The real NBA MVP
April 25th, 2008, 12:30 pm · 9 Comments · posted by Adam Maya, staff writer since 2006
Kobe Bryant proved once again he is the most talented player in the league.
The 10 consecutive field goals, the 49 points and 10 assists, the postgame laughs with the TNT crew after watching their spoof of his recent shoe commercial, Black Mamba was at the top of his game on Wednesday.
It capped off quite a week for the Lakers’ star, who waited until the playoffs to confirm he wants to stay with the Lakers, and even went the extra mile by saying he loves L.A.’s weather, his ‘63 Impala and the 405 freeway as much as his teammates.
Wait, in that order? It begs the question: Is that the NBA MVP?
No. If New Orleans point guard Chris Paul does not win the MVP (which he won’t because the media at large has already decided on Bryant — here I thought lifetime achievement awards were for actors), the award is a joke.
This has nothing to do with what Paul has done to Jason Kidd and the Mavericks in the first two games of the first round. Paul has been playing like that all season.
How else would the Hornets, who don’t even belong in the Western Conference (they’re in New Orleans!), with virtually the same roster, manage to go from the lottery in 2007 to the No. 2 seed in 2008? Did we not just witness the deepest and most competitive season we’ve had in the past 15 years?
And New Orleans, a franchise that was so bad it was forced to leave Charlotte and had the worst record in the conference three years ago, had the second best record.
It is not just that Paul led his team in scoring (21.1 points), and the entire league in steals (2.7) and assists (11.6), the first to do that since Utah’s John Stockton in 1991-92.
Watch CP3 just once and you see something special at work. You see a person you want to play basketball with any day, good or bad. You see a player who, if you make a mistake, will lift you up both with his play and personality. You see a player who has managed to make Tyson Chandler relevant again.
Do you remember how futile Chandler was in Chicago? Forget that. Do you remember who Chandler was drafted one spot behind in the 2001 NBA Draft? I believe his name is Kwame Brown, who I also believe is a former teammate of the MVP frontrunner. How much did Brown improve playing alongside KB8/24?
If that does not convince you, maybe this will: GP. For some, the two letters evoke images of Gary Payton when he was with the Sonics (not so much when he was with the Lakers, Heat, Celtics, et al.). In other circles, they stand for general principle, an unwritten code of street ethics.
And in the case of Bryant’s MVP candidacy, thanks to propaganda via Lakers headquarters, rules clearly have been broken.
–Adam Maya, The Orange County Register
April 25th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
And Kobe had Kwame Brown and Smush Parker the past two years. He singlehandly dragged a team starting two mediocre scrubs into the NBA playoffs two years running. Both of those players were non-players the end of this season without Kobe whereas Chandler had had some success in Chicago but a coach he didn’t like. Then in 2008, Kobe took a team with injuries to two key players and another injured player who could have been a servicable back up center to the best record in the West. Meanwhile, Paul faded the final two weeks and now New Orleans is in the tougher bracket and has to face SA or Phoenix the next round. Finally, Paul’s MVP campaign did not really begin until February. Kobe has been consistent all year. Add it all up and you are so far off base you might as well be picked off
April 25th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
You’re right on that Sidney. How bout Kobe with 49 points 10 assists in game 2 if you want to use the playoffs as an excuse? Never mind that Tyson Chandler is decent in the post, that David West is a premier power forward, or that Peja is a much better 3 pt shooter than Vlade. If you really compare the teams there isn’t really much of a drop off in talent until you hit the bench. In order to rack up assits like Paul, you have to have teammates that can shoot the ball especially when open. Anyone notice who was actually able to score points the last 2 seaons? Anyone notice how Kobe, while not the recipient of as many assists as Paul, is usually the start of some play that ends up in someone else scoring? People are wayyyyyyyy too caught up in stats and don’t see the game as it really is half the time. Kobe has been playing with a busted hand and who knows what other minor injuries. He’s been playing with a point guard who as a torn tendon in his foot, a defensive minded small forward in Ariza who hasn’t played in the past couple months and Kobe’s other best friend Bynum who only played about 35-40 games this season. Paul has had a team that’s been much better off health wise. The Lakers are a 60+ win team if you take away all the injuries and the woes they’ve had to go through as a team from that. Paul has been a great player but through what adversity has he had to play through this season? You answer me that and make a case stronger than what Kobe has had to then you’ll have me convinced. Kobe is the only MVP.
