutely smother Kobe in a fourth quarter to dig out a game. Great performance. It’s too bad that he doesn’t do it for other games, when he’s not on national TV. A guy that athletic, and with those young legs, he could do it. He doesn’t. Even in national TV games, you feel like he’s floating through stretches. You don’t get that feeling with Kobe, unless he’s pouting, and he hasn’t done that this season.

    Funny that Steve Nash got the MVP when he was such a bad defender. But effort counts. You see Steve going at it all the time, and his effort motivates everyone else. With LeBron, it’s sluggish at times, and you see it in his teammates. And I’m not sure he’s all that offensively gifted, at least not right now. I’m tired of way too many drives and dishes that look all the same. It’s not a great assist when he’s just automatically kicking it out to a shooter. Sometimes he’s absolutely amazing, but the rest of the time it’s boring. There’s no gutsiness when he’s not totally dominating through sheer athleticism. He doesn’t bring the best out of his teammates. Just look at Damon Jones, Larry Hughes, Carlos Boozer, Donyell Marshall, Drew Gooden, all those guys who had better seasons away from LeBron. Maybe they didn’t fit in the “system”, or weren’t the best mix, but it gives one pause. Pretty much Boobie Gibson and Zydrunus made it work.

    It’s too bad MJ set the bar so high for freakishly athletic swingmen. But did MJ ever, ever get accused of mailing it in?

39. Ishmael Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 3:10 am

    By the way, I don’t think the “exceeding expectations” thing should apply to MVP candidates, or any other award. That’s how Doc Rivers got the Coach award, how Steve Nash beat out Shaq, how MJ didn’t receive the award from 87-93 and 96-98. Excellence is excellence, and Chris Paul should be judged like Kobe is judged. Save the exceeding expectations card for the Most Improved.

40. Ishmael Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 3:11 am

    Correction, I meant MJ should have received the award all those years straight, not just some of them.

41. koly tenguela Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 3:23 am

    Ishmael,
    you and all the others Lebron naysayers are going to eat your words. Remember when Jordan was badly criticized,he was considered a selfish guy who was not able to rise his teammate’s level, a guy who could not shoot a 3 for saving his life. People like you were saying that he was just a solist and a loser.Now, everyone is kissing his ass, saying that he’s the greatest ever.
    How could you say that Lebron doesn’t improve his teammates, he is not responsible of his teammate’s inability to make an open shot outside Gibson who is far from being a future hall of famer., like KG is not responsible for all the bad teams he was in during his career. Lebron got outstanding court vision and passing ability, he’s not just an athletic freak who just kick and dish like you are trying to say.

42. koly tenguela Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 3:46 am

    What a lot of people here seems to forget is that the hornets have a very good team. They nearly make the playoffs the last 2 years but got derailed by injuries. Could people compare the starting units of the cavs and the Hornets even after that Ben Wallace trade and honestly tell me that the cavs are better or at least on the same level.
    The hornets were underrated and unlucky before and this year everything is clicking for them the right way and Chris Paul is UNBELIEVABLE but you can’t downplay Lebron because he doesn’t have a great supporting cast around him.

43. koly tenguela Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 3:51 am

    Michael Bennett,
    “I think if LeBron played in the six games he missed (Cavs were 0-6 without him), then he’d be the #1 pick. But, right now, Chris Paul is the MVP.”
    what’s your argument, Lebron can’t be 1st because he missed 6 games, P L E A S E.
    P L E A S E

44. koly tenguela Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 3:59 am

    Dj Akura-C,
    Kobe is not well liked even amongst players because he has always been a very arrogant, selfish guy. His attitude is better now with age but you can’t erase an entire decade acting contemptuously in 2 years.

45. Melvin Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 5:38 am

    hey I think I’m not surprised that you picked Chris Paul! Anyway, he has a superb season… and I really feel he has to get merit for it

46. Francesco Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 5:49 am

    Sorry coach but 10 to Paul’s difense is incredible!!!

47. JJ Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 5:54 am

    It’s been interesting to hear what people have said as the season has progressed about the MVP. In the beginning, lots of people said Kobe wouldn’t win MVP because his team wasn’t very good. Then Bynum emerged and the Lakers were winning, and people started to say Kobe should be MVP. Then Bynum got hurt, and people said that that was it for the Lakers, and also for Kobe’s MVP chances. Then the Lakers got Gasol and won lots of games, and once again, Kobe was a frontrunner for the award. Yet Kobe himself has been the same player the whole time. Shouldn’t the award be less fickle than it currently is and be based on a player’s credentials, rather than the arbitrary good or bad fortune of his teammates’ health or his GM’s ability to make trades?
    You gave LeBron a higher mark than Kobe for making teammates better, but it seems to me that both Larry Hughes and Gooden have improved since leaving the Cavs. It’s a hard thing to gauge, but the one indicator I see tells me that both of those guys were not flourishing alongside LeBron. And Ben Wallace hasn’t suddenly returned to form either, as many predicted he would when that trade first went down.
    I think one of the reasons the Hornets have risen so dramatically is that all three of their young stars have improved at the same time. Garnett’s Celts are veterans and were expected to win, Kobe’s Lakers had only one dramatic improvement (Bynum), and LeBron’s team really hasn’t seen any young players emerge like Chandler, West, and Paul simultaneously have. Houston has seen guys like Scola, Hayes, and Alston step it up, but not to the same degree as the young Hornets, and still Houston has the best record in the West. In a year like this, though, I think record and seeding are mostly overemphasized in this discussion since the #1 and #8 seeds in the west are currently only five games apart.
    T-Mac has only started to be mentioned as a potential MVP in the last week. He wasn’t one of the guys that have been in the discussion all year, but an incredible run (and especially now without Yao)and the best record in the west make it impossible to ignore him. He seems to have less talent around him then Garnett, Kobe, or Paul, but still manages to keep his team near the head of the pack. If they are still there at the end of the season, I have to give the award to T-mac.

48. Roger Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 6:22 am

    what about Dwight Howard? I think he deserves some consideration
    what do you think about that?

49. Zane Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 7:03 am

    LEBRON IS THE MVP!!!!…. AND ITS NOT EVEN CLOSE

    IF HE DOES NOT WIN IT, THE MVP AWARD IS A FARCE IN MY OPINION.

    As much as I love Chris Paul and his game, he does not deserve the award over Lebron this year, neither does Kobe.

    Kobe is getting votes based on accomplishments in past seasons, the fact he has not won the MVP despite his talent, and his past reputation as a defender and clutch shooter. He is the best player to watch but this is no reason to give him the award.

    Fact is that THIS SEASON, Lebron is the best offensive player, the best defensive player, the best leader, the best talent, the best 4th quarter and clutch player in the league. Plus he has one of the worst collections of players around him.

    Have a look at the evidence in black and white for the top 3 candidates.

    POPULAR OPINION IS FLAWED, NUMBERS DON’T LIE…

    LEBRON: PAUL: KOBE:
    PPG 30.9 21.6 28.2
    RPG 8.1 3.9 6.2
    APG 7.5 11.3 5.2
    SPG 1.9 2.7 2.0
    BPG 1.1 0.0 0.5

    Offence: Lebron averages 10ppg(!!) more than Paul and 3ppg more than Kobe, he also shoots a higher FG% than Kobe. Lebron is averaging 7.5 dimes a game, 2.5(!!) more than Kobe. Paul averages more assists, being a PG, to his credit Paul is a great playmaker. Lebron leads the league in 4th quarter scoring and it’s not even close.

    Advantage: Lebron, by a country mile.

    Defence: Lebron snatches TWICE as many rebounds as Paul, and 2 A GAME(!!) more than Kobe! Rebounding is hugely important - you can’t win if you ain’t got the ball. The comparison is almost even on steals, Paul having an advantage over KB and LJ (+0.7). Lebron also blocks TWICE(!!) as many shots as Kobe - and Paul has only blocked 2 shots the whole season! PEOPLE WHO SAY LEBRON DOESN’T DEFEND CAN’T BE WATCHING CAVS GAMES OR LOOKING AT THE STATS!!

    Advantage: Lebron, also by a country mile.

    The ONLY reason I can think Lebron is not the clear cut MVP in the minds of the public is the Cavs team record. Lakers and Hornets have won 7 more games than Cleveland. SO WHAT!! Both the Lakers and Hornets have much superior rosters around their stars. Also for the 6 games that Lebron was out with injury, GUESS WHAT Cavs lost all 6!!! With Lebron healthy in those games, they may well be up there with the same record.

    The Lakers have/had Gasol, Bynum, Odom, Fisher and go deep with their bench of role players. Without Gasol, they are now losing games with Kobe taking all the shots. They also have the best coach in the world in Phil Jackson.

    The Hornets have a great but underrated team of players around Paul. Chandler is a beast on the boards and is nearly 60% from the field. Peja is deadly from the 3 point line (46%) and is closing games. David West might just be the most underrated player in the league, averaging nearly 20 and 10, and locking down opposing PFs. On top of that you have guys like Mo Pete, Rasual Butler, Pargo, and Wells. The Hornets are loaded.

    Who does Lebron have? Big Z, Pavlovic and Varejao are solid role players, West and Gibson have potential, but besides that this team is full of old, 30plus year old, washed up, journeyman players that nobody else wants. Mike Brown was shown up as a one-trick pony in last years finals. Without Lebron, this team is an absolute, utter disaster - hell, Dwayne Wade has a better cast around him than Lebron, and they are in the cellar. You just can’t say the same for the Lakers or the Hornets.

    Lebron is a positive leader, so is Paul. Both are constantly encouraging their teammates and leading by example.

    Kobe however turned his back on his team once again at the start of the season, asking them to trade one of their best players in Bynum. Without Bynum they would be worse than last year and Kobe would still want out. If Phil Jackson was not the coach of this team, Kobe would be elsewhere or hogging the ball and bringing them down. Why do you think Kobe has never won MVP?? His attitude stinks - now that the other guys are stepping up and the Lakers are a contender, he plays team ball and is happy.

    Credit Jackson for the turnaround, he is the coach of the year for turning such a bleak situation into what is now a contender, and finally getting Kobe to play some team ball - no other coach had to deal with such adversity.

    Ranking in their importance to team and MVP:
    1st - Lebron
    2nd - Paul
    3rd - Kobe
    4th - Garnett
    5th - McGrady

    0-6 WITHOUT LEBRON. NO PLAYER IN THE NBA IS MORE VALUABLE TO THEIR TEAM THAN LEBRON JAMES. MVP STANDS FOR MOST VALUABLE PLAYER. WITHOUT HIM THE CAVS ARE A CELLAR DWELLER.

    Nuff said.

50. Amit Lal Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 7:46 am

    I totally agree about Chris Paul being MVP. I think in reality it will come down to which team has the best record out west - his Hornets or Kobe’s Lakers. As of today I’d take Paul as well, but then again, if (for example) Utah goes 16-2 to close the season in first place, then U’d probably pick Deron….just sayin its still too early and far too close to decide…

    A L

51. Brian Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 8:27 am

    I understand your method but how many years must go by before Kobe gets a mvp. Chris Paul is good but not great yet he hasn’t even been to the playoffs yet. And he can’t play defense because Chauncy Billups just gave him more than he could handle sunday afternoon.And he couldn’t hold Isiah’s jock strap stop comparing them. AI is the best other little man ever.So the next time you evaulate this look at longevity and not just numbers right now. Because everytime I see him throw Tyson Chandler a alley oop I think about what is he going to do when they actually play a team with defense like Detroit, Boston

52. Truly, Truly, This is the End Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 8:28 am

    Knowing your blogs, the first thing that came into my mind was a) Steve Nash, or b) a Phoenix Sun… and I was right.

    Prostitute: Guess what I have?
    ALL: Herpes!
    Prostitute: … but it was a surprise!

53. Brian Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 8:33 am

    I’m tired of all these guys getting pumped up to be mvp and they are lames.Like Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitski who can’t even win a championship to save their lives. They Play teams coming off of back to back nights and shine but when crunch time comes they fold. Yeah the hornets may have beat the Spurs twice this season but so did the Suns last year and what happened? And Lebron had a nice little run last playoffs until he got embarresed at in the championship letting Tin Duncan strip him at the top of the key one on one so we’ll see

54. Than Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 8:48 am

    Would anyone here trade Chris Paul for LeBron James? If yes, then Paul is clearly not the MVP.

55. Gabriel Chaud Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 9:32 am

    I agree about the choice, and the method. It’s a good idea to split on categories, including on, that personality issues. But I think McGrady was a little overated and I don’t understand why Kobe get more MVP attention now, then when he had better stats. Seems like it’s bad to average 30+ ppg.

    Do you still think that Phoenix is better with Shaq?

56. Daily boy Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 9:38 am

    Co-sign CP3 is the best PG in the game right now, and I dare anyone to come up with an argument to prove otherwise. Kobe is the best player on the planet, but as for this year Paul should be the winner.

57. Forgotten Names Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 9:56 am

    K so this is the deal,
    first to koly- im guessing that you live in cleavland which is why you are all over lebron. Lebron is a great player no doubt and as eddie said has the tools and the ability to become one of the greatest or maybe even the greatest to ever play. But right now he is not the greatest. Lebron unlike players like kobe, chris paul, and tmac relies almost purley on his athletisim and streangth. Yes he does at times get hot and hit some great jumpers but for the most part all of his points come from his drives to the basket in which his size power and athletisim gives him the edge over everyone else. As soon as the NBA stops calling petty touch fouls lebron game is going to have to change drastically. If you look at skill lebron is not at the top of the league. kobe, tmac, nash, paul, baron, gilbert achieve great numbers as well but they have to do it with their great intagibles and skill level, and dont get mass amounts of help from their size and body type.

    now to get to mvp talk,
    i feel that some players names are wrongfully left out of the debate. players like antawn jaimison who is one of five players in the league averaging 20 and 10 and has kept his team in playoff contention even with the main two players on his team going down in gilbert and lebron. Also another player is dwight howard. I think with what he has done on Orlando at least merrits him to have his name put into the mix. he is also one of the leagues rising young stars and could be phenominal if he works on his offensive game. also a side mention to baron davis.

    in the end i do believe that chris paul should win the the award. he has taken his team and gone above and beyond what was expected. even though he does have good players around him he is still the central piece to their puzzle and there team would be nowhere without him. he is the only one who can create on his team aside from david west on occasion the rest are spot up shooters. Kobe is next in line and does deserve it. i just dont feel we can give it to kobe just because it is overdue. we need to give it to the mvp now and not look at past future or age in the descion.

58. Forgotten Names Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 10:00 am

    Mistakes to correct 1. the players missing for antawn jaimison was supposed to be gilbert and caron butler.
    2. the players that i felt were wrongfully left out of the discusion are not truly able to compete this year for mvp but should at least be mentioned.

59. Marco Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 10:12 am

    in my opinion i would give it to chris paul.
    but also kevin garnett should be considered.
    just because he missed 9 games everyone forgot about him.
    and just because the celtics went 7-2 (im not sure but thats pretty close) while he was gone they are overlooking him.

    i would honestly believe that if kevin garnett never came to the celtics and they were just being led by ray allen and paul pierce, the only 7-2 run they would ever make is points in a game. kevin garnett brought such a defensive attitude and brought confidence with him.

    of course chris paul does deserve the mvp since he is doing more with less and has a better record than everyone on this list other than kg.

60. tjz Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 10:12 am

    Well all of those top 3 candidates still have the same chances of being the MVP so CP3 isn’t the winner yet. Even KG and Tracy have chances if they start showing more numbers and continue winning…

61. Marco Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 10:14 am

    also chris paul needs a better nickname than cp3

62. rene Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 10:28 am

    If MVPs were to be determined by such logical rating systems, Karl Malone would have never received such a trophy.

63. Tony Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 10:49 am

    Have you looked at the NBA Standing lately ? or too busy watching Chris Paul ?

    Celtics top record… Garnett gets a 9… TMAC 2nd best record and gets a 10 … also same story with lakers/hornets

    Im not argueing Chris Paul isnt MVP… but this is aroneous.

