Top 5 Mid Season MVP Favorites

[DunkinDerozan]

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We’re right around mid way through the shortened NBA season, and this year has had its fair share of guys carrying their team to playoff spots. Since the last article for top 5 MVP award front-runners, there have been a few changes.

 

Honorable Mention: Jeremy Lin

Jeremy Lin has only played 5 games this season, but if he continues the way he has been, he could end up being right near the front of the list. Before Jeremy Lin, the Knicks were a measly 8-15. The whole team was struggling, including star players Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. They were already at the point of discussing the possibilities of trading both of them. Since Lin has become the starting PG, the Knicks have one 6 straight, and are only one game behind .500. He has also averaged just under 27 PPG and 8.5 assists per game. He is on a huge tear, and has shown no signs of stopping.

 

5. Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant, the third highest scorer so far this season has been nothing short of spectacular. He’s got 26.8 PPG, and is leading the Thunder in scoring. With OKC sitting at 22-6 and first in the Western conference, Kevin Durant has been the top contributor to their great place in the standings. The only reason I can’t place him higher on this list, is because of how much talent Oklahoma has. With guys like Russell Westbrook and James Harden, Kevin Durant has had lots of help. Plus, Kevin Durant is not much of a factor on defense as compared to all the other guys down the list.

 

4. Dwight Howard

Even though Dwight has not been shy about his want for a trade out of Orlando off the court, he has still been very dominant on the court for the Magic. Dwight isn’t putting up the same kind of numbers as Kevin Durant, but I still feel that what Dwight has done with a team as bad as Orlando is much more deserving than what Durant has done with OKC. Dwight is fifteenth in the league in PPG with 20.2 and first in the league with 15.2 RPG. Not to mention he was the defensive player of the year last season, and is in top contention for the award again this year with 2.14 BPG, and 1.14 SPG. With Orlando sitting at 18-11, they are sitting pretty comfortably in a playoff spot. There is not a chance that they would be even close to that spot without Dwight.

 

3. Derrik Rose

D-Rose has yet again been carrying the Bulls to their first place spot in the East this season. He’s got 22 PPG, good for tenth in the NBA, and 7.8 APG, good for seventh in the NBA. As far as points, he’s down from last year, but he’s kept his assist numbers right around the same. Plus he’s had to play quite a few games without Chicago's second best scoring threat, Luol Deng. He’s also always a force defensively and that has helped out the Bulls without question.

 

2. Lebron James

Lebron has been regularly dominant this year. He is close to the top of the league in many stat categories including PPG where he’s second, EFF where he’s first and assists where he’s eleventh. The Miami Heat are only .5 games back of first in the East, and a lot of that can be credited to Lebron James. The only reason I can’t give him the top favorite for the MVP award is the fact that his team mates have still shown they have the ability to win without him. Dwayne Wade is eleventh in NBA scoring. Chris Bosh has shown on multiple occasions that when one or both of the other members of the big three are out, he can still win Miami games.

 

1. Kobe Bryant

Kobe is the only reason the Lakers are in a playoff spot. The Lakers have arguably the worst bench in the entire NBA. Guys like Matt Barnes and Derek Fisher who are starters on the Lakers, wouldn’t even be backups on a lot of teams. He is tops in the league in PPG with 28.7, and he’s also tenth in the league in EFF. He’s been clutch this year, and has shown that even though he’s gotten older, he’s showing no signs of slowing down. Besides Andrew Bynum and an off and on Pau Gasol, he is really the only threat to score on the team.

Edited February 16, 2012 by Real Deal

[Flash]

Honestly LBJ is way out ahead of everyone homerism aside. He's having a ridiculous year statistically and his team doesn't the have the best record because Chicago's played one more game than us.

 

CP3 would be my runner-up.

[Akkerman]

Honestly LBJ is way out ahead of everyone homerism aside. He's having a ridiculous year statistically and his team doesn't the have the best record because Chicago's played one more game than us.

 

CP3 would be my runner-up.

 

Agreed, Lebrons going off and having an unbelievable year. I'm aware of how bad the Lakers bench is and how Bynum and Gasol are somewhat underperforming, but I'm sure if Lebron was in Kobe's shoes playing for that team in that situation, the Lakers would have a better record and Bynum, Gasol and the rest of the Lakers players would be having better statistical seasons.

[Nitro]

No way does Kobe deserve to be ahead of LeBron. The Lakers are only 5th in the West while the Heat are a half game behind the Bulls for 1st in the East, and LeBron has been better in literally every aspect this season...scoring, passing, rebounding, defending, etc...

 

Derrek Rose shouldn't be on the list. He's had a good season, but he's missed a bunch of games and the Bulls are like 7-2 without him so far. I'd probably put CP3 on there ahead of him.

Edited February 16, 2012 by Nitro

[DunkinDerozan]

Fair enough. It really did take me a while to decide which one to place at the top between the two. I do realize that Lebron is having a better season then Kobe statistics wise, but it was basically just how bad the Lakers are besides Pau and Bynum that was the deciding factor. When I think MVP, I think the guy that has really been the most valuable to his team, and Kobe has been a bigger factor for the Lakers than Lebron for the Heat. Plus the West is a WAY tougher conference to play in.

 

And also about not having CP3 on the list, I honestly didn't think he deserved to be on there. Before Billups' injury, they had CP3, Chauncey and Mo Williams all in their back court. Williams has been good this year, and I think there record wouldn't suffer that much if they didn't have Paul. In the Playoffs it would be different, however.

 

I guess I kind of have a different opinion on what MVP means then you guys, lol. If the award was called "Leagues Best Player", or something like that, my list would be much different.

