NBA "Fantasy": What If the League Awarded an East and West MVP?
Baseball does it: Two Most Valuable Players every year. One prize each for the National and American Leagues.
That's understandable, though. The leagues are more separate than in any of the four major American team sports. Until 1997, they did not even meet on the field during the regular season. With the introduction of interleague play, only 11% of the contests, at most, have NL meeting AL.
On top of that, the leagues have some differences that make it fair to have separate MVPs, like strike zone differences, two additional teams in the National League, and of course the DH and its affect on style of play. Maybe you can say that the NL has bigger parks, but that's a stretch.
How does basketball compare?
Well, the courts are all the same size, there's an equal number of teams in each conference, and there are no rule differences between conferences to start. There aren't permanent style differences either; they change with the years.
But, each team does play a majority of its games intra-conference: 63% - 52 of the 82 games.
Based on these facts, it's probably correct that the NBA offers one MVP award for the whole league.
The voting results support this as well. Often, but not always, it's a blowout.
But, what if, starting with the 1990-91 season, separate MVPs were awarded? Who else would have won? Who would have won again? Would it affect Hall of Fame voting? Which teams would have their first MVPs?
Here's a second shot at individual immortality for some of these players: A roll call of both East and West MVPs since 1990.
Even if you disagree with awarding separate MVPs, this is still a good look at the top player in each conference for the past 20 years.
The titles of each slide have the official winner followed by ("...and") who would have been the other conference's winner. Included are the results for the top five vote-getters.
Photo: Two-time East MVP Alonzo Mourning (with Miami teammate Dwayne Wade).
1990-91 MVPs: Michael Jordan (Bulls)...and Magic Johnson (Lakers)
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Magic Johnson won three MVPs. This would have been fourth, and final, award. Following the 1990-91 season, Magic tested positive for HIV and left the game. He returned for 32 games in 1995-96.
| Rank | Player | Team | First | Pts Won |
| 1 | Michael Jordan | Bulls | 77 | 891 |
| 2 | Magic Johnson | Lakers | 10 | 497 |
| 3 | David Robinson | Spurs | 6 | 476 |
| 4 | Charles Barkley | 76ers | 2 | 222 |
| 5 | Karl Malone | Jazz | 0 | 142 |
1991-92 MVPs: Michael Jordan (Bulls)...and Clyde Drexler (Trailblazers)
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This would have been Clyde The Glide's only MVP, and Portland's second. The other? Bill Walton in 1977-78.
| Rank | Player | Team | First | Pts Won |
| 1 | Michael Jordan | Bulls | 80 | 900 |
| 2 | Clyde Drexler | Trailblazers | 12 | 561 |
| 3 | David Robinson | Spurs | 2 | 337 |
| 4 | Karl Malone | Jazz | 1 | 262 |
| 5 | Patrick Ewing | Knicks | 0 | 100 |
1992-93 MVPs: Charles Barkley (Suns)...and Michael Jordan (Bulls)
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After eight years in Philadelphia, Barkley was traded to Phoenix for Jeff Hornacek, Andrew Lang and Tim Perry. Sir Charles won his only MVP that first year with the Suns.
Up to this point Michael Jordan had already won three real MVPs (including the last two). This would've been his fourth. More to come.
| Rank | Player | Team | First | Pts Won |
| 1 | Charles Barkley | Suns | 59 | 835 |
| 2 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Rockets | 22 | 647 |
| 3 | Michael Jordan | Bulls | 13 | 565 |
| 4 | Patrick Ewing | Knicks | 4 | 359 |
| 5 | Dominique Wilkins | Hawks | 0 | 54 |
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1993-94 MVPs: Hakeem Olajuwon (Rockets)...and Scottie Pippen (Bulls)
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Scottie Pippen, arguably the best No. 2 player in basketball history, would have been No.1 in 1993-94 with Jordan temporarily retired, taking the East MVP for his first, and only, award. He never nailed one down in reality.