64. Mark Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 11:02 am

    koly,

    he missed 6 games because of what? a crappy injury that he should have played with? LOL

65. Michael Bennett Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 11:04 am

    koly — Like I said, I’m the biggest LeBron fan in here. No doubt. Ask Eddie.

    What I’m saying is that because LeBron missed six games, the Cavs went 0-6 in those games, and their record is 38-30, with a snowballs chance in hell at reaching 50 Ws this year. And, voters don’t give MVP awards to guys who win 45 regular season games.

    Are you kidding? Please don’t challenge me in my LeBron knowledge and passion. I know more about the young guy than anyone. I try to watch every single minute of every game. And, I try to do the same with players like Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Amare Stoudemire, Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett and Dwyane Wade… my favs.

    And, the conclusion I’ve come to is:

    LeBron is by far the best player in the world, Kobe is very amazing but nowhere near Jordan (and Kobe’s inferior to LeBron), and this year, agreeing with Eddie, Chris Paul is regular season MVP.

66. midnite breeze Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 11:16 am

    “koly tenguela Said” kobe bryant and CP3 are by far better defenders than LeBron the difference is, kobe and and cris paul have to carry their team in the 4th qtr BUT still play shut down Defense LeBron is not the only player carrying his team in the 4th CP3 and kobe do the same thing everynight but both can still come up with the defensive stop theres a reason why kobe as been on all nba defensive teams and CP3 is leading the leagure in steals.. dnt worry though im sure LeBron will eventually be good at defense he jus needs to learn that both sides of the court matter.. if MJ an kobe and Cp3 can do it.. im sure LeBron can do it too

67. hustle Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 11:41 am

    first of all you rate the player on the year not on there rap sheet. So if you look at the year there is no way that kobes crunch time should be a 10 and lebrons a 9. This year lebron has been more clutch baskets and points and the forth.

    And for defense you gave kobe a higher score than lebron, while lebron avgs more steals and blocks than kobe and he torched kobe and his team beat the lakers.

    And as far as injuries he has more man games missed and people out than anybody in the league.

    So i can understand CP3 getting love. A little but to have Kobe over lebron is looking at kobes past. all lebrons numbers are better and he makes his team better.

68. Daniel K (forgotten names) Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 12:00 pm

    what makes lebron the best player in the world? an inconsitent jumper, being on a team where he has to do everything so his stats are gonna be padded, and his use of his offarm and travels on a consitent basis. these are just some of the reasons that lebron cannot be considered the BEST is the world

69. koly tenguela Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 12:05 pm

    Michael Bennett,
    don’t worry, i’m not interested in going into a contest about who’s the biggest Lebron’s fan.
    For what you said that made me react, you need to know that english is not my first language so i struggle sometimes to understand some little nuances, so now it’s a little bit more clear and i agree with you that usually people don’t vote for players who have 45 wins.
    But for me it’s really unfair because Lebron is having an exceptional season. Chris Paul has been nothing short of amazing but once again, his supporting cast is in my opinion really superior than Lebron’s one.
    But i guess that’s how things work, so…

70. Markanthony Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 12:05 pm

    No suprise here…

    Chris Paul is the MVP of this league and in my opinion the best point guard in the game right now, no doubt about it.

    Lebron and Kobe are having spectacular seasons but Chris Paul…is wow. I’ve not seen a point guard like him in years! Yes that includes Steve Nash!

71. Markanthony Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 12:08 pm

    Side note—- Hawks fans must want to stone their management right now….lol

72. Kingsblade Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 12:15 pm

    “Give me a break. Chris Paul is surrounded by stars like Peja, Chandler, and West”

    Hilarious! This is the most inane statement I have heard in a long time. Ridiculous!

    Why are people talking about New Orleans as though they are some kind of allstar team? None of these guys were any good (minus Peja) before Paul came along.

    Someone else said that the lakers were all having career years because of Kobe, but the same goes for basically the whole NO team.

73. Kingsblade Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 12:29 pm

    Something I want to mention…

    If the inclusion of McGrady is because of the recent Rockets tear through the league, then you have to grade McGrady in his play during the recent tear, and not on his past play.

    His defense has been stellar, and has been part of a major integral team defensive effort which has happened only through his example. Over the winning streak they have been a top 2 or 3 defensive team in the league. The simple fact that he has been a big factor in developing team defense should mean even more than purely individual defensive ability.

    He also deserves a 10 for making teamates better if we are talking mostly about his play during the streak, not to mention better grades for effort and attitude.

    This is not to say that I necessarily think that McGrady should be mvp. I only bring it up because Eddie said the streak brought him into the discussion, which should also mean that the streak should be what we look at in terms of his play. He has less of a team around him than LeBron, yet they are in first place in the west right now.

    They have wonn 22 in a row basically by playing every possession like its the last minute of the game, and they are doing it right largely due to McGrady. (and Adelman…I still don’t know why the #$%$#^$#% Maloofs decided he couldn’t coach defense)

    Maybe he is not the mvp, but I am a bit surprised that nobody is talking about him here at all.

74. P Lewis James Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 12:47 pm

    Chris Paul over Kobe Bryant, get real! A first ballot hall of famer (Kobe)
    what does this guy have to do? The NO team will wilt like pasta in boiling water under the intensity, and pressure off the playoffs.How many great under six foot players have led a team to a NBA title? It won’t happen this year either. Chris Paul is a great talent but MVP. I don’t think so!

75. BBALL JONES Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 1:16 pm

    Quick not on those of you discussing Kobe/MJ - I’ve talked to several former coaches and players in the NBA and the thought is this…

    Kobe is a better outside shooter who has mastered Jordan’s footwork.

    MJ was more athletic. He was quicker and stronger to the hole. Kobe is very quick, but MJ’s quickness was on par with a healthy DWade on Kobe’s simply isn’t at that level.

76. Nikkiboy Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 1:44 pm

    Chris Paul give it to him already…

77. Stefan Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 1:52 pm

    Wow, Michael Bennett, You certainly are the authority, aren’t you. Listen pal, it doesn’t matter that Kobe is not as good as Jordan…that’s an armchair-athlete debate. What matters is the here and now, and while Lebron is certainly spectacular in many ways and may one day become one of the greatest ever, he’s not in his prime. Kobe is and is magnificent. I’ve never been a big laker fan or even a Kobe booster but this time around there’s no doubt in my mind who the MVP is.
    However, I have to admit that Chris Paul is an exciting choice, (trendy, but sensible) especially after I read what Eddie had to say.

78. Stefan Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 1:54 pm

    Um…I’m not sure I’ve figured out what the difference between showmanship and wow-factor is.
    Can someone explain?
    Eddie?
    Peace

79. Jax Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 1:54 pm

    to my mind -

    1. Kobe
    2. Paul
    3. Garnett
    4. Lebron
    5. Dwight
    6. Mcgrady
    7. Nash
    8. Baron
    and so the list goes…

80. Petro Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 3:24 pm

    Colby stinks!

81. Cordell Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 3:37 pm

    I agree totally,

    Last night, the Hornets trailed the Bulls going into the fourth quarter by like 12pts. However, Chris Paul turned on another engine in his game and dominated the last seven minutes as if Isiah Thomas had been reincarnated in his flesh.

    He wheeled, dealed, dished and scored at wheel and nobody could stop him, 37pts, 13 dimes, 3 steals. He was the best player on the floor, no question. He basically singlehandedly won the game. If the Hornets lose him with a freak injury, they will lose alot of games. I would say him and Kobe are neck and neck for MVP. They are the most valuable to their team, Lebron is close but his team has not impressed me enough to award him MVP.

82. Michael Bennett Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 5:49 pm

    Stefan — “Listen pal…” Good one. I hear the same argument from you and everyone who thinks Kobe is better than LeBron. Everyone says that “Kobe’s in his prime” and “LeBron will be the greatest ever, but he’s not in his prime” or some variation of this.

    AND IT PROVES MY POINT EVERY TIME.

    Kobe, right now, in his prime, is leading/will lead a stellar cast (Bynum, Odom, Gasol) into the Playoffs, for probably a second round exit… maybe even a first round exit if they’re paired with San Antonio or Dallas. His numbers are worse than LeBron’s… BY FAR. But, Kobe is in his prime. And, this is the best he’ll ever be.

    On the other hand…

    LeBron will reach his prime in about four to five years. I think we can all agree on that. By then, his defense will be polished and perfect, his already improved jump shot will be perfected, and he’ll be hitting 80%-85% of his free throws. He’ll be winning championships (instead of just getting there) and he’ll be leading the league in scoring. He could end up being the best player ever. I still think Jordan is and will be.

    But, RIGHT NOW, LeBron is better than Kobe. That’s what a lot of people can’t and don’t see. Like you, Stefan, they think Kobe is entitled to the “Greatest Basketball Player in the World” throne just because he’s in his prime. But, the numbers don’t lie. LeBron is better or equal at every aspect of the game except for free throw shooting and, only sometimes, defense.

    31-8-7 is better than 28-6-5. 49% FG is better than 46% FG. LeBron is better than Kobe.

83. Michael Bennett Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 5:51 pm

    Oh, I forgot to mention that you think Kobe is better than LeBron because that’s what Steven A. Smith and Mark Jackson tell you every two minutes. Because you are simple minded and can’t figure it out for yourself by WATCHING BOTH PLAYERS PLAY, you resort to regurgitating what other people say.

    Congratulations for being mindless!

84. Eddie Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 5:55 pm

    Showmanship- is personality that makes you come to the arena and see this guy play.

    wow factor—–is at least two or three times they will do something that seems out of this world.

    why dont you guys do the formula without leaning toward your favorite player.

    Garnett got a 9 for winning because boston went 7-2 without him.

    McGrady got a 10 for doing something only one team in history has done.

    remember i judged these guys against each other.

85. Laker Show Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 6:15 pm

    As we head into the final stretch of the season, the MVP discussions have began to heat up. As they have, one thing has become painfully obvious. Whether he has earned these honors or not, he will not receive them. It’s not my place to decide if Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Chris Paul, or Kevin Garnett is most deserving of this award. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Each of those players have staked a rightful claim to the award with their play this season. What is unfortunate though is that one of the favorites to win this award is not being given a fair and objective chance at winning it.

    Prior to Colorado, and the sexual assault allegations, Kobe was the NBA’s golden child. Similar to Lebron James the media had latched on to him early. A boy wonder with a squeeky clean image. That image would forever be shattered after those allegations. The story then became that of a fallen hero. Like a greek tragedy, people were entertained by the idea of an ego-driven star who had broken up a dynasty, driven out it’s other stars and Hall of Fame Coach. Kobe the villain sold newspapers and improved ratings. That is not to say that he has not deserved the criticism he has received. There is one question that deserves to be asked though. Is it truly possible that Kobe was once a model citizen and a great guy, only to one day decide do a complete role reversal and turn into the Anti-Christ? A much more feasible explanation is that he was never as clean, or as evil as his media portrayal.

    The reality is that journalists are just people. They take sides. They become offended if they are snubbed by a player, and sometimes they can be vindictive. Yet the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award is determined by the sports media. Two seasons ago Steve Nash walked away with MVP honors for the second straight season, joining an elite cast of multiple time winners. Nash had a great season, and kept the Suns afloat without the injured Amare Stoudemire. Kobe Bryant would finish fourth in MVP voting despite averaging 35.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.8 steals. His 35.4 points was the most the league had seen in nineteen seasons, since Michael Jordan averaged 37.1 in 1986-87, and he led that Lakers team to a 45-37 record and pushed them to the brink of an upset, going up 3-1 against the Phoenix Suns in the playoffs.

    Allow me remind you of his roster at that time. That team featured Smush Parker, Kwame Brown and Luke Walton as 3/5 of it’s starting lineup. Kwame Brown is stinking it up on one of the leagues worst teams and Smush Parker has been on paid vacation for most of this season by the league’s worst team. Luke Walton had his break out season the next year, but averaged just 5 points and 3.6 rebounds that season. To have led that team to 45 wins and the brink of an upset was truly an accomplishment for Kobe. Say what you will about the Cavaliers supporting cast this season, but they are innumerably better than Kobe’s Lakers team two seasons ago.

    Yet 22 members of the media didn’t even feel that Kobe was worthy of a top five vote. The 125 man panel gave him 22 first place votes, 11 second place, 18 third place, 22 fourth place and 30 fifth place votes. If cornered with the question of why Kobe Bryant failed to receive more two votes the de facto response were that his Lakers team simply wasn’t good enough. The MVP usually goes to the best player on one of the best teams. Okay, I can respect that. The media backed up that notion last season by voting Dirk Nowitzki as the league’s MVP.

    What I don’t understand is that many members of the same media have suddenly done a 180 on the criteria of MVP this season. Kobe has taken more of a backseat role this season. He has allowed his teammates to do more, and in the process the Lakers have become a better team. Even before the acquisition of Pau Gasol, the Lakers were the top team in the West prior to Bynum’s knee injury. His 28.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.0 steals is more impressive than the 24.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 0.8 blocks that Nowitzki posted en route to the MVP last season.

    Yet, there is an alarming trend in the media. Suddenly they have decided that the old criteria didn’t make much sense after all. In recent weeks the Lebron for MVP talk has picked up. The Cavs are 35-27 and in 4th place in the much weaker Eastern Conference. The Lakers are 43-18 and second in the Western Conference, despite battling injuries all season. Let’s put that into perspective. Despite playing in the much weaker conference, and thus having a lighter schedule, the Cavaliers current record would place them as a 10th seed in the west, or two seeds away from the last spot in the playoffs.

    ESPN’s John Hollinger answered some questions on his choice of Lebron James, followed by Chris Paul as his MVP candidates earlier this week. He began by explaining that 58 of the 82 games are identical between the two conferences and that it shouldn’t make a large difference in the win/loss column. I’m sorry John, but that just won’t fly. That leaves a whopping 30% of the eason where western conference teams are battling it out with much stiffer competition. Mr. Hollinger knows this well, as his power rankings are determined by a statistical analysis which calculates the Strength of Schedule. According to his own power rankings the Cavs would place as the 15th best team. The Cavs have faced the 18th most difficult schedule in the league this season. The Lakers meanwhile are even with the Mavericks for the 7th most difficult. Of the ten most difficult schedules to date, only three of those teams were in the eastern conference, topped by the Knicks at #4. If the strength of schedule means so little, then why does he weight it so heavily in his standings? In the end he would explain that he felt that Lebron was head and shoulders above the rest of the league right now, and for that reason he would get his vote. If that were the case then why didn’t he vote for Kobe two seasons ago?

    Kelly Dwyer shared his sentiments in a recent article at Yahoo Sports. He would say in that article that Kobe probably should have been the MVP in the 2005-2006 MVP race, and not have been punished for playing on an otherwise poor team. He would then explain his thoughts of why Lebron has been a better player this season and deserves the award this season. The problem here is that Kelly Dwyer wrote an article two years ago at when he picked Lebron James as his MVP then. Why the change of heart now? Does anyone honestly believe that the Cavs supporting cast is weaker right now than the Lakers was two seasons ago? If next season Kobe averaged 50 points a game beause the rest of his team died in a plane crash but the Lakers struggled, would the criteria change yet again?

    Has Lebron really surpassed Kobe as the games best player? If you look at statistics, then a strong case can be made. Lebron outdoes Kobe in just about every statistical ranking at a glance. Lebron averages 2.3 more points, 2 more rebounds and 2.3 more assists per game than Kobe. He also shoots a better field goal percentage and has more blocks. Kobe has a higher free throw and three point percentage, as well as averaging more steals. He does play a couple more minutes per game than Kobe. On the surface it seems like an easy choice if the criteria is purely on who is the better player. Numbers can be deceiving though.

    The most important difference is defense. You know, the activity that occurs during the other half of the game. Kobe has been on the all-defensive team seven times in the past eight seasons, including five first team appearances. Lebron meanwhile is an average defender. The interesting thing is that some members of the media have attempted to do the jedi mind trick on us, and convince us that Lebron has turned into a good defensive player. While I agree that his defense has definitely improved, to call him a good defender would be a stretch. Effective Field Goal Percentage is a representation which takes three point baskets into the equation of field goal percentage. Opposing small forwards have shot a 50% eFG against Lebron this season. Meanwhile, Kobe has held opposing shooting guards to a mere 44.1% eFG against him. That’s a huge difference.

