Can an MVP call out his front office and demand to be traded in the beginning of the season? In my opinion, No, but what matters is the voters for the MVP award.
Kobe Bryant's numbers from this year are down from last year, but his team is much better. However, the other "LA," Lousiana, is a state that is still recovering from a tragic hurricane and is looking for a new leader, besides rapper Lil' Wayne to put the city back on track.
Wake Forest graduate Chris Paul's numbers are impressive, very impressive for a guy no taller than 6 feet. He came into the playoffs averaging 24.8 ppg and taking the assists title from former MVP Steve Nash by dishing out an average of 12 dimes a game. He lead New Orleans to the 2nd seed in the West and already they have eliminated Dallas from the playoffs andwait to play San Antonio in the next round.
In comparison to the two, Kobe has a MUCH better team. Even with the injury to young star Andrew Bynum he still has the automatic double-double in Lamar Odom and newly aquired Pau Gasol looks really good as he dunks the ball almost 7 times a game. Role players Derek Fisher is a veteran guard and Sasha Vujacic never misses when he is wide open. Chris Paul, on the contrary, has turned David West and Tyson Chandler, two mediocre household names into a reserve all star anda powerful center. They both put up career years, mostly thanks to the arrival of CP3.
But does it matter that Paul is a 3rd year guard, while Kobe is in his 12th season and his experience deserves him the trophy? No. Chris Paul took a team who finished 10th in the conference to 2nd and already a trip to the quarterfinals, something the city of New Orleans has not seen in a very long time. He was so good this year, he made his coach look good, winning Byron Scott the NBA's Coach of the Year Award.
Yeah leadership is significant in the MVP voting, but both are obvious leaders and both can take over a game. It would be nice if the NBA could incorporate the playoffs into the MVP race. Then last year's MVP Dirk Nowitzki would not have been in the top 5 after his Mavericks choked badly vs Golden State in the 2007 playoffs.
Hopefully the Hornets can handle the methodical, argumental San Antonio Spurs andthe Lakers can do the same with the winner of the Rockets/Jazz series. This way they can meet in the conference semifinals and we will really be treated to an MVP battle.
Some say Bryant's tenure in the league deserves him the MVP award. Yes it does, but not this year, his Lakers are stacked with talent, which takes pressure off him to score 50 points every night. Just watch Paul's highlights in game 5 vs Dallas and you will see why Mark Cuban was about to cry. A display of dazzling layups and unthinkable passes were just a small part of the repertoire CP3 brings to the court every night.
A triple-double in the playoffs? Kobe has yet to do that in this year's playoffs. That's worthy enough of my MVP vote.
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5 months ago
yeah...right...
your mvp has two all stars with him..cmon man...be serious
can your MVP shut down the opposing team's best player ?
can your MVP Chris Paul shut down Deron Williams ?
Deron owned Chris Paul several times...
hohum
from 5 months ago
Deron's Jazz looked real good scoring 69 points vs the Rockets. I dont remember the last time the Hornets failed to score 70 an MVP makes sure of that. haha Deron looked funny when hes frusturated because an ex-AND1 baller shut him down.
5 months ago
you should really check your facts Chris Paul is in his 3rd year not 2nd and he is averaging 11.6 assists not 12 and Kobe's demanding a trade was great for the Lakers because if not they would be the same old Lakers from last year with Kwame Brown's none skill having behind wasting minutes Kobe challenged his team int he off season to get better and they did also the Lakers do have Pau but he was a Laker for about 25 regular season games and missed 10 so that isnt a good argument compared to West and Chandler all year you say Sasha never misses when open what was he doing last year he's not a star although he is a really good player but Peja is the one who never misses when open and David West's numbers are similar to last year the only difference is people know who he is now because Paul has the Hornets on the map.
from 5 months ago
You cant get .6 of an assist, so how is he wrong in saying Paul averaged 12 a game?
5 months ago
Wow, you're really ignorant and biased and you're not even using real facts.
Chris Paul has JUST AS MUCH talent on his team as Kobe.
He has Peja Stojakovic who is a 2 time all star and one of the best three point shooters in the league (3rd after Jason Kapono and Steve Nash).
He has David West who is an all star. Who cares if David West made the all-star game this year? Just because he made the game doesn't mean that this is his first year playing well. This is his THIRD all-star caliber season if you look at his stats the past few seasons. Get your facts straight.
He has Tyson Chandler, a solid center and the BEST offensive rebounder in the league. (What are you going to say next, Chris Paul "MADE" Tyson Chandler the best offensive rebounder? He magically gave him those skills? Hah! pathetic!)
He also has very solid role plays on his team. Jannero Pargo is a great player, just look at his playoff stats so far from this season. He was a BIG factor in the elimination of Dallas.
You're really talking nonsense because you are not even using facts. You're LYING giving us "facts" you've altered hoping that we'll believe you.
I love Chris Paul and have a lot of respect for him but It's just not fair that you are praising Chris Paul and not giving Kobe any credit.
Also, Kobe doesn't even have a healthy team. People can say "he has Pau Gasol, an all star caliber player. He has Andrew Bynum, an emerging star, etc". Well, GUESS WHAT? Andrew Bynum has missed more than half the season so he doesn't count! Pau Gasol also only came in the SECOND HALF of the season and was unjured for 2 weeks!
Also, Trades take a while to start working because trades change the chemistry of the team and it takes time to make adjustments so it would be ridiculous to expect the team to be great automatically.
Kobe kept the team afloat while Andrew was injured and while Pau was injured.
Kobe kept the Lakers afloat last season. Who cares if he was eliminated in the first round? NOBODY can do it alone, NOBODY!
You have to credit Kobe for taking a CRAP team and making them decent last year all on his own. Lamar was injured most of the season, Andrew Bynum was not what he became this season, Sasha and Jordan were inconsistent benchwarmers who also were undeveloped and were not what they became this season and he was working with SCRUBS like Kwame Brown and Smush Parker.
Give the man some credit! The fact that Kobe took his team to the playoffs last year all alone deserves some credit because most people can't do that. Other all-stars like Dwyane Wade, for example, can't take a crap team (Miami this year and last year) and make them decent...
And Kobe is the toughest player in the league. He has played through injuries his whole career. Nothing can stop him.
Stop hating!
5 months ago
*Role players
*Injured
5 months ago
I love CP3, and up until about a month ago, he was my pick to, but dude. ITS GOTTA BE KOBE. He obviously deserves it. Kobe is almost running out of chances to, im not sure on how old he is, but he has been in the league for so long, im thinking he will only be here for 7 or 8 more years.
Paul on the other hand, this gguyy will have so many more chances! I guarentee Paul will win eventually, at least once, prolly twice.
5 months ago
Am I the only one that is sick sick sick of the MVP talk? EEEEEEEEEEEEEE-nough already.
Chris Paul. LeBron James. Kobe Bryant. I don't care! JUST PICK ONE!
Name one already! They're all worthy!
I'll now step off the soap box and take my medication for the day.
5 months ago
Man...do you know anything about NBA Basketball? Sounds like you're in the mushroom business going into the dark and spreading your bulls--t. Kobe by far is the leagues MVP and should be a 3'peater this year. Peace...
4 months ago
I love the way the playoffs are played. theres always great competition. One day i'm going to go to a game and watch my favorite NBA team whch is the "PHENOIX SUNS" there the best they can beat any team in the NBA.still tell all the teams they were great.
FROM: Tevin Hearn
To:NBA players and staff of the NBA
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