You're the Best Around: 10 Players Who Can Take Home The 2010-11 NBA MVP
The NBA MVP. One of the most coveted awards in the sporting world that rewards players not just on their overall individual performance, but their team leadership as well. A player cannot win the MVP based solely on statistics and just how well they perform, they win the MVP due to how they impact their team in a positive light.
Much like how Kobe Bryant averaged an absurd 35 points per game in the 2005-'06 season, yet lost to Steve Nash who had only averaged 19 points and 11 assists. The different between the two was that Kobe's Lakers won 45 games and Nash's Suns won 54 games. The MVP has more to do with being a leader rather than padding your stats to astronomical levels.
With the new generation on the rise faster than anyone could have imagined, there are a significant number of young players among veteran's that could contend for the MVP this season. Third-year player Kevin Durant finished second in MVP voting last season after becoming the youngest player in NBA history to win a scoring title at 30 points per game.
LeBron James is the current reigning MVP and has won the prestigious award over the past two seasons after leading his team to 60 plus win seasons and putting up astonishing statistics along the way. Now that he has joined the Miami Heat, it is clear that the MVP is an afterthought to James, who would much rather take home the hardware that matters most at the end of the season.
The race has become wide open now that James has joined Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in South Beach and it opens the door for the young guns of the league to usurp the throne that the veterans have held. Players from all sides of the NBA world will be contesting for the MVP, but only one will come out on top and hold bragging rights for the year.
In no particular order, I give you the ten players who have the best shot of winning the 2010-'11 NBA MVP.
Honorable Mentions
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Amare Stoudemire
Amare is an interesting case because even though he joined a new team over the off season, he is still in nearly the same place he's been playing since the beginning of his career with the Phoenix Suns. Stoudemire now has the chance to make the city of New York a relevant basketball town again and will be the sole scorer and post threat on a Knicks team led by coach Mike D'Antoni who had mentored 'Stat' into the scoring machine he is today. If he wants to have a shot at MVP, he's going to need to lead the Knicks to at least 45 wins, average a double-double, and play some defense. It's a long shot, but he does have the ability to do all of this.
Tim Duncan
Timmy already has two MVP's to show for his illustrious and impressive career, but a third would make him the easy choice for the top power forward of all time. He has continually averaged a double-double over his entire 13 year career, but has seen a significant drop off over the past three seasons, including last year when he averaged a career low 18 points and 10 rebounds. Even with the decrease in production and his age catching up, Duncan still posseses the ability to lead his team to a championship and to another 50 win season.
Steve Nash
Like Duncan, Nash also has two MVP's with his being more recent in the 2004-'05 and 2005-'06 season. Steve has been the leader of the Suns since re-joining the team back in 2004 and transformed them into a Western Conference powerhouse. However, with no Stoudemire to look to in the paint, Steve is going to have all he can handle in the upcoming season. He could see his scoring increase, as well as assists to the plethora of three-point shooter's the Suns have, but Nash is going to be on the outside looking in come MVP time.
Deron Williams
It's hard to believe that Deron only has one All-Star appearance in his five year career despite averaging 17 points and nine assists and consistently leading his Utah Jazz to the post season. Deron will have a new team to adjust to this season with Al Jefferson filling in the void that Carlos Boozer left behind. Williams can prove himself as one of the top point guards of the league and MVP consideration if he can get the Jazz to a 50 plus win season and thriving well with the new acquistion in the starting line up.
Tyreke Evans
Is it possible that a second year player can already be considered an MVP favorite? In Tyreke Evans case, absolutely. Evans was one of only four rookie's in NBA history to average 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists despite being on a terrible Sacramento team. With one year of experience behind him and a young, threatening team, Evans could lead the Kings to 40 wins if he continues to proceed with his impressive development. It's going to take a lot for Evans to be in the top 10 as far as an MVP candidate goes, but if he can continue to play and put up Oscar Robertson like numbers, then an MVP could be in the near future.
Candidate No. 1: Brandon Roy
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2009-'10 Statistics
21 Points, five assists, and four rebounds per game.
The Portland Trail Blazers have no one else to thank for their recent success more than their multi-dimensional shooting guard Brandon Roy. Drafted after a 21-61 season, Roy led the Blazers to a 32 win season the next year, then 41 wins, and then bumped it up to 54 wins and making the post season for the first time since the 2002-'03 season. The team experienced a drop off with Roy not playing in 17 games and the Blazers winning only 50 games before losing in six games to the Phoenix Suns in the first round.
Roy is a special player and possesses all the attributes you want to see in a shooting guard and a team leader. He has the ability to hit the clutch shot, drive the lane and draw the foul, hit the jump shot, and an uncanny ability to finish around the rim. He has the finesse and driving ability of Dwyane Wade, but has the size to be an even larger enforcer and to take advantage of smaller, slower defenders.