In 1993-94, Hakeem Olajuwon became the second player to win the MVP for the Houston Rockets. Moses Malone won it twice for the franchise before him.
| Rank | Player | Team | First | Pts Won |
| 1 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Rockets | 66 | 889 |
| 2 | David Robinson | Spurs | 24 | 730 |
| 3 | Scottie Pippen | Bulls | 7 | 390 |
| 4 | Shaquille O'Neal | Magic | 3 | 289 |
| 5 | Patrick Ewing | Knicks | 1 | 255 |
1994-95 MVPs: David Robinson (Spurs)...and Shaquille O'Neal (Magic)
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Shaquille O'Neal would have been ahead of his time. He didn't win the MVP for real for another five years.
David Robinson won the first Spurs MVP.
| Rank | Player | Team | First | Pts Won |
| 1 | David Robinson | Spurs | 73 | 901 |
| 2 | Shaquille O'Neal | Magic | 12 | 605 |
| 3 | Karl Malone | Jazz | 14 | 532 |
| 4 | Patrick Ewing | Knicks | 2 | 230 |
| 5 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Rockets | 1 | 147 |
1995-96 MVPs: Michael Jordan (Bulls)...and David Robinson (Spurs)
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David Robinson would have gone back-to-back. As it is, the Admiral's only true MVP came the previous season.
There's that other guy again.
| Rank | Player | Team | First | Pts Won |
| 1 | Michael Jordan | Bulls | 109 | 1114 |
| 2 | David Robinson | Spurs | 0 | 574 |
| 3 | Anfernee Hardaway | Magic | 2 | 360 |
| 4 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Rockets | 1 | 238 |
| 5 | Scottie Pippen | Bulls | 0 | 226 |
1996-97 MVPs: Karl Malone (Jazz)...and Michael Jordan (Bulls)
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MJ would have had his second additional MVP in 1996-97.
Karl "The Mailman" Malone is the only Utah Jazz cager to win the award.
| Rank | Player | Team | First | Pts Won |
| 1 | Karl Malone | Jazz | 63 | 986 |
| 2 | Michael Jordan | Bulls | 52 | 957 |
| 3 | Grant Hill | Pistons | 0 | 376 |
| 4 | Tim Hardaway | Heat | 0 | 238 |
| 5 | Glen Rice | Hornets (CH) | 0 | 134 |
1997-98 MVPs: Michael Jordan (Bulls)...and Karl Malone (Jazz)
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Air Jordan won his fifth MVP award. With the two additional East MVPs, he would have finished with seven. Kobe who?
Malone would have represented the West again.
| Rank | Player | Team | First | Pts Won |
| 1 | Michael Jordan | Bulls | 92 | 1084 |
| 2 | Karl Malone | Jazz | 20 | 842 |
| 3 | Gary Payton | Supersonics | 3 | 431 |
| 4 | Shaquille O'Neal | Lakers | 1 | 311 |
| 5 | Tim Duncan | Spurs | 0 | 148 |
1998-99 MVPs: Karl Malone (Jazz)...and Alonzo Mourning (Heat)
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Malone continued his domination of the West, taking home a second MVP award in three years. If he would have won the previous year, that would have been an MVP three-peat. Larry Bird and Bill Russell are the only players to win the MVP three years in a row (for the Celtics).
Alonzo Mourning would have reined in the Heat's first MVP. They still don't have a winner yet.
| Rank | Player | Team | First | Pts Won |
| 1 | Karl Malone | Jazz | 44 | 827 |
| 2 | Alonzo Mourning | Heat | 36 | 773 |
| 3 | Tim Duncan | Spurs | 30 | 740 |
| 4 | Allen Iverson | 76ers | 5 | 319 |
| 5 | Jason Kidd | Suns | 2 | 159 |
1999-00 MVPs: Shaquille O'Neal (Lakers)...and Alonzo Mourning (Heat)
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Mourning continued his two-year Eastern dominance and would have gone back-to-back.
