... And Nasty Nash is MVP again!

Oh to be in Blacktop in the spring. It is getting hotter here and the asphalt is unforgiving. Played ball yesterday for two-and-a-half hours and now am sore as hell. But I tell you all the hours spent watching NBA this year has sure paid off. I was even able to pull off a Marion-esque oop! Believe it! Also, check out the new links to the right... if you have anymore let me know. Those are the ones I check during the season.



Here's a little more foregiving picture of the MVP.

Enough self-references, we're here to celebrate the impending re-coronation of one of Blacktop's favorite sons. His team has led the league in scoring a whopping five years in a row. From Inside Hoops NBA Rumours:

"Suns star Steve Nash will be named the NBA's Most Valuable Player for a second straight season, according to a league source familiar with the voting. The announcement may not come for two weeks, like last season's May 8 ceremony. The votes have been tabulated in what was expected to be a close race with LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki, Chauncey Billups and Kobe Bryant." Arizona Republic

"With nearly 60 percent of the ballots counted in early exit polls, it appears Steve Nash is headed for his second straight Most Valuable Player award. In a Tribune survey of 75 of the 127 writers and broadcasters who cast official MVP ballots with the NBA, Nash has a sizable lead over Cleveland's LeBron James for the award." East Valley Tribune

"Nash received 30 first-place votes, 24 second-place votes and 549 total points in the Tribune survey, giving him a 141-point lead over (LeBron) James — who has 408 points but only garnered 11 first-place votes." East Valley Tribune

"Dirk Nowitzki ranks third in total points (370) and second in first-place votes (12), but the Dallas Morning News, citing several league sources, reported Tuesday that Nowitzki did not win the MVP award. Kobe Bryant of the Lakers, the league's leading scorer at 35.4 points per game, received 11 first-place votes and ranks fourth in total points (279), but 48 of the 75 writers polled had Bryant listed either fourth (18), fifth (17) or left him off their ballots completely (13). Chauncey Billups of Detroit placed fifth in the survey with 246 points and 10 first-place votes."

What's amazing really is the margin which Nash looks like he will win by... and the extent to which NBA insiders distinctly DO NOT believe that Kobe is even close to the MVP, with 64% listing him fourth or worse. I called it here first. Mark Jackson is off his rocker. I guess we'll see for real tonight and in the rest of the Suns/Lakers series.