LeBron James For MVP?

[Nitro]

But the difference here is, no one on the Bulls is playing like Dwyane Wade, a top 3 player in this league right behind his teammate, LeBron. You're right, Noah and Boozer both have played better than Bosh, but Wade is the difference maker in this debate. You can't just single LeBron out and say he's more valuable to the team. Yeah he's been the most consistent player on the Heat this season, but the last two months Wade has been on fire.

 

I think the fact that Deng has been an 18PPG player this season and their best wing defender, along with the fact that the Bulls' role players have clearly played better the Heat's kind of makes up for that. As I said, not completely, but the difference isn't as big as people make it out to be. LeBron is the Heat's best offensive player who is producing more than Rose, and is clearly their best defensive player (while Rose is far from that on the Bulls, although he has definitely improved). On/off court stats are strongly in favor of LeBron, which I do think has some substance.

 

The records won't matter as long as the Bulls are close to the Heat in the standings. You're putting too much emphasis on that and completely ignoring the fact that Rose has probably been the most consistent player in the league right now. He's missed one game this season and is the clear cut leader of that Chicago team. As good as the Heat have been this season, they're under .500 against teams with a losing record, and are 3-8 in games decided by 5 points or less.

 

I'm not completely ignoring the fact that Rose has been so consistent, but bottom line is for the season LeBron has been the better player and produced more, while being the more effective and valuable defensive player.

 

Also, give me a break with the Heat's struggles in close games and whatnot. Look at the last month or so and all the crappy teams the Bulls have feasted on to shoot up the standings.

 

In this day and age, a player playing with 2 other stars will not get the MVP award. RD said it best.

 

Doesn't mean he doesn't deserve it.

[JYD]

Amare won't win it because the Knicks won't have a good enough record. Nowitzki has already missed quite a few games, and without Butler they've dropped in the standings and probably won't finish with a top 5 record. Rose you could make a case for, although with LeBron producing more and being the far better defender, the idea that he is so much more valuable than LeBron is kind of off-base IMO. Also, with how Wade struggled so much the first 20 or so games, with how Bosh struggled to fit into the team the first 10 games or so, with Miller and Haslem (their 4th and 5th best players) being injured, with their gaping holes at important positions, and with the fact that they put veteran minimum guys and 2nd rounders around the Big 3, I really do think James has comparable value to his team as Rose does to the Bulls. Maybe not quite as much, but certainly comparable. Couple that with the fact that LeBron is the much better player and is producing more, and I have a hard time giving the MVP to Rose over LeBron.

LeBron certainly deserves consideration. But just because Miami finishes ahead of the Knicks or even a team like Chicago or Dallas means virtually nothing in the large scheme of things for MVP of the season. The fact of the matter is LeBron has two world class players in Wade & Bosh. Unless they both go out with an injury for a significant amount of time and he's left to be the only star and 'savior' of the season, then he doesn't deserve it. The other guys are way more valuable to their team.

 

If LeBron goes out with an injury, and Wade and Bosh are both healthy at the time LeBron's injury were to occur, I guarantee the Heat would be OK. They would certainly not be as good or as complete of a team as they are with the trio healthy, and LeBron is obviously the best overall player out of the three, but they'd still survive and probably be 4th at least in the East maybe even 3rd.

 

 

Wade is averaging nearly 27PPG the last two months, and the Heat and Bulls are both tied in the conference. Noah and Boozer have missed 20 or so games already this season, yet Rose has lead them to a top 3 record in the East. I think that's more than enough to get him past LeBron in the MVP race.

Exactly. Plus don't forget I believe the Mavs really struggled when Dirk went out earlier this year. And if Amar'e went down, let's be real, the Knicks wouldn't even make the playoffs in a terrible Eastern Conf.

[AboveLegit]

I think the fact that Deng has been an 18PPG player this season and their best wing defender, along with the fact that the Bulls' role players have clearly played better the Heat's kind of makes up for that. As I said, not completely, but the difference isn't as big as people make it out to be. LeBron is the Heat's best offensive player who is producing more than Rose, and is clearly their best defensive player (while Rose is far from that on the Bulls, although he has definitely improved). On/off court stats are strongly in favor of LeBron, which I do think has some substance.

 

Rose has the drive and the influence that a lot of people still can't seem to see. The kid is the real thing, and he continues to get better. If he hadn't worked on his 3 point shot then you'd still see him around 47% from the field amongst all other things. Either way, stats don't totally show what this kid does for the Bulls and their fans. He fights and refuses to give up. He runs an offense as well as anyone in the league right now.

 

You're talking as if it is a landslide, LeBron isn't far and away their best offensive player. And I haven't even mentioned that Bosh has been playing like a borderline all star as well, he's averaging a respectable 18PPG. The trio is the best in the league offensively, and I don't think it's even close. Rose losing two key rotational players for half of the season thus far is HUGE, much worse than just losing Wade a few games here and there or losing Haslem.

 

I'm not completely ignoring the fact that Rose has been so consistent, but bottom line is for the season LeBron has been the better player and produced more, while being the more effective and valuable defensive player.