    Next up is rebounding. Both players are good rebounders at their positions. The difference is the positions they play. Kobe plays 77% of his minutes as a shooting guard, and the remaining 23% as a small forward. Meanwhile Lebron plays 73% of his minutes as a small forward, and the remaining 27% as a power forward. Rebounding is primarily a responsibility of forwards, and not guards.

    Assists is a no brainer. Lebron is a better passer and more willing passer than Kobe. Kobe leads his team in assists year in and year out though. Over the past seven years Kobe has averaged 5.4 assists per game. His primary role though, is as a scorer. As a scorer, Kobe is second to none. Despite chasing Lebron for the scoring lead this season, Kobe is still the better scorer. His field goal percentage as a result of 74% of his shots being outside shots, as compared ot 61% of Lebron’s shots. Kobe shoots 45.8% efG on his jump shots though, as compared to James’ 39.3%, that’s the difference of 6.5%. The big difference difference here is that Lebron is taking 22.3 shots per game, as compared to just 20.4 by Bryant. That is nearly 7 shots less per game than Bryant took two seasons ago.

    At the end of the day you can make a strong argument for either player as the games best. Do you value Lebron’s passing or Kobe’s defense? What you can not argue though is that Lebron makes his teammates better and that Kobe does not. This is an argument that gets used seemingly any time the two are compared. Apparently averaging more assists equals out to making your teammates better. Nevermind the fact that the triangle is not an assist-friendly offense. Let’s just stick to the undeniable facts and compare the teammates of both players. The only player who has shown any significant improvement prior to being traded to play with Lebron are Drew Gooden and Carlos Boozer. Boozer was a rookie the year before Lebron came, and had a decent year with him before heading to Utah. His field goal percentage dropped with Lebron but his scoring average went from 10 to 15.5. They only played together one season. Drew Gooden saw his field goal percentage leap by 4.7% in his first season with Lebron, and his scoring average jumped by 2.8. His scoring would drop back down in later seasons.

    Ilgauskus was an all-star before playing with Lebron. He has not shown any improvement. In fact the only career high he can boast since the arrival of Lebron is in blocked shots. What has been most confusing about Lebron’s game though is that they have brought in a number of guys who have played absolutely terribly with him. One would have to wonder why Kevin Ollie saw his shooting percentage drop from 45.1% the season before playing with Lebron to 37% in the season playing alongside of him. He was only 31 years of age. Ricky Davis was traded mid-season in Lebron’s rookie season. He responded by lifting his shooting percentage by 5.7% and his three point percentage by 2.6%. Eric Snow had averaged 12.1, 12.9 and 10.3 points in his three previous seasons, while shooting 44..2%, 45.2% and 41.3%. He joined Lebron at age 31 and plummeting to 4 points per game on 38.2% shooting, despite playing a 22.8 minutes per game.

    The next season they made the moves that were supposed to move them into contention. They brought in Donyell Marshall, who had long been a deadly shooter. He had averaged 11.5 points on 41.6% from beyond the arc the season before, and had shot 40% or better from that range for the past two seasons and routinely averaged in the low teens. Yet in three seasons with the Cavs he never shot better than 35.1% from that range or averaged more than 9.3 points. Damon Jones was also brought in to space the floor. The 29 year old averaged 11.6 points on 43.2% shooting from beyond the arc and 45.6% from the field the season before in Miami. Those numebrs dropped to 37.7% shooting and 6.7 points playing under Lebron, however. The largest disappointment though was Larry Hughes. Hughes was an all-defensive player who was coming off a year in which he averaged 22 points on 43% shooting. He had averaged 18.8 points the season prior to that. Yet he never averaged more than 15.5 points or 40.9% shooting in three seasons with Lebron. He was recently traded to the Chicago Bulls and saw a 4.1 point and a 4% leap in his field goal percentage in the seven games since the trade. It’s way too early too make any determination on the impact of his latest shooter, Wally Szczerbiak, but it should be noted that in the six games since joining the Cavs he has seen his fielg goal percentage plummet by 13.6% and his three point percentage drop by 4.9%.

    I don’t want to hear how Lebron makes his teammates better ever again. There simply is no statistical analysis to support this. In fact, he seems to destroy the shooting stroke of the guys brought in to spread the floor for him. Oddly enough, the guy who for years the media has said does not make his teammates better, has indeed done a much better job.

    Perhaps the best indication is Smush Parker. Smush bounced around from team to team for a couple of years, never having averaged more than 6.2 points or shot better than 41.9%. The previous season he averaged 3 points per game. Yet he averaged 11.5 and 11.1 in two years with Kobe, having career best numbers in both shooting and three point shooting in each of those seasons. He left to the Miami Heat thsi season, where he saw his average drop by 6.3 points, his shooting percentage by 12.1% and his three point shooting by 11.5%. Chris Mihm was a 45% shooter on his career, with a career high 48.8% from the field. Not only did he have career highs in scoring average during each of his first two seasons with the Lakers but he also shot above 50% in each of those seasons prior to his injury. Kwame Brown had never shot above 49% in his career, yet he shot 52.6% and 59.1% as a Laker. He was traded mid-season this year and since that trade he has seen his field goal percentage drop from 50.3% to 35.3%. The other big man in that trade, Pau Gasol has seen his field goal percentage raise from 50.1% in Memphis to a whopping 59% alongside of Kobe, as well as raising his scoring average by 1.8 per game. Gasol is a 51.1% career shooter who had never shot better than 53.8%. The third piece of that trade, Javaris Crittenton, has sene his shooting percentage drop from 49.1% to 38% since it was made. Another mid-season acquisition in Didier Ilunga-Mbenga has seen a similar rise. He shot 31.3% from the field last season, and 39.1% in 16 games with Golden State this year. He has shot 45.5% in 14 games with the Lakers. Derek Fisher’s three years away from L.A. saw him shoot 39.3%, 41% and 38.2% from the floor. Since returning to the Lakers he has shot 44%. Laron Profit suffered a career ending injury in his first season as a Laker. In the 25 games prior to his injury though he shot 47.6%, his previous career high was 43.8% with two seasons under 40%. Jumaine Jones shot 39.1% from beyond the arc and 43.2% from teh floor playing alongside Kobe, after shooting 34.4% from teh floor and 29.5% from beyond the arc the season before. Since leaving he has never shot better than 40.5% from teh floor or 34.3% from long range. Chucky Atkins also had arguably his best season alongside of Kobe, scoring 13.6 per game while shooting 38.7% from beyond the arc. He hasn’t matched either number since.

    Lamar Odom has in the eyes of some struggled to co-exist with Kobe. In many ways this is true, as both guys like to have the ball in their hands. In reality though he had shot under 43.9% in each of his three previous seasons before joining Bryant, and never above 46% in his career. He has shot 47.3%, 48.1%, 46.8% and 50.4% in his four seasons with the Lakers. His scoring has dropped slightly, by a couple of points a game. The other odd case is Caron Butler. Caron became an all-star after being traded from the Lakers, and some might use that as justification that Kobe held him back. The reality though is that Caron averaged a career high in both points per game and in field goal percentage in his season with Kobe. His field goal percentage jumped 6.5% from the season before and was 2.9% higher than his previous career best.

    In the end, there is plenty of evidence to support Kobe making his teammates better, but not much at all to support Lebron doing so. In fact the evidence would seem to point the opposite way. You can read into that what you will. But at the end of the day members of the media will soon determine who is the NBA’s next MVP. It’s a reasonably safe bet that the name on that trophy will be Lebron James and not Kobe Bryant. In the aftermath of that you will hear a lot of rhetoric and hyperbole about why they gave him the award. What I would like to see from those very same writers though is to address the things written here. Kobe has been among the best, if not the best player in the NBA for a very long time. Yet he has never won the trophy. At just 23 years of age, Lebron is going to have many chances to hang that trophy. Kobe Bryant is not. He has earned it by the very criteria that they set out. In a perfect world he would be the 2007-2008 MVP. In reality though, that is not likely to happen. Not because he hasn’t earned it, but because too many of the people who have earned a vote simply do not like him.

86. Zane Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 7:59 pm

    Kingsblade,

    Here are the numbers on West, Chandler and Peja:

    West: PPG 19.7 REB 9.1 ASST 2.3 (All-star numbers)
    Chandler: PPG 11.7, REB 12.3 (4th in league), FG% 59.7 (3rd in league)
    Peja: PPG 16.1 REB 4.4, 46% 3FG (6th in league)

    West is a bondafied all-star, Chandler is a great defensive player, and Peja is a former all-star and has played well in the 4th for NOH. They just don’t get their props. Then you have Pargo, MoPete, Wells and Butler. Chris Paul has a very good roster around him, and Kobe has an even better team around him.

    Compare this to the guys starting next to Lebron:
    Big Z: PPG 13.4 REB 9.5
    Big Ben PPG 5.4, REB 8.3, ASST 0.4 (ouch)
    Wally: PPG 9.2 REB ,2.8 ASST 1.8, FG% 31.3 (ouch)
    West PPG 9.9, REB, 3.9 ASST 4.2, FG% 42.6

    None of these guys would even get a starting spot on the Hornets OR the Lakers! And the fact is that they were even WORSE off before the trade!

    If you traded Lebron, for Kobe or Paul - the Hornets and Lakers would the NO 1 contenders, and the Cavs would be a .500 team at best.

    LEBRON IS THE MVP. NO DOUBT.

87. Daniel K (forgotten names) Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 8:04 pm

    Michael bennett- dont forget that lebrons stats are padded because of the fact that he is forced to do everything on his team. where kobe has fisher and odom both who are good passers to compliment him, lebron has no one so he has to create everything for his team. kobe dosnt need to do everything anymore. also lebrons fg percentage is a little higher due to the fact that way more of his takes are layups or dunks. he also gets more rebounds a game because of his body and size and shouldnt be looked at as a factor of whether he is better or not.

88. Zane Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 8:09 pm

    Also, Lebron is the most productive player in the league - of this there is no arguement because it’s not even close. You would expect him to average the most turnovers by far.

    But he is in fact tied with Kobe for just 5th in the L at 3.4 TOPG, and Lebron has a much better assist-to-turnover ratio than Kobe.

89. Isaac Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 8:44 pm

    Kobe’s record is only rated a 8 because his team boasts a deeper bench then New Orleans as well as premier players in Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol. I understand that the Hornets have David West but other then that, their is no other legitimate scorer. And the reason Kobe’s attitude is only rated a 9 is because in the beginning of the season, he asked to be traded and Paul, who’s team did not make the playoffs last season, did not complain at all. I’m not saying Chris Paul is the better player and neither am i saying that he is the mvp but rather answering some of the questions asked by the millions of Kobe fan boys

90. Kevin Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 9:12 pm

    Apparently “wow” factor is more important that let say “defense” or “leadership” or “hustle”.

91. Rashidi Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 10:33 pm

    MVP games played
    Dirk: 78
    Nash: 79, 75
    KG: 82
    Duncan: 82, 81
    Iverson: 71
    Shaq: 79
    Malone: 82, 49 (of 50)
    MJ: 82, 82, 80, 82, 82
    Admiral: 82
    Hakeem: 82
    Barkley: 82

    Anyone notice any trends? The MVP has traditionally been given to the stars who haven’t missed many games. Other than Iverson’s fluke and the Nash exception (team wasn’t elite but was better than expected without Amare) no MVP in the last 15 years has played less than 78 games, i.e. missed more than 4 games.

    At best, the chances of being named MVP when missing 11 games (Iverson) are extremely slim. This is also a big reason why Shaq only has one MVP to his name as he would usually miss 10 games a year in his prime.

    Paul Pierce is leading Boston in scoring and hasn’t missed a game - he is more of an MVP candidate than KG. 9 games (what KG has missed) may not seem like much, but that’s 11% of the season right there. It’s tough to name a guy league MVP when he’s only 3rd on his team in total points. In short, if a guy is going to play less than 95% of the season, he better seperate himself considerably from the other candidates to even be in the discussion. Garnett simply hasn’t done that, although if MVP voting were done in December he’d have been the consensus winner. And for as impressive as Houston’s streak is, it’s not like T-Mac is averaging 30 points and willing his team to victory, he has had quite a few poor shooting games in the streak. What it does mean is Rick Adelman should get Coach of Year but that’s a post for another day.

    My rankings
    1. Chris Paul: 64 of 66 gms (missed 2)
    2. Kobe Bryant 66 of 66 gms (missed 0)
    3. LeBron James 62 of 68 gms (missed 6)
    4. Dwight Howard 69 of 69 gms (missed 0)
    5. Steve Nash 65 of 66 gms (missed 1)
    6. Tim Duncan 63 of 67 gms (missed 4)
    7. Dirk Nowitzki 66 of 67 gms (missed 1)
    8. Amare Stoudemire 63 of 66 gms (missed 3)
    9. Paul Pierce 66 of 66 gms (missed 0)
    10. Baron Davis 65 of 65 gms (missed 0)

    Honorable mentions: Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, Chauncey Billups

    Disqualified List
    Kevin Garnett - 57 of 66 gms (missed 9)
    Tracy McGrady: 51 of 66 gms (missed 15)

    Paul deserves to win MVP based on how his team has performed, a lot of people did not even have them making the playoffs yet they have a better record than all the household names that they show on ESPN and TNT every week.

    HOWEVER, since the media votes for MVP, it’s going to Kobe or LeBron unless something drastic happens between now and April (like the Lakers falling to the bottom of the playoff bracket).

    I also went over in a previous blog how no MVP in the last 20-30 years has come from an NBA team that didn’t have at least a top 4 record in the league.

    These teams are
    Celtics: 53-13
    Pistons: 49-18
    Rockets: 46-20
    Hornets and Lakers: 45-21

    And of course, the Suns, Spurs, Mavs, Jazz, and Magic are literally right behind them and a lot could happen between now and the end of the regular season.

    That would seem to disqualify LeBron although with the stats he is putting up a lot of people are probably willing to make him an exception.

    However as things stand, given history, Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant are the only players that should be in contention for the award. Boston, Detroit, and Houston have gotten by on depth and teamwork rather than one player excelling. The Hornets and Lakers belong to their respective star, and both have inarguably been the best player at their position this year. (If Cleveland can go on a 10-15 game win streak to close out the season that would put him at their level, as he is inarguably the best player at his position too. It’s not impossible, just improbable - you can say the same for Dwight Howard and Orlando btw).

92. Kingsblade Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 10:57 pm

    “it’s not like T-Mac is averaging 30 points and willing his team to victory, he has had quite a few poor shooting games in the streak. What it does mean is Rick Adelman should get Coach of Year but that’s a post for another day.”

    Adelman does deserve coach of the year, but since when does an MVP need to average 30 points? What he has done is lead his team to the second best winning streak in history. I see your point about missed games though.

    I need to mention again that I am not really trying to say that I think he should be MVP, but he has certainly merited a consideration. Have you watched many of the games? He is finally actually filling a leadership role that has been asked of him for years.

93. Melvin Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 11:05 pm

    lengthy discussions there… still i feel paul deserves it the most!!! I have a poll about mvp… bryant or paul? vote now!!
    http://basketballnonsense.blogspot.com/

94. Rashidi Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 11:38 pm

    Oh and Bennett, take off your shades.

    “Kobe, right now, in his prime, is leading/will lead a stellar cast into the Playoffs, for probably a second round exit…”

    This is an interesting line, considering LeBron is on pace to do the same. There’s absolutely no reason to believe 4th or 5th seed Cleveland is getting past Boston in round two. They are 2-2 vs Boston but one of their wins was by one point in a game that KG did not play.

    Further, the team is only 7-6 since “the trade” despite a cookie cutter schedule, despite facing only three teams above .500 (Boston, Orlando, and Portland). They may not even get out of round one! And unlike the Lakers, it wouldn’t be due to the strength of the conference. Cleveland wouldn’t even be in the playoff picture if it played in the west. Denver is 9th in the west and has a better record than 4th in the east Cleveland.

    “By then, his defense will be polished and perfect, his already improved jump shot will be perfected, and he’ll be hitting 80%-85% of his free throws.”

