OK because soon there will be a mvp, i want to kno who you think will be the mvp and wghy, i added a list of players who i think have a shot at being mvp this year. 1 Shaquille O'neal. (team record54-23). Points:26,9\reb 10,8\assist 3\ FG% .577\FT% .542 unbelieveble he is so dominant. nobody can stop him. he is a force in the middle (THE force in the middle). his only down side is his Ft. he needs Bryant in the clutch, because he can't afford to go to the line in a close game.Therefor he does't get many shots in crunch time. 2 Kobe Bryant.(54-23) 25,4\5,6\5,5\.469\.824 Is a great player, is a huge player in the crunchtime. but he hasn't proved that the Lakers can win (alot) without Shaq.he might not be the best player on his team. 3 Jason Kidd. (49-28) 14,9\7,3\10,0\.391\.824 the nets made a huge turnaround. But is it al because of Kidd. The other starters this year, didn't play to much last year. (MArtin,Van Horn,Kittles where injured, and macculoch played for the 76). Kidd is a great leader. is verry all round, But why can't he hit open jumpers. he scores just 14,9 point. and not just because he doesn't shoot that much, but for a huge part because if he shoots he misses a lot. FG% .391 is pathetic. 4 Tim Duncan. (53-24) 25,5\12,8\3,7\.502\.803 His numbers are huge. his teams record is great. he is making his FT . last year he made them at the same % as Shaq. the only question about him is:is he to soft. he doesn't show a lot of emotions. (not that that is bad).but he was killed by shaq the last couple of years. can he beat shaq this year. he sure got the numbers for it. 5 Tracy Mcgrady. (42-34) 25,6\7,8\5,3\.448.750 he has been a king this year. he is a great player. verry allround. he is the best rebounding guard in the nba. his team got a good record, only he plays in the east and winning there is easier than in the West. 6 Kevin Garnett. (48-29) 21,3\12,2\5,3\.469\.811 The big ticket has come up big this year.his numbers are great his team is winning. if you look at him you think: MVP. There is just one problem. The Crunch Time. Maybe Kevin is too unselfish or maybe he is just scared. but when the crunch time starts Kevin mostly vanishes. 7 Pedrag Stojacovic. (57-19) 21,5\5,2\2,4\.484\.883 Peja is playing superb. his team is winning. But he is mostly just a shooter. he is playing in a great team. he might not be the best player on his Team(Webber). he can shoot and he can score. but can he do more? 8 Paul Pierce. (45-33) 26,4\6,9\3,1\.442\.812 Paul has had a great year. the Celtics have made the play offs for the first time in years. A lot of people say it is because of Walker and pierce, but in my opinion it is mostly because of Pierce. (Walkers FG% is pathetic for a Forward, Why shoot so many 3pt's?) Pierce's team has got a nice record, But the same as Mcgrady, He does play in the East. 9 Dirk Nowitzki. (53-23) 23,6\10,1\2,5\.477\.850 Dirk is Unbelieveble. He can do everything. How can a 7 footer dribble that good? he can score rebound everything. his team has got a great record. And even with so many great players (Nash,FinleyVan Exel,Lafrentz) he is the main man in Dallas). his biggest problem is that he is not consistent. some game you see him and you think: This man is one of the 5 best players ever too play the game, and the next night you are wondering what this long white guy is doing on the field. 10 Other. Like Stackhouse, or Webber, Ben Wallace ( i know he will not be MVP but i just love this guy ) i didn't put weber on the list because he only played 50 games. let me know your opinion.
2 horse race--Shaq and Duncan. Right now the edge goes to Shaq, but if the Spurs finish ahead of the Mavs and Lakers I change my vote.
but he was killed by shaq the last couple of years. Couple of problems with this statement: 1. The Lakers as a team have only beaten the Spurs one season in the playoffs, in recent history. (last season) Two seasons prior, the Spurs swept the Lakers out of the playoffs. The Spurs didn't play the Lakers in LA's first title run (Duncan was injured), so they definitely didn't get killed in multiple years. 2. If you are discussing head to head matchups, and not team wins, Shaq is usually matched up with David Robinson, and not Tim Duncan. I agree that the race should come down to Shaq and Duncan; however, I'm not sure if Shaq has played in enough games. Even if he has, he's reliant on Kobe (most of the time) to do the work in the fourth quarter, when he's a liability due to his foul shooting. I can't really see Duncan not getting this award, but then again, there's no way Malone should've beaten him in 1999. We'll see.
Kidd easily... I don't recall offhand how Phoenix did last year but New Jersey's success can't be denied.
