NBA Regular Season MVP is not Kobe

I think it basically comes down to three:

Steve Nash, Shawn Marion, LeBron James.

What's that Mark Jackson? You say Kobe?

Let's review the facts with 2 games to go (games which the above three should be sitting while Kobe won't thanks to their MVP years).

Nash 19.0 ppg 10.5 apg 4.2 rpg .8spg .2bpg 51%FG 92%FT 143 3s
Marion 21.7 ppg 1.8 apg 11.9 rpg 2.0spg 1.7bpg 52.2%FG 81.6%FT 94 3s
James 31.4 ppg 6.6 apg 7.0 rpg 1.5 spg .84bpg 48%FG 73.8%FT 127 3s
Bryant 35.4 ppg 4.5 apg 5.3 rpg 1.8 spg .38bpg 44.9%FG 84.9%FT 176 3s

Phoenix Suns (52-28)
Cleveland Cavs (48-32)
Los Angeles Lakers (44-37)


Let's all remember where Kobe's rings came from.


Bryant may lead the league in points per game and he may have scored 81 against a lowly Toronto team that basically didn't even guard him on a night he couldn't miss. But one could argue that this year is not even Kobe's own best season. In the 2005-6 season, Kobe posted his lowest rebounding and assists total since 1998, his lowest blocks per game average since his 18 year old rookie season, and shot an impressive number of threes (176) at an unimpressive rate (34.6%). Perhaps if he was a bit more humble, he'd settle less for those 35 foot jumpers he often resorts to. Granted, there is only one other Laker that matters (Lamar Odom) but Kobe and the Lakers were not without any critical players throughout the season. Contrast that to the othe MVP candidates where the Suns had to deal with (and permanently adapt to) the loss of Amare Stoudemire, a 26/9 talent from the season before, and where LeBron lost more than half the season to second fiddle Larry Hughes. What Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Drew Gooden? Yeah, what's the difference between you guys and Chris Mihm and Kwame Brown?


Maybe it's good Steve left Dallas, so he and Dirk could stop getting wasted on their nights off.


Nash is a point guard who shoots 51% from the field, 90+% from the line, and 40+% from three. He hardly ever hurts his team and makes everyone else undeniably better, as evidenced by the Suns record without Steve Nash since they signed him. Seven Suns (Nash, Marion, Bell, Diaw, Jones, House, Barbosa) are having their best year scoring-wise ever. And sure part of that is the system of coach Mike D'Antoni but none of it would work without Nash. He's averaging three and a half points per game more than last year's MVP performance, while dishing it out only 1 assist less per game even though he lost the easy target Amare. He's better statistically than he was last year also in fg%, ft%, 3s, blocks, and rebounds. And he's done all this while losing 3 of his 5 starters (Joe Johnson, Quentin Richardson, Amare Stoudemire) from the year before. I just don't see how if Steve Nash won the MVP award last year how he wouldn't win the award this year having had an even better season statistically and overcome more injuries to critical players than last year. Plus, shouldn't he get at least some of the credit for the rapid development of Boris Diaw?


Come on, he's just such a swell dude, let's just give him the MVP anyway.

Marion is another Sun who deserves mention although I find it hard to argue for Nash and then in turn also support Marion. But there is more merit for Marion as MVP than Kobe. Logging in an astounding 40.4 min/g, Marion also played out of position while finishing in the top 10 in the league in rebounding, steals, and minutes. He, along with Nash led the Suns to the third-best record in the West when nobody thought they could hang without Amare. It was Marion that filled in all the gaps the Suns were looking for and it is his energy that leads the team.


Yeah Kobe shooting 3s from near halfcourt is great but can you still get your head up in the net? You guys should have seen the other photo I had for this.


Perhaps the best case for MVP besides Nash is LeBron James. 2nd in minutes, 3rd in scoring, his Cavs are in the playoffs for the first time since 1992 (and with homecourt advantage I might add) and he lacked the late season swoon that doomed his 2004-5 season. He has become a leader, a player that despite all odds will find a way to win. Though statistically he is only really about 4 points a game better than last year (not that that isn't significant) but it is in the team's record that his season must be evaluated. If the Cavs beat Atlanta on Wednesday they will finish with 50 wins for the first time since the Ehlo/Daugherty/Nance/Price dynasty and 8 games better than last year.

Really one should mention AI... who has been tearing it up these past two years with little recognition. HO hum, another 30ppg year while also in the top 15 in steals and assists. His FG% just keeps getting better, topping out this year at nearly 45%. These young guys have got to mature quick, cause CWebb's knee can't last much longer and AI don't like that he don't get no respect. You da man!



He may be an All-Star MVP but he's no MVP and he's not an Olympian either. Whaaaa???


No doubt without each of these players their teams would be lost. But who has the greatest impact on their team? And more importantly who deserves the MVP? My vote is with Nash. Again.