    And one can only imagine how expertly you’ll toss his salad in five years. Polished and perfect? Try to restrain yourself in front of the kids Mikey. You’ve done a good job describing Kobe, but unfortunately LeBron has a long way to go in those areas.

    LeBron’s jumper has not improved one bit since last year, and there is no reason to believe he’ll be lights out from mid-range in only five years given his turtlesque improvement in this area.

    Hell, his Free throw percentage has regressed every year, how many players went from 70% FT shooters to 85% in only five years? NONE. Jordan, Kobe, Reggie, Nash, Dirk, etc were great FT shooters when they came into the league, this is not something they developed once they were here. FTs are always going to be a hole in LeBron’s game whether you like it or not. He might have a good season here and there, like a fluky 82% that he’ll follow up with 77% (once he DOES actually make an improvement) but there is absolutely nothing to suggest that this will happen in a mere five years.

    Defensively LeBron is improving but to say his defense will be “perfect” is even more laughable than your previous two claims. LeBron will never make an all-defensive 1st team in his career. While he might be underrated right now, the truth of the matter is MJ and GP were DOMINATING on defense when they were LeBron’s age. LeBron is not even close to what Ron Artest was at the same age.

    “He’ll be winning championships (instead of just getting there) and he’ll be leading the league in scoring.”

    And he may not even be wearing a Cleveland uniform. Lord knows their team is going to be UGLY in five years. Ilgauskas, Wallace, and Szczerbiak are not going to age well, and the team has no bright prospects for the future. Daniel Gibson (21), Delonte West (24), and Sasha Pavlovic (24) are Cleveland’s future right now. They’re gonna need just a teensy bit more that that to keep LeBron around.

    “31-8-7 is better than 28-6-5. 49% FG is better than 46% FG. LeBron is better than Kobe.”

    LOL a simple comparison of numbers WOW! What a well developed argument!

    LeBron mid-range shooting
    2008: 128-328 (.365)
    2007: 136-391 (.347)
    2006: 184-462 (.398)
    2005: 155-417 (.371)
    Total: 603-1598 (.377)

    LeBron hasn’t imroved his mid-range shooting. He just hasn’t been as laughably bad as he was last year, though it is still a very low mark.

    Last year’s playoff numbers?
    2007 playoffs: 32-95 (.336)

    Yeach. Look we get it, LeBron is the future of the NBA blah blah blah, just don’t paint his weaknesses as soon to be strengths, it’s like 15 years ago if you were telling people Shaq was gonna add range to his shot or even become a slightly below average FT shooter. His shooting has gotten worse with time, not better.

    Kobe’s mid-range stats?
    2008: 159-414 (.384)
    2007: 240-564 (.425)
    2006: 302-717 (.421)
    2005: 102-264 (.386)
    Total: 803-1959 (.410)

    Now while Kobe on paper is not the magnificent mid-range operator he is reputed to be, the fact is he is clearly much better than LeBron in this area.

    Kobe’s 2007 playoffs
    17-40 (.425)

    And of course we aren’t even taking into consideration that Kobe is a vastly better 3pt and FT shooter than LeBron.

    In short, Kobe’s jumper ain’t perfect and LeBron still has a LONG way to catch him, much less Tracy McGrady, Michael Redd, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Brandon Roy, Manu Ginobili, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Vince Carter, Chris Bosh, I could literally name half of the NBA if I wanted to.

95. Rashidi Said,

    March 18, 2008 @ 11:48 pm

    “Adelman does deserve coach of the year, but since when does an MVP need to average 30 points? What he has done is lead his team to the second best winning streak in history. I see your point about missed games though.”

    I wouldn’t exactly call it “leading” as the team has gotten contributions from many players. Luis Scola and Carl Landry come to mind. Rafer Alston is the player who has picked up his play the most out of anyone.

    Excluding a 4-16 performance against the Lakers, T-Mac has been big this month. But in February he had his share of clunkers and only topped 20 points in 6 of 13 contests. His stretch from Feb 7th to the 19th was particularly bad.

    “I need to mention again that I am not really trying to say that I think he should be MVP, but he has certainly merited a consideration.”

    I think our standards for consideration are probably what differ here. I listed 10 guys in my ranking but only three have a realistic shot. No matter what happens with the streak, T-Mac has not done enough this season to surpass what Paul, Kobe, or LeBron have done and it would take a monumental collapse by all three for him to get “real” consideration for MVP. Unless of course, they don’t lose a game for the rest of the year, then T-Mac is a shoo-in. As it stands, even with the streak, T-Macs MVP chances are probably around 1% as there are just too many other deserving candidates. The streak, while impressive, has not been the biggest story of the season.

96. JJ Said,

    March 19, 2008 @ 12:46 am

    Comparing players by simply putting their stats side by side and declaring the guy with the better numbers the better player is a really bad way to debate the quality of players. If you compare Kevin Garnett’s stats from last year to his numbers this year, you’d see that he averaged more points, rebounds, assists, and blocks per game last year with Minnesota. Does anyone think he’s suddenly not as good as he used to be? Garnett is even scoring fewer points and grabbing fewer rebounds than Al Jefferson. Does anyone think the Celts are regretting that trade? It’s obviously a case of having better players around him and not having to carry the load single-handedly.

    Concerning T-Mac: The fact that he missed 15 games earlier in the season, which resulted in a barely above .500 Rocket team, and since has lead them to 22 straight only bolsters his value to me. His shooting percentages don’t necessarily matter. He didn’t shoot the lights out in the Laker game, but it was the Lakers’ focus on him defensively that left the other guys open. I think assigning him an 8 for effort is arbitrary and unfair. He’s an understated personality, not a guy who doesn’t play hard. Tim Duncan often looked uninspired and relaxed during his MVP and title years. Again, that’s just his personality. And I still think assigning 20 points for “wow” and “showmanship” is completely wrong. “Man to man defense” and “team defense” would be better measures of a great basketball player.

97. JJ Said,

    March 19, 2008 @ 12:52 am

    Case in point– the Nuggets have more wow factor and showmanship than most teams. They score tons of points, they make the highlight reels with alley-oops and all sorts of impressive offensive moves… but if the playoffs started toady, they wouldn’t even be in them.

98. todd Said,

    March 19, 2008 @ 2:01 am

    “LeBron James will past him very soon like a locomotive once his defense continues to improve.”

    I remember LBJ doing a good job of bottling up Kobe in the most recent Cavs win over the Lakers. I also remember him shutting down a red-hot Richardson in the last few possessions in their win over the Bobcats. He’s averaging around a block (evidence of better weakside help D) and 2 steals per game. I think he’s already the best player in the L.

    “I would also mention that Amare Stoudemire might give both of them a run for their money if he continues the torrid pace he is on.”

    On O. What about his D? Don’t let those block numbers fool you. He’s a bad defender, which is why they picked up Shaq right? And Amare calling out NBA viewers for MVP consideration was pretty pathetic.

99. Zane Said,

    March 19, 2008 @ 2:03 am

    Rashidi,

    The MVP is a regular season award for the CURRENT season. It has got absolutely nothing to do with LAST YEARS, OR THIS YEARS PLAYOFF series.

    Lebron is a much better passer, a much better rebounder, a better scorer, a better 4th quarter player and and most importantly, an infinately better leader. Lebron has never bailed on the Cavs. He is a different type of defender than Kobe and just as good, maybe better because he also blocks shots in the paint, and steals at the same clip as Kobe. Look at the efficiency ratings on both players, Kobe is a distant second to Lebron.

    Kobe’s game may be a better jump shooter, but what for what Lebron does well, he does infinately better than everyone else out there. For taking the ball to the rim, anyone else out there is a distant second. This makes him even more valuable because points in the paint win games, and his FG% is higher for this reason.

    The fact that Lebron missed 6 games due to INJURY, is testament to how VALUABLE he is to the Cavs. 0-6 without him, you can’t argue this. He may have missed these 6 games, but he has played only 25 minutes less than Kobe this season. This shows you how VALUABLE Lebron is to the Cavs.

    See the award name, REGULAR SEASON MOST VALUABLE PLAYER. This is Lebron James.

100. Mo Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 3:35 am

     You guys need to stop hatin on CP3. He’s having a historical point guard season right now.

101. jbean Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 7:34 am

     I love cp3 but your formula actually determines why he can not be the mvp. kobe has to get a 10 for team record, having the best record in the west with all of the injuries, his own included. Also chris paul is an overated defender, he has great hands but gets blown by off the dribble consistantly and is a bit small to defend the larger guards.

102. MOPA Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 9:38 am

     no t da verwenza darle a garnett un 8 en la seccion d acer mejor a sus compañeros¿¿ y a lebron un 9 no¿¿ k se mama la vida y mas, k cuando juega cleveland tenen k comprar otro balon pa k los demas la token.
     Chris Paul es muy weno xo no ha cogido al peor ekipo d la nba el año passao y aora es campeon d division, x certo el record dl ekipo d garnett deberia ser un 10, xk a 19 d marzo SON CAMPEONES D DIVISION cn el mejor record d nba ehh, asi k x lo menos podrias informarte antes d escribir tonterias!!! GARNETT MVP!!!

103. Just Marc Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 9:56 am

     Hands down, this is a season that belongs to LeBron James. He is doing all he can with no help. He leads the league in scoring and is the best young player in the league. The Cavs bringing in Ben Wallace was ok, but he has no Scottie Pippin as Michael Jordan did. LeBron took the Cavs to the finals last season and is looking to take them back to the playoffs this year. The only other serious concideration should be Kobe Bryant. All the other players are doing well, but LeBron & Kobe are probably the two best players in the league. And this is coming from a Sixers fan. Just my opinion.

104. Just Marc Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 10:00 am

     Chris Paul is the best point guard in the league, no disrespect for Steve Nash or Jason Kidd. LaBron James and Kobe Bryant are on a total different level then the rest of the league. My opinion, LeBron then Kobe for MVP.

105. Reg B Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 10:16 am

     Kobe’s gonna get it. Everyone knows why he hasn’t got it in the last 2 years. He’s been the best player on he planet for the past 5 years. CP3 is nice, but in his 3rd year he gets MVP? Never! Kobe’s the God…Stop hating. Critics, fans, and players alike know he is the best. Everyone makes excuses on why Kobe shouldn’t win the MVP. Through all the b.s. Kobe has shown to rise to the occasion, time and time again. And yes I’m a L.A. boy, well Long Beach, so I’m biased. Lets put it like this…”How many people do you know come from a court house, 1,000 miles away, with their life, and reputation on the the line, fly back to L.A., and then still hit the game winning shot” Only K.O.B.E. Done deal. He is proven……Some of these kids still gotta graduate. Lebron your good, even great, sure better then I ever was, but your not Kobe homie….. Sorry. L.A. on top! Suckaaaz!

106. Reg B Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 10:24 am

     AND…… He’s doing what he does, with or without are bigs. We as a team find ways to win. We just beat Dallas w/ our bench…They were stacked as usual and we still won..Were in the toughest conference in basketball. Night in night out Kobe performs. Against the top teams, and top players in the world. While LJ23, is in the East playing around. Not his fault the East is weak, and it sure isn’t Kobe’s fault he’s in a tougher conference winning….If Lebron’s so good, why is his team 4 in the East. Oh yea! Garnett and the C’s, and Chauncey and the Piston. Gimme some guys with winning records. If thats the case, Nash is in th running for MVP.

107. Michael Bennett Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 10:57 am

     I’m really love to read that posters (Just Marc, Zane, todd) are seeing what I see about LeBron — It’s very refreshing. LeBron is absolutely amazing. And, anyone who watches the guy night in and night out knows that his weaknesses aren’t many, and that he does SO MANY THINGS WELL. So, hats off to Just Marc, Zane and todd.

     Growing up in Chicago, getting to watch Michael Jordan live and on TV for every game, I was spoiled, but I also learned to appreciate daily brilliance and deal with West Coast criticism. LeBron is very similar now. It’s so obvious to the smart ones that he’s the best player in the league, but there’s always naysayers. Dumb people tend to say what the some in the press say — things like “He’s the future of the NBA, Kobe’s the present” or “It’s easier to play in the East” or some other idiotic statement. It’s just like the election. People are spoon fed on what to believe. They don’t challenge it. But, they come on here and repeat it as their own original idea (Rashidi). But, there is hope…

     FACTS:

     LeBron is the best player in the league.
     Chris Paul will win regular season MVP.
     Rashidi is a boring, non-sensical poster about 98.34% of the time. (That one’s for you, Eddie)

108. Anthony Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 11:30 am

     yeah, i think CP3 deserves to be MVP… frankly speaking, i’m a garnett fan, but i really think chris paul deserves it more than KG… because CP3 has carried his team to one of the top teams in the west.. although garnett’s celtics has the best record in the L, CP3’s stats is more amusing than garnett this season… i think that’s one of the reason KG is not that high on MVP candidate, because of low stats…

109. Illgren Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 11:39 am

     Dudes, seriously. This is a whole lot of argument for what looks like one of the most ridiculous systems of selecting an MVP I’ve yet seen. Showmanship? Wow factor? Last time I checked, the NBA was neither a circus nor a new car/home. The ’statistical’ nature of EJ’s analysis seems to be largely a way for him to quantify his personal beliefs about certain players in a quasi-authoritative manner.

110. Kingsblade Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 11:43 am

     Rashidi:

     “I wouldn’t exactly call it “leading” as the team has gotten contributions from many players.”

     Are you trying to say that a player cannot lead a team if there are strong contributions from other players?

     I think that pretty much eliminates everyone on the list. Especially Kobe, since his team started playing well when other players contributed.

     Did you also just try to imply that a few bad games eliminates a player from contention? That would pretty much eliminate everyone again.

     By the way…you wouldn’t use the Laker game as an example if you had watched it. He didn’t score much or shoot well but he had a very good overall game. That game demonstrated exactly how much he has improved as a leader.

111. biased steve nash fan Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 12:58 pm

     every one forgets about good ol’ two time MVP Steve Nash. hes sorta a boring pick at this point. but scores up high with eddie’s system i think.
     Offensive stats: 9 (shoots 50-40-90, leads league in assists, scores)
     Passing: 10 (undeniably)
     Rebounding: 5
     Overall defensive ability: 5 (pretty big liability)
     Effort: 9
     Attitude: 10
     Making teammates better: 10
     Crunch time: 10 (anyone whos seen him in tight games wont argue)
     Showmanship: 10 (no one makes the crazy passes he can make)
     Wow factor: 10 (see above)
     Team record: 9 (1.5 games away from the top, despite the early shaq losing streak)

112. biased steve nash fan Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 12:59 pm

     so thats a 97 overall.

     others that would probably rank high enough to merit considertation in eddie’s system are duncan, d-will and amare.

     the system is solid, but its a little subjective in terms of what the numbers get to be.

113. Stefan Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 1:23 pm

     I have to thank you Mr. Bennett
     for your enlightening remarks on the state of my mindlessness. It really is such a pleasure to read such a detailed account of what makes someone mindful.
     Where I come from, listening to experts and weighing their views with what you observe is just good analytical practice. And while I do feel we should all come up with our own opinions, I strongly believe in reading and listening to those of others in conjunction with my own observations. Mark Jackson and Stephen A. Smith and Kenny Smith and Eddie Johnson, among others, have interesting and valuable contributions on the subject of basketball. So I listen.
     That having been said, I’ve read what you’ve written and it strikes me as obvious that you seem to value the opinions of others far less than your own. Is it a sign of insecurity? Perhaps, but I’m no psychoanalyst, just a basketball enthusiast who’s a bit tired of the cheap, thoughtless remarks made by cretins such as yourself.
     Back to the issue of MVP. Yes Lebron is fantastic, but as you openly admit , he has stuff to work on before he reaches his potential. Today, this week, this year and perhaps for a few years to come, Kobe is the best player around. I haven’t come to this conlusion alone, although I’ve watched close to a hundred games this season, many of which featured either Lebron or Kobe. I’ve also read and listened carefully to the opinions of others, and have arrived at what seems to me as a fair and balanced conclusion.
     Thanks again for the little reminder about being mindless. I hope you read and consider my criticism as openly.
     Peace

114. Bruno Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 2:30 pm

     I’m against giving a MVP to a player that hasn’t even played a post- season game yet. I know it’s a regular season award, but let him play some important games before giving him a MVP trophy.