Brandon has attempted to create a three-point shot and took a career high 3.4 per game last season, but averaged only 33% from beyond the arc. His passing will also need to improve if he wants to seriously be considered an MVP candidate, but going into his fifth year and with a new threat to pass to in the post in Greg Oden, he should see his assists top off at six or seven if he can limit his turnovers as well.
Roy has been in MVP consideration before finishing ninth in the 2008-'09 season when he averaged 23 points, five assists, and five rebounds. With another year of experience and even greater desire to advance further into the post season after two straight years of first round exits, we could see a determined Brandon Roy emerge and play at an MVP pace if he wants his Blazers to push far into the post season.
Candidate No. 2: LeBron James
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2009-'10 Statistics
30 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds per game.
LeBron James is nothing less than a statistical oddity. His unbelievable athleticism allows him to have the range to shoot from anywhere on the court, use his agility and speed to beat defenders off the dribble and drive, and to reach near the rafters for a block or a dunk. James would be the easy favorite for a third straight MVP award had he not joined another MVP candidate in Dwyane Wade on the Miami Heat.
It would be hard to believe that LeBron will be the team leader for Miami when Wade was the one who recruited and created this modern day dream team. Wade will most likely lead the team as far as scoring and being clutch goes, but James has the chance to pull off a feat that has only been pulled off by one other person: average a triple-double.
It is an extremely far-fetched idea that James could average a triple-double over the course of an entire season, but he did averaged 30-9-7 on a team with only one consistent scorer. With the Heat, he can now look towards Wade and Bosh as well as the plethora of other players that will find open spots on the floor due to the double teams that the big three will cause. His rebounding could sky rocket as well with Bosh and Udonis Haslem as the only true rebounders.
The center's for the Heat will be used mostly as defensive stoppers and shot blockers leaving Bosh and James as the starters to carom rebounds and with the defensive pressure that the team can dish out will open the door for plenty of rebounds to grab for James. He is no stranger to triple-doubles, as he nearly averaged one last season, but as ridiculous as it may seem to average double-digits in three categories over the course of an 82 game season, LeBron is the only player in the NBA that can complete such a task.
Candidate No. 3: Dwight Howard
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2009-'10 Statistics
18 points, 13 rebounds, and three blocks.
Dwight Howard has the ability to average ridiculous numbers. He has the strength, hops, and defensive ability to already have been an MVP and lead his team to a number of championships, but he has one flaw that he is going to need to work on if he ever wants an MVP or an NBA championship: an offensive game.
At Howard's size, he has no problem in bullying opposing players under the rim for easy dunks, alley oop's, and put-back's, but he needs a well-rounded offensive game if he wants his team to follow through on a championship and if he wants to secure his first of many MVP's. However, even with the help of Patrick Ewing, Dwight appears to have not learned much aside from a spastic looking jump shot that is usually shot from 10 feet away.
Dwight has flirted with a Duncan-esque jump shot as well which actually worked at times, but was abandoned as soon as we saw it becoming a part of his game. Howard needs to develop some sort of foot work to implement into his game because it would cause him to average an easy 25 points per game. There is not one opposing center that can match the strength of Dwight and he is using only pure athleticism and size to score, rather than the finesse footwork he could use to become one of the most dangerous offensive threats in the league.
Nevertheless, Howard is a bruiser and wins Defensive Player of the Year awards for a reason. His shot blocking and rebounding are far and away the best in the NBA and there doesn't appear to be someone that will topple him from number one in those statistical categories. To win the MVP, he will need to lead his Magic past the powerhouse's in the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics, while showing off some sort of post game.
Athleticism can only go so far and Dwight Howard with footwork would be one of the most unstoppable forces in the NBA since Shaquille O'Neal joined the league.
Candidate No. 4: Derrick Rose
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2009-'10 Statistics
21 points, six assists, and four rebounds per game.
The Chicago Bulls might have lost out in the Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and LeBron James sweepstakes, but they still have a superstar in the making in Derrick Rose leading the way. With only two years of experience under his belt, Rose has already showed off veteran capabilities as a leader, scorer, and passer.
Derrick's ability to finish around the rim is unbelievable at times as it seems he can fit through any seam and drain a lay up no matter who is guarding him. We have seen him also attempt to improve his three-point range and jump shot at the FIBA championships which has been needing a lot of work as he hardly shoots from beyond the arc. It appears that the FIBA's have been greatly helpful for Rose who has been one of the team leaders and has given him even more confidence in his jump shot.
