"Kobe not winning an MVP makes more sorta want to throw mine away"

[TheKirk]

I am fine with either Paul or Kobe winning, but its Kobe's year.

He's no MVP. He nearly single-handedly torpedoed the Lakers organization, and only a Memphis handout of Pau Gasol changed that. I could make better arguments for Cleveland's LeBron James and New Orleans's Chris Paul....

As noted, the development of Andrew Bynum, the return of Derek Fisher, the improvement of Sasha Vujacic and Jordan Farmar, in addition to healthy teammates made the Lakers tops in the West before Bynum went down.

Kobe's tantrum was not the way I would have gone about it, (and he regrets his methods as well,) but it got the job done. Now the Lakers are filled with teammates that step up, that Kobe can trust. When you have 6 or 7 guys in double figures each night, you have a complete team.

That the heartless and gutless Dirk Nowitzki won the MVP last year forever taints the award anyway. And Steve Nash? Please. If guys make shots, point guards look great. How is it making someone better if you just give them the ball when they are open? If they knock down the shot, that makes you an MVP?

Hmmm...by that logic, if the Lakers had any decent shooters or finishers the last three years, Kobe would be looking at his third MVP in a row just for passing to them.

A lot more goes into MVP than simply passing the ball. Steve Nash didn't make his teammates better. He made them LOOK better.

[DeepUnderMeds]

Kobe is not my favorite player (even I have a bunch of his rookie cards.....) but he was not the person who almost torpedoed the Lakers, that would have to be Shaq.
By comparison, Shaq is a "me" guy, one of the two who voted against the new cba back in 1998's lockout for the reason because he was not the highest paid player (it was Garnett back in the time) and under the new cba that he will never receive a bigger contract than Garnett's. Shaq's desperate for attention lead him to turn his back on Magic and heading to LA. He forced Eddie Jones out of the town because he was not the leader of the team. He gave Lakers no chance but to choose him and between Kobe, for all the years that I was watching the NBA that I have yet to see a bigger (in many ways) crybaby than Shaq.

How about Kobe? He was just being stupid for most of the times, but he is just about to turn 30 this summer. What can you expect?

[Lucky]

Wow, I can't believe some of the things that have been said in here. A lot of hating going on. Nash clearly deserved his two MVP's because he did make his teammates better. I don't think that can even be disputed. Nash was the reason the Suns were so good. Those games he missed, the Suns couldn't even beat the likes of Atlanta. His first season he led the Suns to the best record in the league, and his second season he led the Suns to one of the best records without Amare the whole season. That same team without Amare came back and beat the Kobe's Lakers in the playoffs which happened again the following season in much easier fashion. Dirk deserved to win the MVP because he had one heck of a season in a team that won 67 games. MVP is a regular season award, it doesn't matter that they lost in the 1st round.

This is the first time Kobe deserves serious considerations for this award. Being the best player in the league (Lebron might have a say in that) doesn't mean you are the MVP. Kobe had fabulous individual seasons, but this is the first time he has truly trusted his teammates making them better. This is the first time he has taken his game to the next level becoming a true team player. It also helps that unlike the last 3 years, Kobe has a good supporting cast around him. Obviously, to be the MVP you need to have a good team around you, and you need to finish with one of the top 4-5 records in the league. Those seem to be the requirements when voters decide who the MVP is. You don't see anybody get the MVP on a team winning 43 games. Lebron shouldn't even be in this conversation, not that he is at fault for his team mediocre season because his supporting cast is average at first.

My vote goes to Chris Paul however. When I look at both teams, I think Paul has less to work with. Everybody thought the Hornets would just fight to get in, but they were one of the top teams in the league. Paul definately makes his teammates (and coach) better while having every requirement an MVP must have. I think KG deserves strong consideration as well because he changed the mentality and culture of that team. He is the leader of that squad. However, I'm afraid Kobe will get it because of his name and fame, and because he has never received one during his career. If he gets the MVP, it won't only be because of what he did this season but also as a recognition for what he's done in the past.

1- Paul
2- Kobe
3- KG

[chris93]

i will be shocked if kobe doesnt win it this year

[SteeleRED]

To what's been said: I might agree about "MVP" vs. "MOP", but my point is that the NBA has never required nor stated they are to be considered separately.

