Kobe Bryant is a candidate too but the injury to Andrew Bynum has proven that Bynum might actually be this team’s most valuable player.

The Lakers are 3-4 since Bynum went down with a knee injury. For a team with only 15 losses in 43 games, those four they’ve lost without him account for more than a quarter of their season loss total in just seven games.

I’ll reconsider if the Lakers go 7-2 or better on this 9-game road trip that includes stops in Detroit, Toronto, Washington, and Orlando.

Until then, Paul is not only the Western Conference MVP; he’s also the league MVP.

 

Aaron Keel

When it comes to the mid-season MVP of the league, for me it’s a no-brainer.

Garnett, Bryant, and Nash?

Psshh.

You can have them.

The guy I want running my team is none other than Hornets PG Chris Paul.

I know most people will go with Garnett because of Boston’s record this season so far, and there’s nothing wrong with that logic.

But let’s be honest, Boston has done exactly what Boston was expected to since day 1 of the season.

Beat up on lesser talented teams in a weak conference and coast to the East’s number 1 seed.

When you have Garnett, Pierce, and Allen on your team you should be in first place, anything less would be a disappointment.

But when I take a look at the numbers and the play for me it’s just too hard to not go with Paul.

At the very young age of just 22 Paul has, at least in this writer’s opinion, established himself as the league’s top PG.

Forget about Steve Nash, take a look at the numbers and you will find that Paul is the better player.

While Paul is averages less than 1 assist less a game then Nash, he leads Nash in points, steals, and rebounds per game while averaging less turnovers per.

Paul has also gotten the better of Nash in their head to head meetings, with Paul’s Hornets 2-0 against Nash’s Suns this season and with Paul besting Nash in both points and assists averaged.

And oh yeah, the Hornets are mere percentage points behind the Suns for the best record in the West.

All this with a supporting cast that most people would be hard pressed to name.

There is also something about Paul when he plays that you don’t see in a lot of other players in the league, with the exception of a few.

That is his leadership on the floor during the game.

It’s nothing in particular that you can point at, he doesn’t show the same kind of intensity that someone like Garnett does, it’s just the way he goes about his business that tells you this guy is a leader.

Now all this may change as the season goes on, the Hornets could end up just barely making the playoffs or missing them altogether.

Paul may not be able to continue this incredible pace he is on, there are a number of possibilities that could change my opinion.

But for me right here, right now I say forget the rest and give me the best.

Chris Paul in ’08.

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