How exactly is he more effective than Rose? Because his numbers say so? Rose has ran the offense completely, there's not a single distributer on that team other than him, and he's been their only closer as well. He's been more valuable to that offense, while also being an improved defender.

 

Also, give me a break with the Heat's struggles in close games and whatnot. Look at the last month or so and all the crappy teams the Bulls have feasted on to shoot up the standings.

So let me get this straight. You're going to ignore the Heat struggling against under .500 teams but are going to discredit the Bulls for playing easy teams the past 2 months?

 

Doesn't mean he doesn't deserve it.

He doesn't deserve it over a player who has had two key starters out for half of the season so far respectively and has still led his team to a top 3 record in the East.

[Nitro]

Rose has the drive and the influence that a lot of people still can't seem to see. The kid is the real thing, and he continues to get better. If he hadn't worked on his 3 point shot then you'd still see him around 47% from the field amongst all other things. Either way, stats don't totally show what this kid does for the Bulls and their fans. He fights and refuses to give up. He runs an offense as well as anyone in the league right now.

 

You're talking as if it is a landslide, LeBron isn't far and away their best offensive player. And I haven't even mentioned that Bosh has been playing like a borderline all star as well, he's averaging a respectable 18PPG. The trio is the best in the league offensively, and I don't think it's even close. Rose losing two key rotational players for half of the season thus far is HUGE, much worse than just losing Wade a few games here and there or losing Haslem.

 

How exactly is he more effective than Rose? Because his numbers say so? Rose has ran the offense completely, there's not a single distributer on that team other than him, and he's been their only closer as well. He's been more valuable to that offense, while also being an improved defender.

 

Rose is a great player, and his ability to hit the outside jumper and drive to take over games has really pushed him to the elite level this season. However, LeBron is still a much better player. He's a better scorer who does it on much better efficiency (because he gets to the FT line a lot more, and shoots better from the field), is a FAR better defender, better rebounder comparably for his position, IMO a better playmaker, more proven in clutch situations, and offers a lot more versatility in regards to playing positions. Even if Wade offers much of the same, LeBron still is required to produce about as much as he did with the Cavs for the Heat to win, and more than ever he's being relied on defensively. I don't know how you can argue Rose being as effective as LeBron, even if we are talking strictly offensively. That's a joke.

 

The Heat also lost Miller for pretty much half the season, Chalmers didn't play the first month, and 3/4 of the team was brand new to kick the season off. It's not just Wade missing a few games and Haslem being done for the season. If Miller wasn't injured to kick the season off and the team was in its 2nd or 3rd year together, the Heat would be pushing 70 wins.

 

I also would like to hear why LeBron's on/off numbers are so much stronger than Rose's, despite having 'so much more talent.'

 

So let me get this straight. You're going to ignore the Heat struggling against under .500 teams but are going to discredit the Bulls for playing easy teams the past 2 months?

 

Since they lost to Dallas and had a player's only meeting, the team has won 22 of 23 with the entire trio healthy for the full 48min. In that stretch they've beaten the Thunder (in OKC), Lakers (in LA), Hawks, Jazz (in Utah), Knicks (in NY when they were playing their best basketball of the season), etc... The only loss that this brand new team has had since they gained some chemistry was against Dallas by 2pts, before they lost Butler.

 

I don't hold the Bulls' schedule against them because they don't choose the schedule, but if you are going to bring up Miami's record against whoever, it's a fitting counter-arguement. Both arguements have holes.

Edited January 31, 2011 by Nitro

[Guest N/A]

Why not Dirk for MVP?

Mavs had been TERRIBLE when he was hurt, and are a top 3 West team when he is healthy.

Stats don't lie...

2-7 w/o Dirk

29-8 with Dirk

[Warren2ThaG]

Dirk for sure.

[Finch23]

The MVP award is cursed . In the last 13 years only two players that have won MVP have also hoisted up the LOB. 2003- Tim Duncan, and 1998- Michael Jordan

 

Seriously though I would probably vote for Rose at this point.

[fish7718]

I know he probably won't win it this season, but I think he has as strong of a case as any player in the NBA, if not stronger. I know every person has a different view on how they will vote for the award, but if you're going to vote based on the most "valuable" player, how can LeBron not win it?

 

The Cavaliers went 61-21 last season, and now that he's gone they are a dismal 8-38! No player in the league had as much value to his team as LeBron had to Cleveland. I really think when voting this should be taken into consideration. The effect that he had on not just the Heat this season, but the Cavaliers as well, should show he is clearly the most valuable player.

 

To a lesser extent, it's somewhat like Tom Brady showing his true value in 2008-2009, when he wasn't even playing, and the Patriots didn't even make the playoffs.

I suppose he was MVP, but he wasn't the best player in the NBA. That team was completely built around him and his drive and dish style. He was surrounded by a bunch of 3 point shooters who could spread the floor for LeBron and let him isola...te and dominate. They failed in the playoffs because the shooters always missed their shots because that type of offense is very risky. Now that he's gone, of course they suck, they have absolutely no inside scoring, and now Varejao is out for the year too. However those players were a perfect compliment to LeBron's style.