115. Charles Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 3:03 pm

     Forget McGrady, he is not the MVP on the Rockets. Luis Scola is and he should be nominated for MVP of the league..

116. Michael Bennett Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 3:45 pm

     So, Bruno, you’re against giving a player the REGULAR SEASON MVP award because he’s never played in a POSTSEASON GAME yet?

     Well thought out. Really well done. Now all you have to do is write a book about it and you’ll be exactly like Rashidi.

117. Zane Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 5:05 pm

     Cav’s just don’t have a chance of winning games without Lebron. See 0-6 without. If Lebron were in these games, Cleveland may well have a similar record to the Hornets and Lakers.
     Lakers could still win games without Kobe, so could the Hornets without Paul. Both have much better rosters and coaches.

     Surely the most valuable player award should be given to the Most Valuable Player to their respective team, and the best player.
     Wow factor and showmanship are totally irrelevant - check your last 2 MVPs.

     Look at the top 15 teams in the league, I would say all of them could still find a way to win some games without their biggest star - see Yao Ming. They all have quality players around their stars that can step up. The Cavs without Lebron are just plain AWFUL, they would struggle to win against a top college team. Nobody in the league is more productive, and nobody has to pick up as much slack for his teammates.

118. Gianluca Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 5:36 pm

     Ginobili = MVP

119. Gianluca Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 5:39 pm

     Ginobili

     1. Offensive stats: 10
     2. Passing: 10
     3. Rebounding: 6
     4. Overall defensive ability: 8
     5. Effort: 10
     6. Attitude: 10
     7. Making teammates better: 9
     8. Crunch time: 10
     9. Showmanship: 10
     10.Wow factor: 10
     11.Team record: 8

     TOTAL: 101

120. JJ Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 6:14 pm

     Has Michael Bennett ever disagreed politely with anyone in his life? It’s strange that you are such an Eddie Johnson butt-kisser but then you go on to say that anyone who thinks Kobe is better than LeBron is an idiot, a naysayer, or are incapable of thinking for themselves. And yet Eddie is one of those people. Do you think he’s an idiot?

     I can’t believe you truly think that someone who watches the NBA and states that “it’s easier to play in the East” is an idiot. So, without childish name-calling and completely unnecessary insults, I will explain why I am one of the many that feel that is the case. The number 8 position for the playoffs in the western conference is currently held by Golden State, whose record is 41-25. The current number 8 in the East is Atlanta, whose record is 29-38. The west has nine teams with 40 or more wins. The east has three. The west has five teams with losing records. The east has nine. The west leads by a large margin in matchups between Eastern and Western conference teams. Teams play other teams in their conference 4 times a year and teams in the other conference only 2 times a year. If the Cavs played in the west, they’d be the 10th seed right now, with little chance of making the playoffs. And that’s not even taking in to consideration them having to play Phoenix, LA, San Antonio, Dallas, New Orleans, Houston, Utah, and Golden State each two more times a year. If you can really say these points are “idiotic,” then I guess I’ll just have to write you off (as so many others here seem to) as a rabid and biased guy who is incapable of having a reasonable discussion.

121. matt k. Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 6:38 pm

     I will agree that Chris Paul has been amazing this year and deserves the MVP. Kobe is equally deserving so I think it’s a toss up when it comes down to who actually wins the award. Personally, I’d rather have Paul get the MVP and Kobe feel snubbed. That way he’ll go insane in the playoffs, take the Lakers to the Finals, and win both the championship and the Finals MVP.

122. Rashidi Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 6:53 pm

     Zane Said,
     “The MVP is a regular season award for the CURRENT season. It has got absolutely nothing to do with LAST YEARS, OR THIS YEARS PLAYOFF series.”

     Right, which is why I made a long list detailing why Paul and Kobe are the favorites for MVP. Regardless of how you feel, the information I posted is indisputable. Team record and games played have determined the MVP for many years. This is not a fan vote, this is a media vote, and this is how the media has historically voted. The award is not always given to the league’s best player, like in 1973 when Dave Cowens got it over Kareem. Hence, any bitching about why LeBron is the best player in the league doesn’t mean squat because that will not determine whether or not he gets MVP.

     “Lebron is a much better passer, a much better rebounder, a better scorer, a better 4th quarter player and and most importantly, an infinately better leader.

     Most of this is laughable, LeBron’s shooting is a major point of weakness that can be exploited. For reference, see San Antonio Spurs. Take away the paint and LeBron is lost on offense. Granted it is difficult to take the paint from him, but once accomplished his team cannot function.

     LeBron a better 4th quarter player than Kobe? Please.

     http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2008/02/lebron_james_setting_record_fo.html

     As of last month, LeBron is leading the league in 4th quarter scoring at 9.1 per game. Kobe is down to a mere 6.6. However what this article doesn’t mention is minutes played. The Lakers are winning games by an average of 8 ppg, significantly better than last year when their point differential was -0.1. Kobe has not had to take over games in the 4th quarter as much and has not been playing the same number of 4th quarter minutes as the past because his team is winning more games handily. The Cavs have a point differential of -0.4 meaning LeBron needs to play nearly every minute of the 4th for his team to have a chance, ala the Lakers in 05-06 when Kobe posted a similar high mark of 8.9 pp4thqtr.

     “Lebron has never bailed on the Cavs. He is a different type of defender than Kobe and just as good, maybe better because he also blocks shots in the paint, and steals at the same clip as Kobe.”

     NBA GMs voted Kobe the top defensive guard in the league. They did not vote LeBron the top defensive forward (or guard) in the league. Renaldo Balkman gets blocks and steals at a higher clip than Kobe too yet there is no question who one would rather have defensively. There is more to defense than that, which is why Bruce Bowen is regarded as the league’s top man defender.

     LeBron does plays SF defensively better than Kobe, but Kobe plays SG defensively better than LeBron.

     People make such a big deal of how Kobe and LeBron guard each other when they face each other twice a year, and even then they rarely guard each other. Last time they played, Newble and Hughes guarded Kobe most of the game, while Odom and co usually guarded LeBron.

     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KR91ssoBs4&NR=1

     Cavs fans would seem to have short memories.

     “This makes him even more valuable because points in the paint win games”

     Really? Can you prove that? Because there are many teams who do most of their scoring outside of the paint who are successful. Like Dallas, Detroit, Phoenix, etc.

     In fact, 82games.com did some research on this
     http://www.82games.com/pointsinpaint.htm

     Last year’s points in the paint leaders were as follows.

     1. Orlando (40-42) +9.1 net
     2. New York (33-49) +7.0 net
     3. Utah (51-31) +4.9 net
     4. Heat (44-38) +4.5 net
     5. Hornets (39-43) +4.0 net

     Only one of these teams advanced past the first round. Two did not qualify for the playoffs.

     “and his FG% is higher for this reason.”

     Also because he doesn’t take as many threes. Additionally, he bricks a lot more FTs than Kobe. FG% is not the only scoring percentage that matters, otherwise Eddy Curry would be an all-star.

     “This shows you how VALUABLE Lebron is to the Cavs.”

     Look, I couldn’t give a crap how valuable he is to the team. This is common sense. My whole point was that based on HISTORY. The media, the people who vote for MVP (i.e. not you, not me, not Eddie Johnson, not anyone that posts here aside from Sam Smith and Marc Narducci). If you have a problem with that history, take it to them, because nothing you say to me is going to change historical facts.

     And even if they went 6-0 in those games he missed, the team would still only have 44 wins, would still only be in 4th place, and still wouldn’t be a playoff team if they played in the west. Meaning they STILL wouldn’t even be a top 10 team in the league.

123. Rashidi Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 7:21 pm

     Kingsblade said,
     “Are you trying to say that a player cannot lead a team if there are strong contributions from other players? ”

     Look, I get what you are trying to say, but Rick Adelman deserves far more credit than T-Mac. It is not T-Mac who decided to start Luis Scola and start playing Carl Landry. It is not T-Mac who has been shuffling the lineup to deal with Yao’s injury. It is not T-Mac who decides to put Shane Battier on Kobe for 46 minutes. The Rockets have been winning with their defense and a lot of the credit goes to the coaching staff. T-Mac did not carry the team during the streak, it was a total team effort, and I find it a bit insulting to the rest of the players that there are those who would give T-Mac the credit for the streak. This is a player who did not even make the all-star team this year. To think that some people now want to hand him the MVP award, it boggles the mind. How is a player not an all-star through the seasons first four months, but an MVP candidate only 30 days later?

     T=Mac’s teammates contributions all OUTSHONE T-Mac’s own contributions. Which is why we don’t give T-Mac all the credit, because he doesn’t deserve it.

     “I think that pretty much eliminates everyone on the list. Especially Kobe, since his team started playing well when other players contributed.”

     Yeah, I guess by your logic, NOBODY should get the MVP award. Michael Jordan definitely shouldn’t have gotten it with his teammates putting forth all those contributions, who did he think he was, riding the coattails of Steve Kerr and Toni Kukoc?

     Kobe hasn’t missed a game, and T-Mac at most will only play 67. Obviously we should give the award to a guy with inferior production who has only played 80% of the season. That sounds brilliant. You can go back to playing devil’s advocate now.

     Did you also just try to imply that a few bad games eliminates a player from contention? That would pretty much eliminate everyone again.

     “By the way…you wouldn’t use the Laker game as an example if you had watched it. He didn’t score much or shoot well but he had a very good overall game. That game demonstrated exactly how much he has improved as a leader.”

     I didn’t use it as an example, please learn to read. I mentioned it as a marker for his first low scoring game in awhile. I used his 5 game scoring drought earlier in the streak as an example. The team stepped up to overcome McGrady’s shooting woes during that stretch, because lets face it, you cannot win every game with your best player shooting like shit.

     You also cannot tell me that Rafer Alston, THE POINT GUARD, has not been filling an increased leadership role with the team. Alston’s leadership role skyrocketed during the streak, and T-Mac’s did not.

124. nuggetsfan22 Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 7:26 pm

     i just don’t understand how kevin garnett got a 9 for team record but t-mac gets a 10. i understand they won 22 in a row but team record is a teams record all season, not a 22 game span. oh and by the way the celtics have the best record in the league

125. Rashidi Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 7:30 pm

     FACTS:
     LeBron is the best player in the league.
     Chris Paul will win regular season MVP.
     Rashidi is a boring, non-sensical poster about 98.34% of the time. (That one’s for you, Eddie)

     The facts have never been high on Michael Bennett’s priority list, so I guess we have no choice but to disregard it.

     P.S.
     I’d rather be boring than an idiot.
     Didn’t a boring team wax LeBron in the Finals? After you said the Spurs had no shot?

126. Stefan Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 8:35 pm

     JJ,
     I couldn’t agree with you more dude. It’s so refreshing to read the words of someone who comes up with opinions with their eyes open.
     Bennett needs a lesson in that.
     Peace

127. Kingsblade Said,

     March 19, 2008 @ 9:51 pm

     Rashidi:

     “Yeah, I guess by your logic, NOBODY should get the MVP award.”

     I’m not sure what you are trying to say here. The sentence you quoted of mine was a reference to your position, so you seem to be arguing with yourself here.

     Of course Alston has stepped up. Of course other guys have stepped up. Nobody can win by themself, including Kobe, as the strong Lakers season has shown.

     By the argument you have given me you seem to be saying that Alston does more for the Rockets than someone like Gasol does for the Lakers. Ridiculous.

     If you want to say that he hasn’t played enough games, or that he hasn’t been consistent enough since he wasn’t even an all-star the first half, then I can agree with that. If you are going to try and claim that his teamates are better than Kobe’s then you are going to get nothing but laughter in return.

128. Dilly (Sweden) Said,

     March 20, 2008 @ 12:31 am

     There is alot about Kobe, Lebron and Paul. They all have great seasons and are all of them unbeliveable players.

     I just see it like this……..when kobe was young in the league he didnt
     have the same impact on the game like Lebron and Paul. NOW……by that i mean he had to ride the bench for couple of years even thou everyone knew he could play. Paul and James are direct impact players and did it in a short while. KB24 have worked for his gretness more than james and Paul…..and hes Record is better or some game after Hornets. James and Paul have the future ahead of them…….kobe has been there a while.

     I think Kobes the MVP.

129. Rashidi Said,

     March 20, 2008 @ 1:05 am

     “Of course Alston has stepped up. Of course other guys have stepped up. Nobody can win by themself, including Kobe, as the strong Lakers season has shown.”

     You say “of course” Alston stepped up like it was expected. He had been a disappointment in Houston (and most of his career) up until now. Suddenly he has transformed into a much more

     “By the argument you have given me you seem to be saying that Alston does more for the Rockets than someone like Gasol does for the Lakers. Ridiculous.”

     Gasol has played all of 19 games for the Lakers. They are 15-4 with him and are 31-17 without him. Without him the team is still on a 53 win pace, the same pace the NBA Champion Spurs are on. Reflect on that for a moment.

     Also take into consideration Andrew Bynum has also missed most of the season and the team is otherwise exactly the same as it was last year when it barely made the playoffs. Oh, and did we mention they play in the west where Carmelo Anthony AND Allen Iverson AND Marcus Camby don’t get you in the playoffs?

     “If you are going to try and claim that his teamates are better than Kobe’s then you are going to get nothing but laughter in return.”

     Gasol: 19 games
     Bynum: 35 games (25 starts)

     Yao: 55 games (more than Gasol/Bynum combined and a better player)
     Rafer: 64 games and better than Derek freakin Fisher
     Battier: 67 games and I’ll take him over Walton AND Radmanovic combined
     Scola/Landry/Hayes: I’ll probably get some weird looks but I’d take Scola straightup over Odom. And even if you wouldn’t, I’d certainly take the three headed PF over him and Ronny Turiaf. Scola and Landry combine for 18 pts and 11 rebs in 40 mins - Odom gets only 14 and 10 in 38 mins.
     Head/Jackson: Even with Farmar and Vujacic but you certainly wouldn’t have expected that at the beginning of the season.

     Kobe isn’t the one with an all-star teammate. He has played as many games without his center as T-Mac has.

130. Koly Tenguela Said,

     March 20, 2008 @ 6:02 am

     I hope everyone here watched yesterday’s game between the pistons and the cavs. There’s nothing else for me to say.
     Just hope that all the people talking about Lebron and saying that he didn’t deserve to be this year’s mvp because he’s not a good enough defender or his team don’t have a good enough record ( without taking account of all the injuries that destroyed the cavs roster or the terrible offensive limitations of his teammates ) watched that game.
     It’s funny because it really reminds me all the criticism Jordan was receiving during the early part of his career.
     I bet a lot of people are going to change sides and sooner than they think …
     Time will tell…

131. bran Said,

     March 20, 2008 @ 8:33 am

     HEY EDDIE MEMBER THE ARTICLE U WROTE A WHILE BACK WHEN THE CAVS MADE THE TRADES HOW THEY STILL WERE NOT GOOD? YEAH THEY COULDNT BEAT THE PISTONS, MEMBER THAT? WHAT HAPPEN LASTNITE LEBRON AND HIS CAVS BEAT THE PISTONS. OH DAMNNN. CAVS ARE GUNNA DO BIG THINGS EDDIE. SHOULDNT HAVE WROTE THAT ARTICLLE

132. sean Said,

     March 20, 2008 @ 8:40 am

     Ummm… the Hornets have the same record as the Lakers and you give Paul a 10 and Kobe a 9??? WTF

133. Ray Said,

     March 20, 2008 @ 10:55 am

     i havent read through the whole blog, but i think one thing that many fail to realize is how political the mvp award is (some people have mentioned it above)…. the top two candidates will be kobe and lebron- the league wants it that way because it is the best storyline- the battle to (somewhat) take over jordan’s throne…. the league is gonna give it to lebron for two reasons… 1- dont want kobe winning it because of his off the court issues 2. david stern wants the lebron to officially become the king
     therefore, whether you think paul deserves it or not, its not going his way

     if you dont think the vote is political, listen to bill simmons podcast with ric bucher

134. Joe Said,

     March 20, 2008 @ 11:23 am

     Sorry, but showmanship and wow factor should not be categories. I understand that many people may be excited by guys like Kobe, but the MVP is supposed to be the “most valuable player”, that’s all.