His impact on that team, though, is debatable. Yes, they've done well this year; but at the current time they're a 50 win team in one of the weakest conferences in recent memory. That's still remarkable improvement, but, how much of that can you really credit to Kidd alone? Kittles, Van Horn, Martin, and others were all injured for part or all of last season and the season before. Todd Maccullough, Richard Jefferson, and Jason Collins weren't on that team a year ago. If you add those six players (fully healthy) to the teams led by Stephon Marbury, I think they might contend for a division title as well. They might not be as good as this team led by Kidd, but they'd still be a quality team. More than anything, the problems for New Jersey were adding talent and staying injury-free, not needing a new point guard.
I'd go with Shaq, then Duncan, with Pierce being a distant 3rd and Bryant 4th. Shaq is the most dominant player in the game. Easily. Watching him, you sort of get teh feeling that he could go for 40 whenever he wants. Like Wilt. He doesn't because it wouldn't be good for the Lakers. I don't get that feeling while watching anyone else. Which is why Duncan has to be second. He's arguably more valuable with about 3 minutes left in a close game than O'Neal. But people tend to forget that the first 45 minutes of a game are, well... 15 times more important. Get a big lead early... and you just have to not lose it. Outscore the opposition 10-5 in the final 3 minutes, and it's meaningless... if you were outscored 100-93 before that. And, incidentally, Shaq's free throw shooting isn't as big of a problem as people make it out to be. he shoots above 50% from the ft line. And while the average good team does average a bit more than a point per possession... getting one point on a possession occasionally isn't going to hurt the Lakers that much. Especially when he's not always going to be the one with the ball. And if he gets the ball down low... well, you can foul him, but he might make the shot, too. Not like he's going to bring it up the court... Duncan is awfully good. But he can be guarded. Only Shaq can beat Shaq. one actually sees defenders stop Duncan on occasion. Duncan is the more talented basketball player. He shoots better, he handles the ball great for a C (he's not a PF, whatever he'd like to think). But he lacks Shaq's amazing physique/explosiveness. Which makes him the second or third best player in the game. Pierce is 3rd... mainly in reaction to my anti-jason kidd sentiments. People want someone who single-handedly makes a team good? Ok. Here's my choice. It's not Kidd, who has Van Horn, Kittles, and friends. It's Pierce, who has "sometimes I'm a huge liability" Walker and... errp... the incredibly one-dimensional Kenny Anderson to help out. The other guys on this team? Tony Delk. Rodney Rogers (one good year!). Potapenko. Puke. Pierce can score from anywhere and plays great defense. He's Tracy McGrady with a better jump shot. He's Allan Houston with an inside game. Bryant is 4th... even though I have the sneaking suspicion that he's really better than #'s 2 and 3, it's just really hard to tell with him. The Lakers are highly average without Shaq. But the key word is average. And who else is on that team? Rick Fox. Robert Horry. Derek Fisher. Yick. There're worse than the Bulls without Bryant and Shaq. So being closed to .500 without the Big Man... well, that's a testament to Bryant.
I voted the Big Fundamental, but could just as easily hand it to the Big Dipper. Without O'neal, the Lakers are a dismal 7-8, with him they are arguably the best team in the league.
I'd have to say Shaq, and in a distant second T-Mac. I think Shaq has shown this year just how important he is to the Lake show. So that means that Kobe's out since he's not even the MVP of his own team. Jason Kidd I wouldnt count because I believe that team would've made the playoffs this year with the crew they had. The difference this year is not Jason Kidd, but the fact that they have been healthy. Tim Duncan is tough, but he's not more important to the Spurs than Shaq is to the Lakers. Plus, TD has yet to show anything in the playoffs (OK, besides the 50-game season ).
As much as I hate the Spurs, I have to give this one to Duncan. He has led a talentless group of aging role players to one of the best records in the league. The Spurs are truly a one-man show. Shaq hasn't played enough, and the Lakers have lost too often to the Denvers of the league for me to give him the MVP. As for Jason Kidd, no MVP should shoot 37 percent. If he was more of an offensive threat, Kidd would be my choice for MVP. The Nets will go nowhere in the playoffs.
In the eastern conference? Who knows, possibly number one. In the western conference? The lottery. (possibly with or without Kidd)
Tracy McGrady. This guy is the most important player on that team. He has to carry the scoring and rebounding role on the team with Grant Hill out. He's shown amazing leadership and takes over games. He also sets up teamates and is unselfish. He has no supporting cast, except Armstrong and Miller - who are okay. T-Mac said before the season that he was the best player in the NBA. He is almost, and is very valuable to his team. That's MVP material. Shaq, Duncan, Kidd - they have an okay supporting cast. Shaq has Kobe. Duncan has Robinson, Bowen, and Smith. Kidd has Van Horn, Kittles, Martin, and Jefferson.
