First off, special thanks to Canadian Sports Television for NOT giving me the 2-3 NBA games per night like they did last season. It just warms me up inside when I get to watch an epic Edmonton v. Columbus hockey game. Check that.
There always seems to be a few guys around this time of year that has an outside look at an MVP award. From here until the end of the season it will narrow down. Then again, players who miss this list can work themselves onto the list if their team get's hot. So here we go:
Dwyane Wade - Miami Heat: Wade has been hitting the big shots and has done a more than adequate job holding it down without the big man in the lineup. Shaq is always an X-Factor, but they need Wade in their lineup to make the clutch shots during crunch time.
Steve Nash - Phoenix Suns: The reigning MVP is once again putting up solid numbers despite the losses of Joe Johnson and Amare Stoudemire. Did he really make Quentin Richardson? All seriousness, Nash winning it again would not be a surprise, nor would this guy...
Shawn Marion - Phoenix Suns: The workhorse of that Suns team has stepped up with the absence of Amare. The undersized Power Forward has worked the glass and continues to play great basketball. He and Nash have kept this Suns team dangerous.
Elton Brand - L.A. Clippers: He is similar to Marion, except he has REALLY stepped up in leadership. This guy has been under the radar for the past few years, but he has put the Clippers in a great position to make the playoffs and perhaps win a series. They needed Brand to step it up, and he has done that in every facet of his game.
Dirk Nowitzki - Dallas Mavericks: Mavs are 40-11, have committed to better defensive play, and Dirk has continued to excell offensively. When he's on, he's lights out. When he's off, he's still dangerous. This has to be his finest season regardless of statistics.
Tony Parker - San Antonio Spurs: It's usually Tim Duncan that get's the MVP run, but Parker's the MVP on the Spurs this year. Duncan has not been Duncan this year. Parker has been shooting above 54% from the field which is freaky for a point guard. His poor free throw percentage has held him back. He's Eva Longoria's MVP so I think he can live without the award.
LeBron James - Cleveland Cavaliers: Cavs are holding onto a playoff spot right now, but they were holding onto one last year before their collapse. With Larry Hughes gone for the year, the pressure now rides on James even more. This kid has brought it every single night and if the Cavs rise in the standings he will get tremendous consideration.
Chauncey Billups - Detroit Pistons: Billups is just one piece of a rock-solid team. That is not belittling him by any means. He has had a great season this year, and he's the Steve Nash of this team. The 2004 Playoff MVP could add more hardware this season.
Kobe Bryant - L.A. Lakers: What's kept him in are his point totals (over 34 per game) and his point totals (did I mention over 34 per game?). As great as he has played at times, there are other players more deserving than Bryant.
Chris Paul - NOK Hornets: He won't be the MVP this year, but he should be the rookie of the year. He has been the biggest reason why the NOK Hornets are holding onto a playoff spot after a disastrous season last year.
Darko Milicic - He has graced the Pistons with his presence and his impact has helped them get to 2 NBA finals. He could make the Orlando Magic an instant success. Ok, who are we kidding?
Dirk is a little too inconsistent for MVP . You never know which Dirk is going to show up . Ditto for Parker . Kobe , the 81 is a historic feat but a 1 man team in a league where team play is essential doesn't cut it . Chauncey , yes ,Nash didn't deserve it last year , this year I'd give him the nod as well as Wade and Duncan , but I still think Chauncey is the most deserving .
The MVP stands for "Most Valuable Player". And the most valuable player in the NBA is Kobe Bryant. Take him off the Lakers, and you have the Charlotte Bobcats (and even that is reaching a bit).
Huey: I think with what has gone on with the Suns and all the changes in the lineup, Nash is proving that his MVP last year was legit. Having said that, Billups winning should not be a shame at all.
Caine: Your argument is my argument for Dirk. I don't think the Mavs are 40-11 without Dirk. He is the Most Valuable Player in my opinion, but again, a lot of guys have a great shot at it.
Other players more deserving than kobe bryant where were you at on january 22 with that game by it self should give kobe the MVP.It is his turn not anyone esle not lebron not nash not wayne,etc.
Nobody hates Kobe more than I do, but he has proven himself to be probably the most talented and possibly the most improved player in the league this year. He has taken his game to an outrageous level, even though he's insanely greedy. Even Allen Iverson said if he doesn't win the MVP, something is wrong. He would get my vote if I had one, but Chauncey would be a close second because he's getting it done for the league's winningest team. That being said, I'm enjoying the NBA this year because you can make a case for a lot of these guys. It will all come down to the second half of the season...
joseg: I watched the first half of the game on Jan 22nd and then missed the last half where Kobe went off. 2 things: 1) 1 game should not entitle you to the MVP and 2) If there was a team he could do that to, it would be the poor defensive Raptors who are nowhere in the league standings.
That is not a shot at diminishing what he did that game, it was phenomenal and it helped win that game. When it comes to the MVP, team record should matter. Kobe is playing for a playoff spot, but not for a division title. If the Lakers miss the playoffs, how can you give him the MVP? Yes he's valuable to a poor Laker team, but has he made others around him better? Not like Steve Nash or Tim Duncan or Chauncey Billups. Kobe would win on stats and the MVP is not built on just the one dimension of personal statistics.
Last edited by The_Dan on February 15th at 8:23 PM.
I would throw Michael Redd on your list not because I truly believe he has a shot at winning th MVP, but because without him the Bucks are the Atlanta Hawks.
IrishNut: I like Redd. He can shoot the ball from all over the court. Though I would not put him ahead of the players I mentioned, he certainly goes under the radar. If he played like that with a bigger team in terms of hype, he'd get more pub for sure. MVP pub? I doubt it Irish, sorry.
#1 chauncey billups is not just a good player, averaging 19 points per game, 3 rebounds, and a whoping 8.8 assists!!! No comparison to the wanna be best point gaurd Stephon Marbury. Hes a joke. No wounder why he sucks i mean look at his big #### head. I VOTE YES TO MR. BIGSHOT FOR LEAGUE MVP!!!
From Toronto, CANADA. On hiatus from sports talk show. Also the starting shortstop for the Lizzards. Honorary member of "The Clique" because I am a made guy. If I ever got to work for Fox Sports I'd put into my contract that I must put in no less than 60 hours of work per week.