     In terms of your categories, passing should really be included in “offensive stats”, because it is an offensive stat.

     In terms of your rankings of the various categories, defense should be the #1 most important category, by far. Defense is what helps team win games, and more importantly, win championships. Therefore it is much more important than any of the other categories you have listed.

     On to the players…

     Kobe’s defensive stats should be downgraded drastically. He’s a very overrated defender. Plus, as a perimiter player, he does not have nearly the same overall defensive impact that a guy like Garnett or Duncan has. Also, Kobe is not a clutch player. Sites like 82games.com have done studies of various player’s FG% stats in the final 2 minutes of close games. And the facts showed that Kobe is not a very clutch player at all. When he won his 3 titles, it was Shaq who carried the load, and it was Horry and Fischer who hit all the game-winning, last-second shots. Kobe is by far the most overrated player in NBA history, and the media is to blame for that perception, along with the fact that he plays in LA.

     I’m not going to give my MVP pick here, because I think the original post is all wrong. You didn’t even list Dwight Howard as a candidate, even though he has led his team to a better record than Lebron, and he has done it with a weaker supporting cast. Look at his team. The Magic are loaded with good shooters, but they also have a lot of poor defenders, below-average point guards, and no power forwards at all. There is no one to play next to Howard and help him play interior defense and grab rebounds. Howard isn’t my pick, but he is easily a better MVP candidate than Lebron.

135. Kingsblade Said,

     March 20, 2008 @ 11:30 am

     Rashidi:

     It’s almost as though you have decided to invent your own meaning to what other people say and argue against that, rather than debate what has actually been said.

     The words “of course” conveyed agreement to your previous statement, and it would take someone living in his own world to decide that it meant anything else. Unless English is your second language I suppose.

     You have probably noticed from past articles that I usually have no problem going on for days on end with an argument, but if you are going to constantly change the context of the conversation then I am not going to bother.

136. Joe Said,

     March 20, 2008 @ 11:42 am

     Gianluca: Interesting points about Ginobili, except for the passing. He’s a 10? Come on, you know that’s not right. 7 or 8 maybe, but not a 10.

     Rashidi: It seems like you haven’t really been watching Lebron much for the past couple of years. He’s actually a very good jumpshooter. If you watched the Cavs/Pistons game last night you would know what I’m talking about.

     Also, a couple more things about Kobe that I forgot to mention. For attitude he should get a 5 at best. I understand that these rankings are for this season only, and so far this year he hasn’t openly criticized his teammates or his front office. But the thing is, people have long memories. Bynum hasn’t forgotten that Kobe said to “ship his ass out”. And no one has forgotten the whole Shaq/Kobe soap opera. The rest of the Lakers know that if things ever start to go bad for this team, Kobe will turn against them, and he’ll talk trash about them in the blink of an eye. Therefore, his bad attitude is still having an effect on his teammates, especially in the area of trust.

137. David Said,

     March 20, 2008 @ 12:44 pm

     Joe, totally agree with you on the defense, but here you might as well be pissing in the wind. Eddie believes in offense overall, and so do the “clones”. Showmanship vs good ol’ boring basketball…

138. Macdalejax Said,

     March 20, 2008 @ 3:37 pm

     Whoever wins it this year will have earned it. There are many great candidates. My only question is where is Dwight Howard? ESPN has him ranked #4 in front of Garnett and McGrady but he is never mentioned on air or in any so-called analysts articles. Curious….small market team perhaps? Maybe just a lack of national coverage? Who knows.

139. CFatz Said,

     March 20, 2008 @ 3:48 pm

     Hey Eddie, you could have given T-Mac a ten in Effort and Showmanship, both of which I think he deserves and it still wouldn’t disrupt your selection for MVP.

     Also did you realize there is someone pretending to be “Eddie” and posting in your name? He’s the tenth post from the top.

     CF
     :0)

140. Brian Blixt Said,

     March 20, 2008 @ 5:17 pm

     I agree Chris Paul should be in the top 2. I would make a case for Kevin Garnett to move up the list. Defense should be a 10 rebounding I do not know how it could be any less than a 10 and passing should be a 9.

141. Rashidi Said,

     March 20, 2008 @ 6:47 pm

     “Rashidi: It seems like you haven’t really been watching Lebron much for the past couple of years. He’s actually a very good jumpshooter. If you watched the Cavs/Pistons game last night you would know what I’m talking about.”

     Meh, I just noticed a statistical error.
     LeBron: 128-328 (.365)

     The percentage should be .390.

     LeBron isn’t bricking like last year and has reverted back to his respectable (not amazing) 05-06 mid-range shooting.

     I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for him to start putting up numbers like these though:

     Nash: 108-195 (.553)
     Dirk: 167-325 (.513)
     Crawford: 130-283 (.459)
     Paul: 117-256 (.457)
     Roy: 141-314 (.449)
     T-Mac: 179-408 (.438)
     Gordon: 136-311 (.437)
     Melo: 144-331 (.435)

     “Therefore, his bad attitude is still having an effect on his teammates, especially in the area of trust.”

     That seems a tad presumptious. None of his teammates except Fisher and Walton were even around for the Shaq era. Andrew Bynum has barely even played this year and obviously isn’t playing like it bothers him. His teammates very obviously trust his decision making on the court, most of them are having career years, and all of them have no problem with Kobe having the ball in his hands at the end of games. And if anyone DID have a problem, Phil would bench them until they got with the program.

     Kobe’s attitude has been the biggest change in him this year, so how can you grade him based on past events that have little impact on today?

142. Jason T. Said,

     March 20, 2008 @ 11:16 pm

     How is Chris Paul a surprise pick? Isn’t half of the ESPN community pumping him? Hasn’t a point guard in the Western Conference with a high win total and a “fun-to-watch” label won the last 2 MVP’s?

     The MVP is supposed to be the first guy you pick to play a life-or-death game with. Kobe is an assasin, and would be anyone that didn’t judge his personal life’s 1st pick, hands down.

     8 years ago, I didn’t even like Kobe. But the kid is the one guy that, minus a few on-court hiccups, just does not like to get beat. That’s the guy you give your MVP to. He does not have to show me anything anymore. I know he wants to win worse than anyone, and his work ethic is unmatched.

143. Manila Said,

     March 21, 2008 @ 12:29 am

     THERE R OTHER FACTORS:

     1. MANAGEMENT! - hiring, star maintenance (not all money issues, stroking egos), make trades, player development e.g. memphis is da real winner becoz in time, Kwame will find the inner monstar in him and be a double-double threat

     2. COACH! (management has to be duped into coaches philosophy, concept, strategy, and everlasting optimism e.g Isaiah’s crap on laying d foundation

     3. Team response to star’s leadership - the poorer they are, the more magnified your contribution looks coz you have to do everything e.g. lebron; Positive team response to leader’s passing, bail out scoring, work ethic e.g. nash, paul, kobe, garnett are factors difficult to measure

     4. Stardom - pricey snicker/apparel endorsements, etc. stars are given more leeways as to suspension, fouls, flagrants, and get more foul shots too. On their way to the playoffs, their patron sportswriters do the best they can to project them as MVP choice which leads to the next factor…

     5. Media worship - lots of nba gurus create buzz that sway perceptions. Only 20% of NBA followers know what they’re talking about. To illustrate, girl reads/hears about kobe, then try to impress boyfriend by wearing number 8 shirts. This is why for the remaining 80% have no clue, you need gurus to spread the word. NBA is like a religion, it has different sects led by different priests/gurus and they have different schisms to promote. You know they’re not right most of the time and some act like silly, delusional fans too.

     THE WINNER, is GILBERT ARENAS period. He is a perfect fit to coach’s system, makes everybody else better by sitting off the game, can score more when not needed, a great self endorser, will be 100% in a couple more weeks

     My other picks:

     Most improved - Hedo
     6th man - Gino
     Coach - Phil

     and the Finals MVP - SHAQ

     a few wrecked chairs, a direct hit sends Popovich out of the playoffs, counters trash talk with a well placed elbow in garnet’s throat.

144. Captain America Said,

     March 21, 2008 @ 12:35 am

     CP3=MVP 4 sure

145. eddie Said,

     March 21, 2008 @ 1:02 am

     yea

     there is a guy posting with my name. nice arguments guys.

     i really hope Kobe wins the MVP because i do think he is the best!

146. LEBRON NO DICK Said,

     March 21, 2008 @ 5:00 am

     LEBRON JAMES CANT DEFEND, HE CANT SHOOT, HE CANT EVEN PASS! THE GUY IS A BALLHOG!!!! HE WILL NEVER GET MVP!

147. Arthur Said,

     March 21, 2008 @ 6:08 am

     LeBron cannot be MVP for a very simple reason. His team is not a top 8 team in the league. I would argue that they would not be in the playoff chase if they played in the West. Is Cleveland better than Golden State? I am not sure. Is CLE better than Denver? Maybe. Put Kobe on the Cavs and LeBron with the Lakers and the Cavs would be leading the East. The Lakers would be four or five games worse which is a low seed in the West. Paul has an outstanding season and I would not have an issue with him winning the MVP. Kobe has been the best player in the league for 6 years now…it is time for him to win his first MVP award. Anyone who knows anything about basketball knows that Kobe is the best player on the planet and it is not close. Maybe in three years LeBron will be the best but playing in the East will always hurt him because the conference is JV. The Portland Trailblazers would be the 4th best team in the East.

148. Omar Said,

     March 21, 2008 @ 6:41 am

     Michael, LeBron is better than Kobe? Are you even watching Kobe’s games (Since you mentioned that you have been watching every minute of LeBron’s)? Or is it that your passion towards LBJ has clouded your judgement? I hope you haven’t been stricken with the hate-Kobe bug as well. LeBron is a great player and all, but the undisputed best among active players is still Kobe’s title to defend. If we’re considering Paul, then we have to consider Deron Williams. There’s not much difference in what they have accomplished this season, save for the season standings. But even that is minimal.

149. Joe Said,

     March 21, 2008 @ 10:21 am

     Rashidi:

     It’s interesting that, after your correction, you have shown that Lebron’s mid-range shooting has been better this year than Kobe’s. Admittedly his jumper isn’t as good as some of the other guys you listed, but I don’t think it’s as bad as you tried to imply earlier.

     “Kobe’s attitude has been the biggest change in him this year, so how can you grade him based on past events that have little impact on today?”

     I believe Kobe still has a bad attitude, and I think he’ll still bash his teammates when things aren’t going well. Right now, his team is playing great basketball, so he isn’t bashing him teammates. But if things start to go bad, he won’t hesitate to blame them for the team’s struggles.

     He’s like any other player with a bad attitude. When things are going well, they’re fine, and there are no issues. But when faced with adversity, their true colors begin to show. He’s like Terrell Owens. When the Eagles were winning, he absolutely loved Donovan McNabb. But as soon as they lost the Superbowl, he stabbed him in the back. Since he’s been on the Cowboys, Owens hasn’t done anything wrong, but everyone still knows that he has a bad attitude. Makes sense?

150. Joe Said,

     March 21, 2008 @ 10:26 am

     Arthur:

     “… Put Kobe on the Cavs and LeBron with the Lakers and the Cavs would be leading the East. The Lakers would be four or five games worse which is a low seed in the West.”

     How did you come up with this? Lebron does a lot more on the court to help his team win games than Kobe does. If you could take Kobe out of L.A., take away the media hype, take away his great supporting cast and his hall of fame coach, you would see that Lebron is the much better player.

151. David Said,

     March 21, 2008 @ 11:09 am

     Joe, agian I have to agree with you. Being a Cowboys fan, Owens was great this year when we were winning. Last year, we weren’t, and people forget the “suicide” attempt…and assorted other nonsense.

     As far as Kobe, what a “look at me” player. During the finals last year, while the Spurs were busy dismantling the Cavs, what got the biggest headlines? “Kobe isn’t happy!!!” I mean, couldn’t he have at least waited until the season was over (it was for him at that point) before he started going on talk shows and bashing Lakers management? Did he miss the limelight that much?

152. Jackson Said,

     March 21, 2008 @ 2:53 pm

     I don’t understand how Kobe is getting so much credit for being a great defender this season. In the past I can understand but I don’t know Kobe is that much better than LeBron defensively this season. Is it me or Kobe is allowed to get more physical with his opponents than LeBron, and Cleveland can’t afford to have LeBron in foul trouble. I don’t mind Kobe getting MVP this season because he definitely deserve it, I just don’t buy that whole defense thing.

153. Jackson Said,

     March 21, 2008 @ 3:01 pm

     Speaking of defense, anyone saw Kobe got burned by D-Williams last night…gave up a 3-point and complained to the refs.

154. Alessio Said,

     March 21, 2008 @ 3:34 pm

     I have been telling people for teh past month that Paul should be the MVP. Unfortunately people seem to think that you have to play for X-amount of years and earn it. I look at it as take away that player and try to imagine where that team would be. Paul will have his day and perhaps win multiple MVP’s but this year won’t be it.

155. Tunette Michele Said,

     March 21, 2008 @ 7:27 pm

     Too bad this was a cheat… The Lakers are NUMBER 1 in the West meaning that Kobe should’ve won his pick… team record should be a 10… it’s common sense… but I admire his stupidity… it always draws comments. btw, visit johnjohnsaidit.com

156. L.A. Ray Said,

     March 21, 2008 @ 10:22 pm

     Fellas, Get Real. Kobe is the MVP period. He is simply the best. Lebron has said it, McGrady has said it, Dirk has said it, even Shaq has said it. What else is there to say. Better crunch time player, Better defender, Better free throw shooter. Eddie Johnson has been a Laker Hater his whole career. It proberly has nothing to do with those butt whippins he took from the Lakers in the 80’s. So let him keep saying Beat L.A.>>> We say beat L.A. meat!!!
     Lakermania FAN CLUB

157. UNC over TX Said,

     March 22, 2008 @ 1:56 am

     kobe’s passing is underrated. sure i live in la and probably watch more lakers games than any other team, but kobe gets more “hockey assists” than anyone i’ve ever seen. it’s infuriating when he’s on your fantasy bball team, but mvp awards aren’t based on fantasy stats. if they were, it would be paul all the way…

158. UNC over TX Said,

     March 22, 2008 @ 2:13 am

     continuing from above… i’d say kobe’s underrated assist stats may account for your lowly 7 passing rating. i’d give him an 8. and how does kobe only get an 8 in “making teammates better”? sure, he doesn’t do it in the same way as magic, bird, nash, or even paul. but he does do it in a similar way as jordan — that is, making the game easier for everyone. i’d give him a 9.

     on the other hand, i think you’ve underrated paul’s offensive stats. if you look at his percentages and asst/to ratio, he’s probably the most efficient offensive player in the league. 10.

     so it all comes down to your team record rating, which i think is confusing everyone. you already have so many subjective categories, shouldn’t this one just be based on team records??