Shaq wins his one MVP award, grabbing all first-place votes, as a Laker.
| Rank | Player | Team | First | Pts Won |
| 1 | Shaquille O'Neal | Lakers | 120 | 1207 |
| 2 | Kevin Garnett | Timberwolves | 0 | 408 |
| 3 | Alonzo Mourning | Heat | 0 | 367 |
| 4 | Karl Malone | Jazz | 0 | 312 |
| 5 | Tim Duncan | Spurs | 0 | 248 |
2000-01 MVPs: Allen Iverson (76ers)...and Tim Duncan (Spurs)
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Another Georgetown alumnus continued to own the East in 2000-01. Allen Iverson took home the MVP award for Philadelphia for the first time since Moses Malone, who won his third MVP with the 76ers.
Four players have won the MVP with more than one franchise: Moses Malone (76ers, Rockets), Julius "Dr. J" Erving (ABA NY Nets, 76ers), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Bucks, Lakers) and Wilt Chamberlain (Warriors, 76ers).
In 2000-01 Tim Duncan would have won his first MVP. He'd have to wait just one more year.
| Rank | Player | Team | First | Pts Won |
| 1 | Allen Iverson | 76ers | 93 | 1121 |
| 2 | Tim Duncan | Spurs | 18 | 706 |
| 3 | Shaquille O'Neal | Lakers | 7 | 578 |
| 4 | Chris Webber | Kings | 5 | 521 |
| 5 | Kevin Garnett | Timberwolves | 1 | 151 |
2001-02 MVPs: Tim Duncan (Spurs)...and Jason Kidd (Nets)
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Tim Duncan broke through with his first of two MVPs in a row.
Jason Kidd would have carried the East (as he carried the NJ Nets into the finals for the first time in the team's history).
| Rank | Player | Team | First | Pts Won |
| 1 | Tim Duncan | Spurs | 57 | 954 |
| 2 | Jason Kidd | Nets | 45 | 897 |
| 3 | Shaquille O'Neal | Lakers | 15 | 696 |
| 4 | Tracy McGrady | Magic | 7 | 390 |
| 5 | Kobe Bryant | Lakers | 1 | 98 |
2002-03 MVPs: Tim Duncan (Spurs)...and Tracy McGrady (Magic)
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Tracy McGrady would have made his mark with an MVP of his own for Orlando. As it stands, the Magic do not yet have an MVP winner.
Tim Duncan went back-to-back for real.
| Rank | Player | Tm | First | Pts Won |
| 1 | Tim Duncan | SAS | 60 | 962 |
| 2 | Kevin Garnett | MIN | 43 | 871 |
| 3 | Kobe Bryant | LAL | 8 | 496 |
| 4 | Tracy McGrady | ORL | 4 | 427 |
| 5 | Shaquille O'Neal | LAL | 3 | 126 |
2003-04 MVPs: Kevin Garnett (Timberwolves)...and Jermaine O'Neal (Pacers)
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Jermaine O'Neal. Who would have thought? He was the best the East had to offer in 2003-04
Before Kevin Garnett was a champion with Boston, he was an MVP for Minnesota.
| Rank | Player | Team | First | Pts Won |
| 1 | Kevin Garnett | Timberwolves | 120 | 1219 |
| 2 | Tim Duncan | Spurs | 0 | 716 |
| 3 | Jermaine O'Neal | Pacers | 2 | 523 |
| 4 | Peja Stojakovic | Kings | 1 | 281 |
| 5 | Kobe Bryant | Lakers | 0 | 212 |
2004-05 MVPs: Steve Nash (Suns)...and Shaquille O'Neal (Heat)
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If the NBA began awarding separate MVPs starting in 1990, Shaquille O'Neal would have been the first player in history to win three MVPs with three different teams: Magic, Lakers and Heat. At the least, he was the best player in his conference three times.
