NBA Playoffs 2011: Chris Paul, Not Derrick Rose, Is the Real 2011 NBA MVP

Chris Paul’s triple-double helped the New Orleans Hornets beat Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday night to tie their first round series 2-2.

Paul willed his team to victory, refusing to let his Hornets lose against a far superior team.

Facing a Lakers team with unfavorable mismatches at every position except his own, Paul has done an unbelievable job giving the Hornets a chance to upset the Lakers, literally carrying his team on his back.

When you talk about an NBA MVP award candidate, you must look at the total importance of a player to his team.

Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose has been the most talked about MVP candidate this season, and for good reason. He’s had a spectacular season, leading the Bulls to the best record in the NBA.

But if you took Rose away from the Bulls, are they still a playoff team? Yes, absolutely.

In a weak Eastern conference, where Boston and Miami are the only real dangerous opponents, the Bulls could have still won their division, or earned the fifth seed without Rose.

They have a great defensive-minded coach in Tom Thibodeau, and quality players such as Carlos Boozer, Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, and Kyle Korver.

Take Chris Paul off the Hornets, and they are a team praying they win the lottery and receive the number one pick in this June’s NBA Draft.

I know the old “if you take him away his team is worse” argument can be obvious, and is often made when comparing any candidates for any award, but in Paul’s case it makes a great supporting argument.

After a breakthrough 2008 season, Paul led the Hornets to 56 wins and a Southwest division title, and they looked like they could win the West, but were beaten by San Antonio in game 7 of the West semifinals.

Last season, with Paul playing just 45 games in an injury plagued year, the Hornets struggled mightily, winning just 37 games.

Paul is not only a better scorer than Derrick Rose (Paul is a better overall shooter and can get to the basket when he wants), he’s a much better passer. He’s also a great rebounder, and a MUCH better defensive player than Rose.

Rose really benefits from playing for a great defensive team with the best defensive coach in the NBA drawing up the schemes.

Paul is always among the league leaders in steals, and led the league in steals this season. He also was fourth in assists, averaging 9.8 a game.

Without forward David West for the entire playoffs, who is the Hornets second best player and leading scorer, Paul has had to shoulder the majority of the offensive burden while setting up his teammates.

When you take away West from the Hornets, who means so much to them offensively, and you play a team like the Lakers who have the best PF/C combo in basketball (with Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum), yet the Hornets still win, it makes Paul's MVP case very clear.

I understand this situation is in the playoffs, which has no bearing on the outcome of the MVP award, but the argument is still very valid. It proves the real value of Paul to the Hornets.

If Rose is having a rare off night, he has players who can score enough for the Bulls to win. He has a much better collection of talent around him; the Bulls are one of the NBA’s deepest teams.

When Paul is healthy like he has been for the most part in 2011, he can single handily lead an average team in the Western conference to the playoffs, and beat the two-time defending champs.

With Rose’s great play this season, Russell Westbrook’s emergence in Oklahoma City, and Rajon Rondo's great season, we forget that Chris Paul is really the best point guard in the NBA.

When you have to be the number one guy offensively, make sure you get your teammates the shots they need, and play great defense, all against the defending champions, you exhibit the greatest amount of value.

Chris Paul doesn’t have the best statistics, nor the best team, and he’s not the NBA’s best player, but he means more to the Hornets than any other player to any team, and that makes him the clear choice for the 2011 NBA MVP award.

Nicholas Goss is an Oklahoma City Thunder and Boston Bruins featured columnist, follow him on Twitter