159. dj hott Said,

     March 22, 2008 @ 8:52 am

     MVP
     1.KOBE BRYANT
     2.LEBRON JAMES
     3.CHRIS PAUL
     4.GARNETT
     5.DWIGHT HOWARD
     6.MCGRADY
     7.D.WILLIAMS
     8.B.DAVIS
     9.T.DUNCAN
     10.A.STOUDEMIRE

     CASE CLOSED

     MAVERICKS GMS SUCK

     MY NEXT MOVE IS TO PRAY DENVER DOESNT MAKE THE PLAYOFFS
     AND KARL LIKES IVERSON BUT ASKED IF HE WOULD HATE A TRADE TO DALLAS, AND IVERSON WILL SAY I ONLY WANT TO BE A NUGGET, OR A MAV,

     AND DALLAS GIVES UP KIDD 20 MIL J.TERRY 10MIL,E.JONES 1MIL,J.BAREA 1MIL,B.BASS 1MIL
     FOR IVERSON,A.CARTER 20MIL &,K.MARTIN 13MIL

     IVERSON IS STILL A LEADER, STILL UNSTOPPABLE, A GOOD DEFENDER
     AND A TOP 5 STEAL MAN, MARTIN IS A HOMETOWN GUY, WHO GIVE THEM SOME MUSCLE OFF THE BENCH,
     DENVER GETS THE PG THEYVE NEEDED IN KIDD, A GREAT 2MAN/COMBO
     IN TERRY, A NICE CHEAP PG IN BAREA, AND A YOUNGER HEALTHY POTENTIAL KMART TYPE IN B.BASS, ALSO EDDIE JONES TO MENTOR TO JR SMITH

     MAVS NEXT YEAR

     G-A.CARTER G-T.LUE GF-A.WRIGHT
     G-A.IVERSON G-J.STACKHOUSE FC-N.FAZEKAS
     F-J.HOWARD F-D.GEORGE
     F-D.NOWITZKI F-K.MARTIN
     C-DAMPIER C-M.ALLEN

     MAVS MAKE ME GM AND LETS WIN

     DENVER SHOULD MAKE THE PLAYOFFS AND BE GREAT WITH
     G-J.KIDD G-.J.BEREA GF-E.JONES
     G-JR SMITH G-J.TERRY F-NAJERA
     F-C.ANTHONY F-KLEIZA
     F-NENE F-LOTTERY PICK-K.LOWE
     C-CAMBY C-HUNTER(I THINK)

160. dj hott Said,

     March 22, 2008 @ 9:09 am

     DRAFT PROSPECTS
     1.M.BEASLEY-6′10PF
     2.D.ROSE-6′4PG
     3.B.LOPEZ-7′0C
     4.E.GORDON6′4WG
     5.J.BAYLESS 6′3PG
     6.OJ MAYO 6′5G
     7.K.LOVE 6′9PF
     8.D.ARTHUR 6′9PF
     9.A.RANDOLPH 6′10 SF
     10.DJ AUGUSTINE 5′11PG
     11.R.WESTBROOK 6′4 PG
     12.T.HANSBROUGH 6′9PF
     13.D.COLLISION 6′1PG
     14.J.MCVALE 7′0 C
     15.H.THABEET7′3 C
     16.R.HIBBERT 7′2 C
     17.J.THOMPSON 6′11 FC
     18.M.SPEIGHTS 6′11FC
     19.P.PATTERSON 6′8PF
     20.DJ WHITE 6′9PF
     21.T.LAWSON 6′0PG
     22.C.DOUGLAS ROBERTS 6′6WG
     23.B.RUSH 6′7WG
     24.B.WALKER 6′6WG
     25.M.AUSTIN 6′8PF
     26.R.ANDERSON 6′10SF
     27.D.HARDIN 6′11FC
     28.M.LEEUNEN 6′9SF
     29.J.DORSEY 6′9FC
     30.D.NELSON 6′3PG
     SMART TO STAY-D.GREENE 6′10SF,C.BUDINGER 6′7SG,D.JEFFERSON 6′9SF,T.RICE 6′1PG, M.CHALMERS 6′2PG, AJ PRICE 6′2PG

161. Parker duPont Said,

     March 22, 2008 @ 10:52 am

     Eddie, i am going to start out by asking a question. Why do the 55-13 Boston Celtics have a 9 for team record? that is the best in the NBA. I also feel that there is no way that lebron James or Kobe Bryant should not take this prestigous award. I am also a chris paul fan however i still think that he is young, and i also take into consideration that we will probably not be watching him in late April. After KG,and the Celts take the Cav’s in six in the second round, it will be up to the laker’s to stop the celtics in the final’s. SO, i think the award should go to Probably Kobe because we will get to watch him in the final’s and if you don’t want to pin it on him. PUt it on my boy Garnett, he’ll rep it well…..see ya at game seven, ill be on the floor. GO tics!!!!

     PS KEVIN GARNETT

     1. Offensive stats: 8
     2. Passing: 6
     3. Rebounding: 9
     4. Overall defensive ability: 9
     5. Effort: 10
     6. Attitude: 10
     7. Making teammates better: 8
     8. Crunch time: 7
     9. Showmanship: 9
     10.Wow factor: 7
     11.Team record: 9 this is not a good assesment, you clearly have
     not spent the time watching him as i have.TO
     Be perfectly honest, from #7 and down your
     wrong on them all.

162. John Huxley Said,

     March 22, 2008 @ 2:36 pm

     First of all let me say that I am a Hornets fan and I am biased towards CP3 for MVP. That being said, this is Kobe’s year. Kobe was snubbed the last 3 years because of his personal problems and his much publicized differences with his coach and the Lakers management. But this year Kobe has put it all together.

     While I believe that at this point its a 3 horse race for MVP, Kobe has History and NBA politics on his side. He is in his 12th season and has arguably been the best player in the league the past several years. Simply put it has been NBA politics that has kept him from the award the past 3 years notwithstanding Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki’s great play.

     The MVP award this year is Kobe’s to lose. Sorry CP3, Lebron, your turns will come. Keep up the great play. This is been the most competitive and fun NBA season in a long time.

163. Tony Said,

     March 22, 2008 @ 11:32 pm

     There are two areas that Kobe is getting short changed on… Most Importantly.. Team Record… they were slept on, yet they lead the conference. I’d give Kobe a 9 here. Even with injuries, they’ve kept chugging and Kobe’s play this season has been more of a team game, taking over when he needs to… instead of all game long as his team watches him dominate while not knowing what to do. Additionally, I’d give Kobe a 10 this season on attitude… not so much in years past… but we’ve seen a totally DIFFERENT Kobe. My rankings below would give him a score of 101… exactly what this year’s MVP will be… a lesson in Kobe… Kobe 101!

     KOBE BRYANT
     1. Offensive stats: 10
     2. Passing: 7
     3. Rebounding: 7
     4. Overall Defensive ability: 10
     5. Effort: 10
     6. Attitude: 10
     7. Making teammates better: 8
     8. Crunch time: 10
     9. Showmanship: 10
     10.Wow factor: 10
     11.Team record: 9

164. Nuff Said,

     March 23, 2008 @ 12:26 am

     I think I’d add two more criteria to the calculations:
     Zingdippidityness
     and
     Exclamataion mark to question mark ratio.
     If you consider these factors I score the following:
     Kobe: 47
     CP3: 22
     Since 47 times 22 is something greater than 500 (i think), Kobe is clearly the front runner. Proof positive. Nuff said.

165. Tim Said,

     March 23, 2008 @ 1:35 am

     Eddie,

     Bless your cotton socks for giving CP3 the credit he deserves.

     Even if the NBA won’t.

166. Rashidi Said,

     March 23, 2008 @ 5:09 am

     “I believe Kobe still has a bad attitude, and I think he’ll still bash his teammates when things aren’t going well. Right now, his team is playing great basketball, so he isn’t bashing him teammates. But if things start to go bad, he won’t hesitate to blame them for the team’s struggles.”

     Sounds like Michael Jordan. His attitude in a losing year is irrelevant because they’re not having a losing year. Everyone’s attitude is worse when a team is losing.

167. Rashidi Said,

     March 23, 2008 @ 5:14 am

     “Speaking of defense, anyone saw Kobe got burned by D-Williams last night…gave up a 3-point and complained to the refs.”

     Speaking of defense, the players LeBron James guards never score. NEVER.

168. Geo Said,

     March 23, 2008 @ 2:53 pm

     Kobe’s passing skills are deserving of a 10. You can’t discount it simply because he does not get as many assists as Paul or other point guards. When a help defender collapses, Kobe finds the open big man and delivers it in a scoring position every single time its available. His sometimes forced shots are a result of his teamates not moving or good defense and I would rather have Kobe elevate and shoot a contested shot than pass to an open man that is not in a position to score.
     Additionally, when needed, Kobe’s offensive rebounding skills are outstanding.

169. Kenneth Grier Said,

     March 23, 2008 @ 3:39 pm

     Lebron wins in a close race over Kobe. James can place his affects on the game in any stat, stlye of play or what have you, One player can not get it all the way done in the NBA but Lebron is the closest I have seen over the years he gets it done differently the Jordan and Kobe when they had nothing around them!

170. Tom Said,

     March 24, 2008 @ 4:11 am

     You can´t give it to Lebron.. His team are not going to even make 50 wins.. And at least eight teams in the west are going to get 50+.
     So that takes him out of the picture in a leauge where you reward winning.
     Hands down otherwise to Lebron, think how bad that team would be without him. He might be the the second best player in the world but he aren’t mvp material this year!
     I think Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant or Chris Paul will walk away with it!

171. Adrian Said,

     March 24, 2008 @ 6:25 am

     I am really not sure where to start here. I look at Steve Nash and I love to watch him play but he is not nor was he ever an MVP. The SUNS are still a playoff team without NASH. Miami lose Shaq they are finished Lakers lose KOBE they are done and so would the CAVS if they lost LB. Now with that aside the MVP is about politics. Chris Paul is avg something like 22ppg 1pg 2.7spg and he has his team fighting for a #1 seed in the west after not making the playoffs the year before. Now if Steve Nash was adding those stats right now he wld be MVP. 2.7SPG! Man Steve Nash wld be a landslide. Not to knock your formula EDDIE but its nonesense. The MVP has been Kobe or Lebron the last few years period. If Mike Dunleavy gave you 27ppg 6rpg 5apg and had a 80pt game plus he had taken a below average team to the playoffs. Well we know he would be MVP. For people to debate who the MVP is year after year when they know who it is, that’s crazy. Sorry Eddie your formula was fun to look at but Lebron doesnt have Shawn MARION and Amare nor does Kobe. Dirt Nowitski MVP? What a joke, a terrible joke played on real basketball fans. Listen if Chris Kaman puts up Dwight Howard numbers and they make the playoffs he is MVP and WE ALL know it. Lets just stop the games and say the MVP aint about being the most valuable player. On a final note baseball is notrious for saying you need a winning record to get MVP which is why Cecil Fielder kept getting snubbed when he was hitting 50 homers pre-steroid. In 1990 he hit 51 hrs 132 RBI’s and batted .277 in 1991 he hit 44hrs 133 rbi and batted .261
     Now go figure that? I have many more of these but I will stop there. I hope i didn’t lose anyone going to baseball but it seems there is always a great injustice in the selection process. I keep hearing Manu Ginobil is a ALLSTAR blah blah blah. Well the buy plays 25-30 min a night giving you about 10-18ppg. 2005 ALLSTAR????????? Are you kidding me? Eddie you shld have been a 15 time allstar if that was the case. So if Manu ever gives you about 24ppg and the Spurs are in the Playoffs there is your MVP. Sorry guys I just dont buy it!

172. Zane Said,

     March 24, 2008 @ 8:18 am

     Rashidi,

     I read your comments and you have some good points in there.
     I guess it really comes down to each persons different criteria for winning the award.

     For me, the REGULAR SEASON MOST VALUABLE PLAYER award should go to the most valuable player to their team in the regular season, seeing this is exactly what it is called. This is without doubt, Lebron James. The Cavs are a D-League team without him, and he is the best player in the world right now even if nobody seems to want to admit it.

     I felt that Kobe deserved the MVP last year but did not get it because of team record - he will probably get it this year because the writers feel guilty because they know that Dirk was undeserving and it was obvious come playoff time. But this year’s award should be judged on this years regular season.

     Popular opinion will have you say that it should go to the best player on the best team. Well then, this is clearly Kevin Garnett. But the Celts can still win without him. So then they tell you it should be Kobe, but without Gasol or Bynum they are sliding. At full strength, without Kobe in the lineup, Lakers are still a formidable team.

     Keep it real, the award says Most Valuable Player. Cavs have NOT WON A SINGLE GAME WITHOUT LEBRON JAMES THIS SEASON!!

     So who is the best player? Look at the stats, and ponder this:
     Do you think the Cavs would have made it to the finals last season without Lebron? No way! He took his team there by himself…. can you say the same for Kobe in his whole career??

173. Joe Said,

     March 24, 2008 @ 10:26 am

     “Sounds like Michael Jordan. His attitude in a losing year is irrelevant because they’re not having a losing year. Everyone’s attitude is worse when a team is losing.”

     I don’t buy it. Kevin Garnett never openly bashed his teammates when his team was losing. Guys like KG deserve a 10 for their attitude.
     But like I said before, Kobe should get no higher than a 5 for his attitude.

174. Kyle Said,

     March 24, 2008 @ 3:35 pm

     Eddie, I love the method, but would add a “tweak”. Instead of “offensive production” or whatever that first one is, break it down even further, and make it more like… % of points their team scores that they score (If Lebron averages 30, cavs average 100, his percentage is 30%). Do that with points, rebs, assists, steals, blocks, and turnovers.. find some sort of conversion method or ranking system (don’t just rank 1 through 10, because if kobe and lebron and paul are all close for the top 3, maybe 4 and 5 are far below.. don’t deserve to be only one point below 3, get my point?) and kind of go from there.

     I believe that the majority of problems with your system would come from the subjectiveness of it all, and especially some of your categories, but this would clear up one of the more important categories a little more, as well as alter/lend credence to your rebounding/passing numbers.

     All in all, I agree with your choice… I’ve been saying Paul for a while, and it hurts, cuz I love Kobe… but what Paul is doing is tremendous

175. Kingsblade Said,

     March 24, 2008 @ 3:40 pm

     Adrian:

     It is interesting you say that the Suns are a playoff team without Nash, because in 03-04 they went 29-53 with Marion, Stoudemire, Joe Johnson, and Barbosa. You can even include a 20.8 point 8.3 assist per game Marbury in there.

     Since Nash arrived they have been to the conference finals twice and lost last years controvertial series with San Atntonio, winning 62, 54, and 61 games respectively.

     Furthermore the team has a losing record over the same time period with Nash out of the lineup.

     You can argue that there are better MVP candidates, but why deny so vehemently his importance to that team?

     As for Marion…has anyone else noticed how he scored less in Miami after the trade even though his role on the team was supposedly larger? His minutes went up, his shots wenyt up, but his production went down. Even defensively. His shooting percentages are down significantly, his assists dropped, and his blocks. The only thing he seems to have improved by leaving was his offensive rebounds, which is almost entirely accounted for by the extra shots that he misses.

176. Rashidi Said,

     March 24, 2008 @ 9:32 pm

     “I don’t buy it. Kevin Garnett never openly bashed his teammates when his team was losing. Guys like KG deserve a 10 for their attitude.”

     Didn’t KG also punch one of his teammates in Minnesota, and according to the owner, tanked it when the team was out of the playoffs?

     Kevin Garnett also hasn’t had much success with his attitude either, people always say that he defers too much to his teammates - a big reason why he’s only been on two great teams (Minny 04 and Boston 08). Kobe is certainly more capable of placing a team on his back than KG, as is LeBron, Paul, Duncan, even T-Mac to some extent.

     Kingsblade writes
     “As for Marion…has anyone else noticed how he scored less in Miami after the trade even though his role on the team was supposedly larger? His minutes went up, his shots wenyt up, but his production went down. Even defensively. His shooting percentages are down significantly, his assists dropped, and his blocks. The only thing he seems to have improved by leaving was his offensive rebounds, which is almost entirely accounted for by the extra shots that he misses.”

     PHX Marion: 13.5 FGA per 40 mins
     MIA Marion: 13.8 FGA per 40 mins

     He wasn’t taking more shots. He was shooting a lower percentage as he was taking tougher shots, learning a new offense and teammates, and playing a bit hurt.

     His rebounds went up because he went from a good shooting team to a bad one. He is by far the best rebounder in Miami, the only other good boarder is Haslem who has also been hurt.

     PHX Marion grabbed 5.6% offensive rebound opportunities. (Slightly below average for a PF)
     PHX Marion grabbed 20.8% defensive rebound opportunities. (Above average for PFs and Cs)

     MIA Marion grabbed 8.6% offensive rebound opportunities (Above average for PF, average for C)
     MIA Marion grabbed 23.1% defensive rebound opportunities (Very above average for PF and C).