Rose's offensive and defensive game have been impressive and now he has a presence in the paint to look to for another scoring threat. With Carlos Boozer joining the team, Derrick now has the sidekick he has been pining for since joining the team. Considering he's been averaging these numbers with Joakim Noah as his right hand man, it will be little surprise if we see Rose's name arise in MVP conversations late in the season.
Not only that, but Derrick will have a stable team that is capable of winning 50 plus games and has the possibility of challenging the powerhouse's of the Eastern Conference as the top team. They can see this as a reality if Derrick is ready to lead this team in only his third year in the league. After two years of impressive play and a few games of international experience, there is no doubt that Rose looks ready for a championship run.
Candidate No. 5: Chris Paul
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2009-'10 Statistics
19 points, 11 assists, and four rebounds per game.
Chris Paul might have only played 45 games last season, be coming off a season ending injury, and be at the center of trade rumors, but that doesn't keep him from being one of the leading candidates for the 2010-'11 MVP. Paul has nearly won MVP's before finishing second in the 2007-'08 season and then fifth in the 2008-'09 season by leading his New Orleans Hornets year in and year out.
Paul's influence on the Hornets is staggering as it is clear when he is on the floor and when he isn't. The offense flows smoothly when he's on the floor with David West and Peja Stojackovic, yet without Paul the team appears to be lost and without a leader to bring them a victory. CP3 is the reason why the Hornets won 56 games and a division championship three seasons ago and he'll be the reason why the team will even come close to that again.
Without Paul for most of the season, the Hornets finished the season eight games below .500 and in dead last in their division. Considering they play in one of the most difficult divisions in the league, having Paul in the lineup is a necessity to New Orleans who utilize him as a team leader from a shooter and passer standpoint. Paul's ability to drive leaves defender's bewildered on whether to leave their man and guard Chris or to allow him to get the easy score.
His ability to control the tempo on offense allows him to play the game the way he wants it to be played and no other team can find an answer to prevent him from doing what CP3 can do as a point guard. He has made Tyson Chandler look like an All-Star and with Emeka Okafor set to play a full season with him, this Hornets team should have no problem in fighting for a playoff spot and for Paul to contend for an MVP.
New Orleans just better hope he stays with the team.
Candidate No. 6: Dwyane Wade
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2009-'10 Statistics
27 points, seven assists, and five rebounds per game.
There is little doubt that Dwyane Wade is the most electrifying player in the NBA. He is one of the most complete players in the NBA and can lead a team like no other. He has managed to lead a team of misfit's to two consecutive postseason's and would have been an easy MVP choice if not for his team winning 45 games compared to LeBron's team winning 60 plus.
Now that Dwyane has a supporting cast to rely on, he has become a front runner for the MVP award that has eluded him for so long. His closest finish came in the 2008-'09 season when he finished third in voting after securing his first scoring title at 30 points per game. He'll get even closer this year if he emerges as the team leader of a Miami Heat team that could win upwards of 70 or more games. With James and Bosh to rely on, Wade will also find scoring come easier now that he doesn't have to face double and triple teams.
Dwyane's ability to drive is unmatched by anybody as no one has been able to find a way to limit Wade in the paint. There have been instances where coaches will switch as many as three different players on Wade to attempt to stop him usually to no avail because of Dwyane's anticipation to play a perfect pick and roll and to lose any defender that faces him.
The Miami superstar's only flaws would come from beyond the arc where he averaged 30% last season which he basically used as a means for his team to close deficits because of the team's lack of a consistent three-point shooter aside from Quentin Richardson. His defense can be suspect at times as well due to the risks he takes, but he makes up for it with his shot blocking ability that outranks any other guard in NBA history.
Wade not only has found the team to possibly lead him to another championship, but to also bring him his first MVP award.
Candidate No. 7: Dirk Nowitzki
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2009-'10 Statistics
25 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists per game.
Championships may elude Dirk Nowitzki like he was the plague, but he is very familiar with taking home the MVP award at the end of the season. Dirk took home the award in the 2006-'07 season after leading his Mavericks to a number one seed and a franchise high 67 wins before being shocked in the first round by the eighth seeded Golden State Warriors.
Luckily for Nowitzki, the MVP is based on the regular season performance of players and Nowitzki will find himself contending for another MVP award as well as his first NBA championship that has been within reaching distance over the past five years. Dirk has been the team leader of the Mavericks for the past decade and has used his size and shooting ability to emerge as a superstar.
Dirk is unlike other power forwards and instead of posting up most of the time, he'll find most of his scoring in the mid-range game where he thrives in shooting over defenders and spacing out the floor by drawing power forward's out of the paint.