As for "bad Kobe": hard to shrug those off. Kobe did act like a petulant child after the Shaq deal went down (but no, he didn't pressure the team to get rid of Shaq). And the team's not catered to him other times either: Eddie Jones was dumped, as was his very good friend Caron Butler. And let me point out something that many in the L.A. press corps have pointed out but I'm sure many don't know: the biggest problem in L.A. the last couple of years were a couple of cancers named Smush Parker and Kwame Brown. They've all noticed the dramatically improved team atmosphere this year from the first game post-Kwame. And before the trade, as I pointed out, they were in first.

Furthermore, I wasn't denigrating Nash, though it may have appeared that way. I think he did much more than just pass the ball: he hit plenty of big shots along the way, too. And he had a way of instilling confidence in his teammates. All I said is that, when he won those MVP awards, he wasn't the best player. Sometimes the best player gets it, and sometimes the most valuable, and sometimes it's the same guy.

I think alot of people look at the Lakers and think "more talent than New Orleans" but if you go back and look at the pre-season picks, few picked the Lakers to even make the play-offs given the dearth of talent and the supposed improvement of Golden State (who, as it turned out, just missed this year). Yet the Lakers were best in the West. Maybe this stat helps: the Lakers improved 15 games this season, the Hornets 17. Given the closeness of the two results (and FWIW, N.O. had more room to improve), you can't say Paul took his team so much further.

One more thing: funny how some of the Hornets' stats went down from the previous year: Stojakovic, Chandler's RPG, Pargo, Bobby Jackson... Of course, Chris' went up alot, and David West was better, but West was already a rising star (improved PPG and RPG each of last 3 seasons). Meanwhile Bynum's up, Farmer's up, Turiaf's up, Radmonvich's up, Vujacic's up, and NONE of that was forseen. Only Lamar's and Walton's PPG were down, primarily because others were getting more shots than the previous year.

Just making my case. Paul's the strongest contender, but Kobe's team WON the West, and he gets my vote.

[cooldude32]

Aparently Kobe has won the MVP.

[RaptorOil]

Originally Posted by Korrupt

If you take Bryant away from his team, sure they're not as good, but they're still playoff contenders. If you take Paul away from his team, I all but guarantee that they drop out of the playoffs. If you take LeBron James away from his team, they turn into a train wreck of a team.

IMO, take Kobe away from the Lakers and they don't even make the playoffs Golden State does. Kobe makes big game winning shots, can take the team on his shoulders, and can take over a game like no other. Some also seem to forget that Kobe also plays some great D which sets the tone for the rest of the team. I am not a big Kobe fan, but I have to give him credit for not only being the best player in the league for a few years, but for also changing his game this season. He trusts his teammates, has gotten them the ball more often, believes that they will make the shots, he trusts the coaching staff and has accepted the triangle offense, and still takes over the game. He is simply an amazing player to watch and to not give him the MVP is ludicris.

I agree with the poster who said the Hornets had more room to improve than the Lakers did. My Raptors had a 20 win difference from the 05/06 to the 06/07 season and Bosh never won the MVP, so why would Paul? Now i'm not saying that Paul doesn't deserve some recognition for what he did this year and that the Hornets suck without him, but MVP he was not.

That said, it looks like Kobe has finally recieved his first MVP award.

[Korrupt]

I think Kobe Bryant winning this year's MVP was inevitable regardless.

Also, I think the individual defense of great offensive players can get overrated, mostly because the opposing defender spends so much energy trying to defend said talented offensive powerhouse, that he usually can't put forth the same energy on offense, thus making said offensive powerhouse's defensive efforts easier. Great offense makes for good defense...which also happens to be true the other way around.

Regardless, it's a moot point. Kobe Bryant is this year's MVP.

[DeepUnderMeds]

Originally Posted by Korrupt

I think Kobe Bryant winning this year's MVP was inevitable regardless.

Also, I think the individual defense of great offensive players can get overrated, mostly because the opposing defender spends so much energy trying to defend said talented offensive powerhouse, that he usually can't put forth the same energy on offense, thus making said offensive powerhouse's defensive efforts easier. Great offense makes for good defense...which also happens to be true the other way around.

Regardless, it's a moot point. Kobe Bryant is this year's MVP.

So,both Kobe and Shaq have the same numbers of MVP. Shaq with a ring more than Kobe at moment.If Kobe can manage to get a ring by himself then Shaq will likely to stay in the league for another 20 years to try to get another one.....

[RaptorOil]

Originally Posted by DeepUnderMeds

So,both Kobe and Shaq have the same numbers of MVP. Shaq with a ring more than Kobe at moment.If Kobe can manage to get a ring by himself then Shaq will likely to stay in the league for another 20 years to try to get another one.....

I beg that does not occur, it's painful to watch him play now.