The 2007-08 NBA MVP Debate: Pros and Cons

The much-hyped and debated MVP race in years?

Lifetime Achievement Award...due?

Heart and Soul of his team?

Rise of the underdogs to the top?

Please stop it. It's simple. Stop the press and the media from going overboard and for once, just once, give it to the ones who face the fire each night, the ones in the line of fire each quarter—the players and the coaches. 

Yeah, stop appeasing the press, the TV stations. Get the guys and the players involved. If the players weren't there, the league itself would cease to exist. 

A look at the most deserving candidates.

1. K Bryant

Sure, he's turned it around for his team, best atop the tightest West in years. But again, tightest West in years? Why? Coz six or seven teams won 50 games? My god, if so many won so many, how the hell is it the tightest conference in years?

Look over to the east. Barely six or seven have even won 50. THAT is the tightest conference.

West was tough? Yeah right! And Bryant...Well, pound for pound, what he brings to the court, whether he scores, defends, assists, rebounds, or plain fat inspires his teammates (and the results are obvious, by the way!) is in a league of his own.

He's my first-choice for MVP, not because it's due to him, not coz he's been the most amazing talent since MJ, but because he's finally learned to succeed as the leader, as a teammate, as a superstar, and more importantly, has the results to show for it.

2. K Garnett

Inspiring his team to the greatest turnaround in NBA history and the best record this season is just a little, not enough.

Sure he has a presence, a personality, his force of will and strength of mind and character just blow you. but again, when you're down by 10 midway through the fourth quarter, who do you want in your team—KG or Bryant? or James? or Paul?

To me, the MVP race is simple: Who has the most havoc, effect, in the opposition's plans?

It's simple: The bigger the danger, the greater the value of a player. And KG just does not cut the ranks in this category. He is a true leader of his team, but just not the league MVP. (And we're not even talking about his two All-Star teammates yet.)

3. C Paul

Apparently, inspiring a downtrodden team to second-place in a 'dead-tough' conference just isn't enough for the MVP media, eh? Only if LA and Kobe hadn't put a skid on their ride last week, this race could have been a lot easier.

But again, what Chris does, very few can. Make All-Stars out of wannabe talents, put up numbers to boggle the senses night in and out, take his team to the top, alas, when it matters most.

When it's time to stand up and be counted, he just fails to make the cut. We aren't just talking about last week's LA game. Think about the game before that, the ones with the Spurs, and Dallas later.

4. L James

The saddest man on this list, and his team...and he himself, to an extent, is to blame. By far, the unluckiest superstar in the NBA.

Has all the moves, the points, the rebounds, the assists, the whole package, and yet, his team can barely stand up on its own. The others got deserving teammates. What has LeBron got?

Sadly, the greatest stats in so-so years just don’t do it anymore. Any other year, he or Paul, would have been a shoe-in for the award, but his team cost it for him this season.

He still has time though. Keep knocking hard on management's door, demand and order a better team, and keep on sticking to it...

5. T McGrady

It's a toss-up between McGrady and James. A 22-win streak? Who cares, right? Poor Tracy...All his contributions to his team's resurgence melted in the face of rising media attention on LA and New Orleans, but he still continued to play and perform.

Inconsistent performances in pivotal games just meant he was not true MVP material, at least this season. An MVP leads from the front, whether by numbers or by sheer force of will and, alas, for me he just isn't that strong enough.

He can do better, he has the game, but between him and Bryant this season, at least, there's no debate as to which man has the bigger effect on defenses, and offenses.

Last, but not the least, an honorable mention for the backroom candidates: Manu, Dwight, Deron.

You guys were great, inspired your teams, but just didn't make the cut. Sadly, in this age of media coverage and blanket swamping, your teams were just not 'media savvy.'

Tips for next season—continue the good work on the floor, and get a wise, smart media department.

Speaking of deserving...Marcus Camby for Defensive Player of the Year? Why? Coz he blocks this much each night? Ahem, in case you forgot, his team leaks a million points each night too.

What do his blocks suffice for? Maybe, Most Improved POY is good enough for Marcus, but for overall impact, pedigree, and influence, KG or even any of the back-room guys from Detroit or the Spurs gets my vote.

Remember, stats can be highly deceptive and misleading sometimes. A true MVP goes beyond stats and numbers. Just ask the coaches and players.

Lastly, and I am sure I'll get a ton of bricks and stones for this, isn't Tim Duncan the most overrated player in NBA history? Is he so highly rated coz he's big and clumsy and still means so much to his team? Or is it because he just goes to work silently and talks with his 'game'?

Funny...The last I saw of him, he was as clumsy as a big gorilla, running here and there, and Ma-nu and Parker controlled the whole game. If his team goes all the way this season, maybe, just maybe, I'll have a new respect for him.

It's easy—between him and Shaq, no matter Shaq's age and dwindling athleticism, I'd go for Shaq.

I don't know if any of you feels that I've covered ground in this article. I just wanted to express my thoughts in public, doesn't necessarily have to hit home every time we utter our minds out, does it? It is just an effort—like it or trash it, feel free. No harm will be presumed.