[Nitro]

Fair enough. It really did take me a while to decide which one to place at the top between the two. I do realize that Lebron is having a better season then Kobe statistics wise, but it was basically just how bad the Lakers are besides Pau and Bynum that was the deciding factor. When I think MVP, I think the guy that has really been the most valuable to his team, and Kobe has been a bigger factor for the Lakers than Lebron for the Heat. Plus the West is a WAY tougher conference to play in.

 

I guess I kind of have a different opinion on what MVP means then you guys, lol. If the award was called "Leagues Best Player", or something like that, my list would be much different.

 

I was assuming you were talking about your realistic MVP predictions. Every year, the MVP is handed out to the best player on one of the top 2-3 teams, at worst top 4-5. The Lakers have the 10th best record in the league, while the Heat have the 2nd best record now that the Thunder lost tonight (same numbers of losses as Bulls, but have played one less game, otherwise the Heat would have the best record in the league). LeBron hasn't just been better in terms of stats...he's, to put it bluntly, been by far the best player in the league this year. In dominant fashion he kept the Heat nearly undefeated without Wade. He has been by far the most efficient of the top 2-3 scorers in the league, giving you 7+ assists, 8+ rebounds, and is arguably the most dominant all-around defensive wing in the NBA.

 

 

And also about not having CP3 on the list, I honestly didn't think he deserved to be on there. Before Billups' injury, they had CP3, Chauncey and Mo Williams all in their back court. Williams has been good this year, and I think there record wouldn't suffer that much if they didn't have Paul. In the Playoffs it would be different, however.

 

CP3 has been ridiculously good this season. 19PPG/9APG/4RPG/2.3SPG/51% FG/44% 3PT/86%FT and only 2 TO's (which is absolutely insane). Yes, the Clippers have a stacked backcourt, but only CP3 is a true playmaking PG, and he is what has made them so lethal this season, and he has taken over multiple 4th quarters this season and hit game winners. Also, yes, they added Butler and Billups this season, but last year they had Eric Gordon who was playing at an All-Star level, Baron Davis for half a season (who they traded for Mo), and Aminu and Kaman as well. So, the talent all-around isn't that much different from the team that was far below .500 last season. What's the one major difference between that team and the current Clipper squad that is 3rd in the stacked West?

 

Chris Paul.

 

If nothing else, he's way more deserving than Rose, especially based on your criterea since Rose's team is like 8-2 without him.

[DunkinDerozan]

I was assuming you were talking about your realistic MVP predictions. Every year, the MVP is handed out to the best player on one of the top 2-3 teams, at worst top 4-5. The Lakers have the 10th best record in the league, while the Heat have the 2nd best record now that the Thunder lost tonight (same numbers of losses as Bulls, but have played one less game, otherwise the Heat would have the best record in the league). LeBron hasn't just been better in terms of stats...he's, to put it bluntly, been by far the best player in the league this year. In dominant fashion he kept the Heat nearly undefeated without Wade. He has been by far the most efficient of the top 2-3 scorers in the league, giving you 7+ assists, 8+ rebounds, and is arguably the most dominant all-around defensive wing in the NBA.

 

Yeah that's true. I guess I more go off of how I wish the award was handed out, as apposed to how it actually is. Maybe I should change the title to "Who I think should the top 5 MVP candidates" or something.

 

 

 

 

CP3 has been ridiculously good this season. 19PPG/9APG/4RPG/2.3SPG/51% FG/44% 3PT/86%FT and only 2 TO's (which is absolutely insane). Yes, the Clippers have a stacked backcourt, but only CP3 is a true playmaking PG, and he is what has made them so lethal this season, and he has taken over multiple 4th quarters this season and hit game winners. Also, yes, they added Butler and Billups this season, but last year they had Eric Gordon who was playing at an All-Star level, Baron Davis for half a season (who they traded for Mo), and Aminu and Kaman as well. So, the talent all-around isn't that much different from the team that was far below .500 last season. What's the one major difference between that team and the current Clipper squad that is 3rd in the stacked West?

 

Chris Paul.

 

If nothing else, he's way more deserving than Rose, especially based on your criterea since Rose's team is like 8-2 without him.

 

I've got to admit I haven't seen any of Chris Paul this year besides the daily highlights. But what always seems to be the case, is the fact that with Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan, basically all he has to do is lob the ball up on fast breaks or even if either of them are near the basket to rack up assists. Then Steve Nash racks up over 10 assists a game, playing with basically nothing. His shooting percentages really are amazing, but I'm sure if he didn't have such a good 4 and 5, then he probably wouldn't get so many open looks, assuming he gets more then usual.

[Nitro]

Yeah that's true. I guess I more go off of how I wish the award was handed out, as apposed to how it actually is. Maybe I should change the title to "Who I think should the top 5 MVP candidates" or something.

 

There's still discrepencies based on your criterea though, like Rose being on there at all, and Dwight being so low.

 

I've got to admit I haven't seen any of Chris Paul this year besides the daily highlights. But what always seems to be the case, is the fact that with Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan, basically all he has to do is lob the ball up on fast breaks or even if either of them are near the basket to rack up assists. Then Steve Nash racks up over 10 assists a game, playing with basically nothing. His shooting percentages really are amazing, but I'm sure if he didn't have such a good 4 and 5, then he probably wouldn't get so many open looks, assuming he gets more then usual.

 

He doesn't just throw lobs, his court vision and ability to control a game, from tempo to managing the shot clock, is basically unmatched in this league. And the majority of his shots are contested...he's lethal in iso situations and scoring off the PnR. The last few seasons he hasn't had much at all in NO and still had insane efficiency scoring the ball (as well as, once again, one of the lowest TO rates in NBA history).

[Flash]

Tim Legler was on First Take a while back and this question came up. One huge thing for CP3 is just the difference in wins for the Clippers this year with him. By the end of the year that number will be insane.