Picking the NBA MVP is Easy and Unfair

Scribe Written on March 18, 2008

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The "MVP! MVP!" chants are loud and common. At various arenas peppered throughout the country, tens of thousands of fans are invested in the closest, most intriguing MVP race of this generation.

The headline of this MVP race is Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, the two best basketball players in the world putting on dominating performances in opposite conferences. The resurgence of the hallowed-Celtics made Kevin Garnett the early season favorite.

Chris Paul has commanded the embryonic Hornets to a top spot in the toughest West ever. Tracy McGrady has thrust himself into the conversation by virtue of his team's historic 22 game winning streak.

The debate is heated, with opinions from all viewpoints boiling over on thousands of sports websites and TV shows. The debate, however, is a mute point. Looking at history it's easy to see what the NBA regular season MVP award has become and what it is not.

The NBA MVP award is not an "Outstanding Individual Performance" award. It's not an Oscar for the "Best Actor in a Lead Role." The NBA MVP award requirement is simple; it goes to the best player on the best team, assuming that player is having a career year. Let's look at the MVP award winners from the past 25 years:

Year	Player	Wins	Winner of their...
2007	Dirk Nowitzki	67	Conference
2006	Steve Nash	54	Division
2005	Steve Nash	62	Conference
2004	Kevin Garnett	58	Conference
2003	Tim Duncan	60	Conference
2002	Tim Duncan	58	Division
2001	Allen Iverson	56	Conference
2000	Shaquille O'Neal	67	Conference
1999	Karl Malone	61	Conference
1998	Michael Jordan	62	Conference
1997	Karl Malone	64	Conference
1996	Michael Jordan	72	Conference
1995	David Robinson	62	Conference
1994	Hakeem Olajuwon	58	Division
1993	Charles Barkley	62	Conference
1992	Michael Jordan	67	Conference
1991	Michael Jordan	61	Conference
1990	Magic Johnson	63	Conference
1989	Magic Johnson	57	Conference
1988	Michael Jordan	50	none
1987	Magic Johnson	65	Conference
1986	Larry Bird	67	Conference
1985	Larry Bird	63	Conference
1984	Larry Bird	62	Conference
1983	Moses Malone	65	Conference

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