Steve Nash won his first of back-to-back MVPs in 2004-05.
| Rank | Player | Team | First | Pts Won |
| 1 | Steve Nash | Suns | 65 | 1066 |
| 2 | Shaquille O'Neal | Heat | 58 | 1032 |
| 3 | Dirk Nowitzki | Mavericks | 0 | 349 |
| 4 | Tim Duncan | Spurs | 1 | 328 |
| 5 | Allen Iverson | 76ers | 2 | 240 |
2005-06 MVPs: Steve Nash (Suns)...LeBron James (Cavaliers)
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LeBron James scored the most points of his career in 2005-06, but Steve Nash took home the Maurice Podoloff Trophy a second year in a row.
| Rank | Player | Team | First | Pts Won |
| 1 | Steve Nash | Suns | 57 | 924 |
| 2 | LeBron James | Cavaliers | 16 | 688 |
| 3 | Dirk Nowitzki | Mavericks | 14 | 544 |
| 4 | Kobe Bryant | Lakers | 22 | 483 |
| 5 | Chauncey Billups | Pistons | 15 | 430 |
2006-07 MVPs: Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks)...and LeBron James (Cavaliers)
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LeBron James missed another MVP chance in 2006-07 when the West dominated the NBA regular season again.
Dirk Nowitzki won the Mavericks' only MVP.
| Rank | Player | Team | First | Pts Won |
| 1 | Dirk Nowitzki | Mavericks | 83 | 1138 |
| 2 | Steve Nash | Suns | 44 | 1013 |
| 3 | Kobe Bryant | Lakers | 2 | 521 |
| 4 | Tim Duncan | Spurs | 0 | 286 |
| 5 | LeBron James | Cavaliers | 0 | 183 |
2007-08 MVPs: Kobe Bryant (Lakers)...and Kevin Garnett (Celtics)
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Despite putting up serious league-leading numbers the previous two seasons, Kobe Bryant finally won his first (and only) MVP in his 12th season.
A re-energized Kevin Garnett would have taken home his second MVP, but he was probably more satisfied with his first ring, and the Celtics first in over 20 years (when Larry Bird still ruled the roost).
| Rank | Player | Team | First | Pts Won |
| 1 | Kobe Bryant | Lakers | 82 | 1105 |
| 2 | Chris Paul | Hornets (NO) | 28 | 889 |
| 3 | Kevin Garnett | Celtics | 15 | 670 |
| 4 | LeBron James | Cavaliers | 1 | 438 |
| 5 | Dwight Howard | Magic | 0 | 60 |
2008-09 MVPs: LeBron James (Cavaliers)...and Kobe Bryant (Lakers)
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King James put an end to the West's seven-year MVP run and took home his and the Cavaliers' first award.
Kobe Bryant had to settle for second best, but best in the West.
| Rank | Player | Tm | First | Pts Won |
| 1 | LeBron James | CLE | 109 | 1172 |
| 2 | Kobe Bryant | LAL | 2 | 698 |
| 3 | Dwyane Wade | MIA | 7 | 680 |
| 4 | Dwight Howard | ORL | 1 | 328 |
| 5 | Chris Paul | NOH | 2 | 192 |
2009-10 MVPs: LeBron James (Cavaliers)...and Kevin Durant (Thunder)
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LeBron James is the current MVP, twice over. Had there been separate MVPs, he would have four already.
Super phenom Kevin Durant led both leagues in field goals, free throws and total points but was way behind James, who won his second landslide in a row.
| Rank | Player | Team | First | Pts Won |
| 1 | LeBron James | Cavaliers | 116 | 1205 |
| 2 | Kevin Durant | Thunder | 4 | 609 |
| 3 | Kobe Bryant | Lakers | 0 | 599 |
| 4 | Dwight Howard | Magic | 3 | 478 |
| 5 | Dwyane Wade | Heat | 0 | 119 |
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