April 25th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
One more thing, as far as Kwame and Chandler go, Kwame was a bust period. He did play better with the Lakers then he did with the Wizards. Everyone knows Kwame has bad hands, was the recipient of many passes and opportunities to make shots that he should have and instead kept dropping the ball. I don’t care if you’ve got 4 superstars on the team who attract everyone and Kwame is left unguarded, the man can’t catch and shoot, dunk, or lay the ball up. Unless someone walks up to Kwame and hands him the ball and even then he might drop it, what can Kobe, Paul, or anyone else for that matter do? Kwame proved though to be a defensive force and was able to bang bodies, get boards, and ocassional blocks. Anyone remember the playoffs against the Suns when the Lakers were pounding the ball into Kwame? The Lakers were winning with that but Kwame couldn’t keep it up. Only problem that Chandler had in Chicago was that he was a headcase there and didn’t like his coach. Lets give credit where credit is really due and keep in mind the real deficencies that have affected other playersand kept them from being what they were expected to be.
April 25th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Wow, hate much? Kobe’s been playing consistently great all year. He has had to deal with injuries to his team and himself and yet finishes the season number 1 in the western conference. While Paul is a great player, he’s had most of his team healthy and they’ve been playing great ball together. This was NOT a lifetime achievement award although he has been the league’s best player the past 2 years. The argument there was that he didn’t make his teammates better even though his numbers were there. Now that he’s made his teammates better and they have a better record, people are saying Chris Paul’s numbers are better? Please. And it’s funny that everyone said if New Orleans finishes first (while they were at the top) they’ll vote for Paul. But once the Lakers passed them, everyone starts talking about Paul’s stats again. The award was already a joke since there is no clear definition of what makes a player valuable. So until they make a Best Stats award and Best Team Player award, it’s going to be subjective.
April 25th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
guess you really don’t follow.. Hornets ran a campaign for CP as well.. including creating a website for his MVP campaign.
and you really think Kwame Brown would catch the passes if Chris Paul made the passes to him instead of Kobe Bryant? LOL! Kobe would make Tyson Chandler better just the same.
April 25th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Wow. Youre a Kobe hater. Whats funny is that Paul has West Peja Tyson and you still have the nerve to say that he did it alone. The year that Kobe had all those 40 point games and not to mention the 81 points he dropped in one game they changed what it takes to be an MVP. It wasnt about being the best player, It was about team record and making theyre team better. Now that hes shown that he can do that and more this would be a lifetime acheivement. If you personally dont like the kid fine, but dont water down what hes accomplished cause you wouldnt want to have a drink with the guy.
April 25th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
And also the Lakers barely snuck in the playoffs last year. So it wasn’t like they were THAT much better than the Hornets. They won THREE more games than them. And yes the West Is stacked, and who had the better record against the Western Conference teams? Hmm… Why don’t you talk about the last game where they played head to head? Oh that’s right Lakers won there too. Any other dumb reasons why Kobe shouldn’t be the MVP?
April 25th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
mr.maya
if you call yourself a ‘journalist’ you would in fact know that chris paul had a very elaborate campaign for MVP.
before posting your ‘article’ get the facts straight. chris paul even has a website, cp34mvp or something like that.
the hornets organization sent videos and essay written by children to promote chris paul.
life achivement award? please, you wish you had in a finger the talent that kobe has.
and learn this, you don’t have to bring a player down to elevate another, if you have to do that, then your case is not that solid.
educate yourself before making unintelligent arguments,
April 26th, 2008 at 1:01 am
Ditto!
Ditto!
Ditto!
Ditto!
The media, if he wins, will have been dragged kicking and screaming into voting for Bryant. They’ve moved the target all over the map in the last several years, and finally, Kobe has the merits on his side no matter the argument or rational.