His three-point shooting has declined over the past seasons as he only attempted 1.5 last season, but his scoring production has remained consistent throughout the course of his career, including last season when he averaged a modest 25 points and led the Mavericks to a number two seed before being ousted in the first round yet again. For Dirk to win another MVP, he'd need to go above and beyond his usual scoring numbers while leading Dallas to a 60 plus win season.
Nowitzki contains the ability to be clutch, in the regular season at least, and can lead his team to the NBA finals if they are able to transition their regular season game to the post season.
Candidate No. 8: Carmelo Anthony
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2009-'10 Statistics
28 points, seven rebounds, and four assists.
Carmelo Anthony is a wild card for the MVP because of the fact that we have no idea where he could be by the end of the season. Chicago, New York, Houston, and New Jersey have all been listed as possible destinations, but for now he remains a Denver Nuggets and we will evaluate his future performance as if he were a part of the team for the 2010-'11 year.
With the aid of Chauncey Billups, Melo and the Nuggets have emerged as a Western Conference powerhouse that has been regarded as a postseason threat, including two years ago when Denver was two games away from making their first NBA Finals. Billups passing and leadership has complemented Anthony's outstanding offensive game very well in the Nuggets system.
Carmelo came the closest he ever has before to an MVP last season when he finished sixth in voting after a strong season by hitting 28 points per game for the second time in his career. As a Nugget, Anthony is the driving force in their offensive game and is the reason why this team has improved so greatly since he joined the team as the number three pick. He contains a near perfect offensive game where he has impressive range, a consistent jump shot, and an ability to drive and finish around the rim.
To win the MVP, 'Melo will need to lead the Nuggets to at least 55 wins while averaging an absurd amount of points to be considered for the award. His offensive game is nothing short of amazing and can help this Nuggets team finally achieve their first championship appearance, but he'll need to stay committed to Denver and also find a way to get his teammates involved more rather than himself carrying the workload most of the way.
Candidate No. 9: Kevin Durant
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2009-'10 Statistics
30 points, eight rebounds, and three assists per game.
If anyone has stood out above anyone else over the course of the FIBA championships, it has been Kevin Durant. Most NBA fans weren't lucky enough to truly see how talented of a player Durant was last season with the Oklahoma City Thunder due to ESPN favoring big market teams instead, but the world now knows that Kevin is the future of the NBA.
Durant might be one of the most complete players to play the game today as he possesses impressive range, driving ability, and length that he utilizes on defense and offense to shoot over defenders. In only his third year in the league, he won the scoring title and led the Thunder to their first postseason as an eighth seed by winning 50 games and then taking the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers to six games.
At only 21 years old, the sky is the limit for Durant who is a defenders worst nightmare as he can score from just about anywhere on the court while containing the threat of the possibility of driving and using his length to get to the rim quicker than any defender can. His time at the international level is greatly helping his development as he learns how to play against new defenses and to be a team leader which he will need to be with the Thunder if they want to advance far into the postseason this upcoming season.
Kevin is no doubt destined for an MVP and a championship, when he will win it is the real question. He has the athleticism and the team to rely on to help him lead Oklahoma City to their first championship in their new setting. As young as he is and with the experience that he is gaining from the international game as well as the past three years of being in the NBA, he is destined to become the best player in the NBA and could be a front runner for the MVP this year if the Thunder achieve a high seeding in a tough Western Conference.
Candidate No. 10: Kobe Bryant
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2009-'10 Statistics
27 points, five rebounds, and five assists.
When it comes down to leading a team to victory, not many in the NBA do it better than Kobe Bryant. It's strange to believe that he only has one MVP to his name, but Kobe has other ideas in mind when it comes to the end of the season rather than taking home an MVP trophy. Bryant's tenacity and desire to win are by and far unmatched by anyone in the NBA and it's the driving force of the Lakers consistent winning seasons.
Kobe has been an offensive and defensive juggernaut over the course of his career and now has five championships to show for it after a tough seven game series with the Boston Celtics in this past NBA finals. His infinite range, consistent jump shot, and ability to hit shots when it matters most are what allows him to finish near the top of MVP voting at the end of every season and what allows his Lakers to win the past two championships.
An MVP could be certain in his future if not for his age and finger injury that ailed him all of last season. Bryant had to learn to shoot with his left hand for most of the season and adjusted to it very well by shooting 46% from the field. His three-point percentage suffered as he shot a near career low 33% which could have suffered from the injury that doctors say will never be the same.
Nevertheless, Bryant and the Lakers are the favorites to win their third consecutive championship not only because of Kobe's winning nature, but because of the balance the Lakers starting lineup has. While a championship may be in the future, Bryant winning a second MVP is still a possibility that could happen if he leads his team to another number one seed while averaging near 30 points per game.