     By opportunities i mean if the Suns missed 100 shots (opportunities) while Marion was on the floor and he rebounded 5 of them his offensive rebound% is 5. Vice versa for defense. An average rebounding team would roughly be 28 offreb% and 70 defreb% although both the Suns and Heat are well below average rebounding teams.

     Anyway in short Marion wasn’t grabbing more of his misses, he was legitimately rebounding better in MIA which is to be expected. PHX is all about launching jumpers and playing small ball, which makes offensive rebounding tougher.

     I suppose it’s worth it to check out Shaq.

     MIA Shaq: 11.4 Offreb% (Team 26.7)
     PHX Shaq: 10.3 Offreb% (Team 29.0)

     MIA Shaq: 18.2 Offreb% (Team 70.1)
     PHX Shaq: 27.4 Defreb% (Team 73.1)

     Shaq has been a rebounding machine in PHX, and it’s not just the increased pace as this is per 100 possessions, not per game. I’m sure he will fall back to earth eventually. The Suns actually outrebound their opponents when Shaq is on the floor, rather than getting killed.

     Shaq by year
     PHX08 - 10.3 Off, 27.4 Def
     MIA08 - 11.4 Off, 18.2 Def
     2007 - 9.4 Off, 18.7 Def
     2006: 10.8 Off, 20.9 Def
     2005: 11.3 Off, 19.9 Def
     2004: 10.1 Off, 20.3 Def
     2003: 8.5 Off, 19.0 Def

     As one can see, Shaq has been a steady rebounder over the last 6 years with hardly any change. He was posting his lowest DefReb% but also posting his highest OffReb% in the last 6 years at the time of the trade. That his DefReb% is substantially higher means one of the following:

     1. Fluke and/or small sample size
     2. Rejuvenated by trade (Very unlikely since 2004 and 2006 were Finals teams and Shaq has no upswing in boards when Miami got him.)
     3. He’s the only good rebounder on an otherwise bad rebounding team.

     I’m leaning on #1.

177. Michael Bennett Said,

     March 25, 2008 @ 1:14 am

     Rashidi, you’re proving to be the most annoying blogger here. I feel sorry for your wife, or girlfriend, or boyfriend, or what-have-you.

     WIFE: “Let’s go out tonight, Rashidi.”

     RASHIDI: “If we went out tonight, we’d be going out three nights in a row, but before that, we went out only two times last week, which means that 20% of the time, we’re out, away from the home, away from the computer, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah”

     You try and fit every argument to make you look smart. AND NO ONE BUYS IT. You’re Mr. Disagreeable. And, you’re never objective. Hence, you’re an idiot.

     SEE ABOVE for examples of what I’m talking about.

178. Michael Bennett Said,

     March 25, 2008 @ 1:14 am

     Rashidi, you’re proving to be the most annoying blogger here. I feel sorry for your wife, or girlfriend, or boyfriend, or what-have-you.

     WIFE: “Let’s go out tonight, Rashidi.”

     RASHIDI: “If we went out tonight, we’d be going out three nights in a row, but before that, we went out only two times last week, which means that 20% of the time, we’re out, away from the home, away from the computer, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah”

     You try and fit every argument to make you look smart. AND NO ONE BUYS IT. You’re Mr. Disagreeable. And, you’re never objective. Hence, you’re an idiot.

     SEE ABOVE for examples of what I’m talking about.

179. Arthur Said,

     March 25, 2008 @ 5:47 am

     Garnett should never be the MVP and never should have been. Why? Because he is a self-checker who does not want the ball when it matters. In basketball terms he is a killer in the first three quarters and a coward in the fourth quarter. There is a reason why a supposed all time great has not been to the Finals. He won’t change that this year….they will lose to Detroit.

180. Nanizm Said,

     March 25, 2008 @ 10:58 am

     You can’t select your pick by a scoring system, that is ridiculous! I really hope Eddie does not have a vote. Analyst, announcers, writers are just so lazy. Watch the games on a regular basis you will be able to determine who the MVP is and then be able to articulate without the use of a so called scoring system. With these mathematical concoctions, you leave a lot of room for error. Numbers don’t lie, but they are misleading. You cant give an important award based on numbers. For example, a 9 for Lebron making players better? Are you kidding me? This guy obviously is not watching the games from the Cavs these last few years. Lebron is actually making them worse. Who you ask…Damon Jones, coming off a great year with Miami, comes to Miami and is out of the rotation; Donyell Marshall, comes off a big year with Toronto, big time 3 point shooter and good rebounder, comes to Cleveland and is not in rotation; Larry Hughes, coming off huge year with Washington and is a big time free agent, comes to Cleveland and is a major disappointment; Big Z, former all star, Lebron becomes star of team and Big Z numbers get worse; Wally having nice year in Seattle, comes to Clevland and is struggling; Ben was already disappointing in Chicago, no different next to Lebron. Which guys is he making better? If so, prove it! That is why these number concoctions are a joke when you fill in numbers there that are inaccurate which causes an incorrect result. Just watch the games and you will see that Kobe is the MVP, with Paul a close second.

181. Joe Said,

     March 25, 2008 @ 11:21 am

     “Garnett should never be the MVP and never should have been. Why? Because he is a self-checker who does not want the ball when it matters. In basketball terms he is a killer in the first three quarters and a coward in the fourth quarter. There is a reason why a supposed all time great has not been to the Finals. He won’t change that this year….they will lose to Detroit.”

     I disagree about Garnett, although I agree with you that the Celts will lose to the Pistons. Garnett plays his same phenomenal all-around game every minute he’s on the court, and that doesn’t change in the 4th quarter. He still plays defense, grabs boards, blocks shots, gets steals, dishes out assists, and scores the ball when an opportunity presents itself.

     He doesn’t take as many shots as Kobe or other guards do, but I think that’s simply because of his position on the floor. Does Tim Duncan ever take all the 4th quarter shots for the Spurs? Nope. Parker and Ginobili usually take over on offense in the last few minutes of the game. It’s not Duncan’s fault, that’s just the way the game works. Big men can’t “take over” the way that you’re talking about because they don’t have the ball in their hands as much as the guards do. Besides, Garnett has Allen and Pierce on his team, so there is no need for him to take all the shots in the 4th quarter.

     And Rashidi:
     Everything you posted above about KG’s attitude is a bunch of nonsense. Sorry to tell you, but it’s true.

182. Jerry Said,

     March 25, 2008 @ 12:35 pm

     If Chris Paul can get his 3PT % up to 40 or 41% I think he would be the clear MVP. As a smaller player his success really depended on outside shooting which he developed in recent years.

     Kobe Bryant will be a finalist especially with how the team has done without Bynum, Gasol, and Mihm. If the Lakers can have a good next 12 games and just destroy whoever they face in the first round he will be a leading candidate.

     It is a very close race.

     LeBron James will definately be a finalist but there is more expectation on the team with the new acquisitions. Because of Clevelands seed they will HAVE TO play Boston in the second round.

     Funny thing is if you look a the 8 teams going to playoffs in the west, take the worst one, Golden State…Golden State based on their record alone in the tough Western Cnference is betteter than ALL 8 TEAMS IN THE EAST besides Boston and Detroit.

     Boston and Detroit are only two teams in east with a CHANCE to win the championship.

     If Lebron’s cavs beat the Celtics in the second round it will be the biggest upset of the year, and will put them in position to go to the finals if they beat Detroit.

     Boston will have an easy matchup in the first round, with the ATL hawks who they will blow out in four games.

     I think ANY of the 8 teams in the west have a legitmate chance of beating Detroit in the Finals and some chance of beating Boston.

     The only way the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons can really be more dominant is if PJ BROWN (BOS) and Theo Ratliff (DET) can become very serious threats in the post as far as blocks, rebounds, team defense. If PJ Brown can become the PJ Brown of 2 years ago Boston will have a nice edge over the better teams in west.

     For McGrady to have serious MVP chances, he will have to have the team not just continue winning, but dominate in the playoffs…that is really the only way.

     The Lakers will play the Warriors or Spurs in the playoffs..lets home the lakers keep the #1 seed they are barely holding onto so they can face the Warriors.. Odom becomes this 20 rebound monster against the smaller lineup warriors, the Lakers beat them yesteday without Gasol, Bynum, Mihm.. Lakers can run big or small against them… Hopefully they can sweep them in four games so kobe and company can rest their knees for the 2nd round matchup…that will be against Phoenix or Houston….Phoenix will be fn with lakers facing shaq….also phoenix is similar to GSW in bein a rnning team.. Houston is uproven in playoffs and has no answer (without Yao) for Gasol, Bynum who will just dominate post and make it harder fo rHOU periemeter defense as they will all be in the post.

     I say it is the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics in the playoffs.. The additions recently of Cassell and PJ Brown are enough to make Boston the clear dominant team in the East…DET will put p a fight.

     Between Detroit and Lakers it is funny as they faced in the finals before, making an exciting re-match. Boston though would be a huge challenge…they play so well as a team the Lakers would have to have great leadership from Kobe Bryant and execution. With Garnett such a dominant defender they will have to get offense from lots of sources, great 3PT shooting from Fisher and Radmanovic, two big post scorers. Gasol would have to be a star in the playoffs.

183. Rashidi Said,

     March 25, 2008 @ 1:44 pm

     Well, the stuff you posted about Kobe’s attitude is also nonsense. TWO SHEA!

     And I hate to break it to you, but Duncan has put the Spurs on his back in the past. For reference, see Spurs/Pistons game 7. Duncan is also capable of taking over a game on defense, so he is still has the most impact on the game even if Parker or Ginobili is taking the most shots.

     KG has never been a great scorer and while he is a good defender and team player, the only thing he really has on Duncan is his passing/handle.

     You speak of KG having Allen and Pierce on his team and that’s exactly my point. Pierce and Allen have been named to 14 all-star teams combined. KG needs other great players around him in order to be successful. As I said, there is a reason he has only played for two good teams in his career. Pierce and Allen have been past the first round 4 times. KG has been past it ONCE. He is not capable of taking over games by himself.

     I find it rather telling that KG’s season high is 31 points, while Mike Dunleavy Jr has scored 36 points four times this season. MIKE DUNLEAVY JR. Hell, KG only has like THREE 40 point games to his name over his whole career! This is a guy who played on a lot of teams that needed to be carried, and he just wasn’t up to the task. KG would rather not shoot, it doesn’t matter if his teammates or Pierce and Allen, or like Mark Blount and Troy Hudson. Sometimes, a pass first mentality isn’t what’s needed.

184. Rashidi Said,

     March 25, 2008 @ 1:50 pm

     Hell, LeBron is averaging more shots per game than Kobe but still finds time to share the ball with his teammates. LeBron ain’t a guard either. What he is, however, is capable of taking over a game. Great players demand the ball. KG never has, he has always been comfortable in a complementary role rather than taking his team by the horns and taking them higher. He is 6′11, 7 feet, whatever, and he does most of his scoring on jumpshots. His attitude is too passive to lead a team to success which is why he needs two future hall of famers alongside hm.

185. Michael Bennett Said,

     March 25, 2008 @ 2:49 pm

     LeBron is a dribble penetrate player. So is Paul Pierce. And, Ray Allen too.

     KG isn’t. It doesn’t make him any worse of a player because of that. It just means he’s a different position. His game is based on high post where he’s not the premiere ball handler. Plays have to be set up for him. Same with Tim Duncan. Parker or Ginobili are the dribble drivers on that team.

     So, Rashidi, your comparisons are useless (What’s new?). Get a clue. And, try making some sense in a precise and intelligent manner… instead of rambling for ten pages AND NOT EVEN MAKING A VALID ARGUMENT.

186. Joe Said,

     March 25, 2008 @ 3:00 pm

     1st: No, my points about Kobe’s attitude were not nonsense at all. They were well-thought-out, reasonable arguments. For instance, he wanted his team to “ship his ass out”, referring to Bynum. If that’s not a bad attitude, what is? And just look at how Bynum has progressed this year. If the Lakers had listened to Kobe and his bad attitude, their roster would be in a worse position today (not to mention for the next few years).

     Your comments on Garnett, by contrast, were complete nonsense. You actually used the word passive? Garnett is probably the LEAST passive player in the entire league.

     2nd: You missed the point entirely. There are a lot of things you can do in the game of basketball to put a team on your back. Taking all the shots isn’t the only way to do it. Talking about Mike Dunleavy’s season high in scoring only shows how clueless you are.

     And posting ONE EXAMPLE of Tim Duncan scoring some points in the 4th quarter doesn’t prove anything. Like I said before, Parker and Ginobili do the majority of the 4th quarter scoring for the Spurs.

     And the Lebron argument was yet another poorly concieved example on your part. It doesn’t make sense to compare him to Garnett, they play completely different positions, and Lebron is the primary ballhandler for his team.

187. Zane Said,

     March 25, 2008 @ 6:49 pm

     Got to agree wholly with Joe and MB on this one…

     Garnett, too passive? He the most intense player out there. No one guarding KG would ever call him ‘too passive’, that comment just absolutely doesn’t make an sense.

     And Kobe absolutely DOES has a terrible attitude. He’s called out just about every teammate of his that’s ever been any good. Shaq, Malone, Payton, Bynum and many more. It’s just a matter of time for him to turn on Gasol…. this has been his CAREER-LONG ATTITUDE! When the Lakers lose, for some reason its always SOMEONE ELSES FAULT, and a teammate needs to get shipped or Kobe wants to leave… IS THAT REALLY YOUR MVP??!!!

     HELL HE EVEN BLAMED HIS INFIDELITY INDIRECTLY ON SHAQ!
     Kobe told police that “he should have done what Shaq does … that Shaq would pay his women not to say anything” and that Shaq already had paid up to $1 million “for situations like this.”

     HE NEVER TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANYTHING, UNLESS THEY WIN!!

     Kobe’s changed?? I don’t buy it for one second… he has not changed at all the whole time his whole career, and just 6 months ago he was calling out Bynum. If Bynum didn’t play well this season, Lakers would be losing and either Kobe, or half of the Lakers would be shipped out of town. There’s a good reason KB has never won an MVP - he’s an A**HOLE… pretty simple really, he’s got nobody to blame but himself for that.

     Lebron however has been a positive teammate, leader and is a better player than him all-round. LEBRON IS THE 08 MVP.

188. Michael Bennett Said,

     March 25, 2008 @ 7:16 pm

     Three people disagreeing with Rashidi…

     Everyone — Brace yourself for LOVE & WAR by Rashidi.

189. Michael Bennett Said,

     March 25, 2008 @ 7:18 pm

     I meant WAR & PEACE by Rashidi.

     A lot of movies in old Duder’s head…

190. antonio Said,

     March 26, 2008 @ 11:52 am

     Being MVP has nothing to do with the ability to play defense or being a complete player.

     Its a freakin’ popularity contest. It’s like being the prom queen.

     Argue all you want. Who cares.

191. antonio Said,

     March 26, 2008 @ 12:27 pm

     It will be funny if Kobe never gets an MVP.

     Can you imagine how the most complete player the last decade, a true champion with a desire to win matched by no other, not winning an MVP because the media/fans pitiful jeolousy and inability to relate to an awesome talent. Not to mention he is one of the most exciting players the last ten years.

     Then there is Steve Nash, with TWO.

     Hehehehe

192. Michael Bennett Said,

     April 2, 2008 @ 10:57 am

     New article, please, Eddie…

     How about COACH OF THE YEAR??? Or, did you already do that with the Byron Scott article? I don’t think it’s him, though…

193. Michael Bennett Said,

     April 15, 2008 @ 9:57 am

     I got scared for a second by looking at the hoopshype.com homepage. It reads:

     “SUING BENNETT?”

     I thought you were mad at me, Eddie.

194. Mp3 Players Music Notes Songs Said,

     June 17, 2008 @ 9:25 am

     Mp3 Players Music Notes Songs…

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     June 17, 2008 @ 11:25 am

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196. What Jazz Players Jersey Are Retire Said,

     June 18, 2008 @ 11:35 pm

     What Jazz Players Jersey Are Retire…

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