If you look at bad teams and look at there stars, then you could mention Steve. HE is a MVP, if he doesn't play the rockets would have a 8-74 record. so he should be MVP. i think nobody can stop Shaq, so he is THE most dominant player in the nba. Duncan is a very good player, he is good in the final minutes. But he can't stop Shaq nobody can, and like haven said, Duncan can be stopped.
The archives don't extend back that far, but I know posters on this site were as excited about the 1999 season as any. All the talk around Houston was how Pippen, Barkley, and Hakeem would bring us another championship. No one even mentioned a 50 game season as being "unworthy" of a true championship until one of the Rockets' rivals won it. These players are professional basketball players making millions of dollars a season. If they can't be at 100% after fifty games, they shouldn't be in the NBA at all. Everyone knew when the playoffs were, and the playoffs that season were the exact same format as every other season. The Spurs dominated like few teams in NBA history had done, and won a title. Before that season, hardly any players, coaches, fans, or general managers breathed a word about that season's champion having lesser meaning than other seasons. Everyone knew the rules before the season started. If that season was to mean less than others, you/they should've spoken up before the season started with that opinion. Doing so afterwards merely sounds like you're making excuses since the team you didn't like won. BTW, if Tim Duncan hasn't shown anything in the playoffs, can you please tell me a few players who have? If you want to define "showing something" as winning a championship, he's got one. If you want to discount that, then practically the only stars in this league who have "shown something" are Kobe and Shaq. If you want to define "showing something" in terms of playoff production regardless of team record, I'd be happy to hear your rationale for Duncan not showing anything. Let's go year by year... 1998-- Duncan's rookie season (recaps from a fan website) -4/23 - Game 1- Duncan scored 18 points in the last quater and a total of 32 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks in his first ever playoff game to lead the Spurs to a 102-96 win at Phoenix. (Click here to listen to the broadcaster as he gets all exited) -4/25 - Game 2- With 16 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks didn't manage to prevent a 101-108 lose at Phoenix. -4/27 - Game 3- The Spurs regain the lead in this series with a 100-88 win at home. Duncan was great with 22 points, 14 rebounds and 2 blocks. -4/29 - Game 4- The Spurs triumph at San-Antonio with a 22-2 run in the 4th quater and a 99-80 win over the Suns to move ahead for the eastern conference Semi-Finals against Utah. Duncan scored 11 points, grabbed only 5 glasses but blocked 6 shots. SPURS vs. JAZZ -5/5 - Game 1- Duncan's 17 points in the 4th quater didn't help the Spurs as they lost at Utah 82-83. Duncan duplicated his first game against the Suns in the first round but tonight, he was just 1 point short. Overall, Duncan scored 33 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked 4 shots. -5/7 - Game 2- The Spurs where this close to take this one but they didn't do it in an Overtime lose 106-109. Duncan lead the team with 26 points. He also grabbed only 5 rebounds and blocked just 1 shot. -5/9 - Game 3- As the Spurs forced a plyaoffs-low total points on the Jazz and beat them 86-64, Duncan scored 10 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked only 1 shot. -5/10 - Game 4- The Spurs couldn't get it to fall as they lost the very important game at home 73-82 and face a must-win game 5. Duncan scored 22 points, grabbed 6 rebounds and didn't block any shot. -5/12 - Game 5- The Jazz faught hard and won game 5- 87-77 and the series 4-1. On game 5 Duncan scored 14 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked 2 shots. That's a great playoff performance for anyone, much less a rookie. 1999-- Won championship Enough said. 2000-- Injured, didn't play 2001-- Advanced to Western Conference Finals Want points? Here's a few games from last season's playoffs: 40 points, May 21, LA 33 points, April 21, Min 32 points, May 14, Dal 31 points, May 5, Dal 29 points, May 12, Dal 28 points, May 19, LA 25 points, May 7, Dal Want rebounds? 22 reb, May 7, Dal 20 reb, May 14, Dal 18 reb, May 12, Dal 16 reb, Apr 30, Min 15 reb, May 21, LA 14 reb, May 19, LA Want blocks? 5 blocks, May 14, Dal 5 blocks, May 19, LA 4 blocks, May 7, Dal 4 blocks, May 21, LA 4 blocks, May 25, LA 4 blocks, May 27, LA I'd love to hear how outside of the 50 game season, where he won a championship, he hasn't shown anything in the playoffs. BTW, it's easier to stop Shaq than it is to stop Duncan. All you have to do is grab the guy, and he's virtually a lock to miss one or both at the line. IMO, a great player is able to put his team on his back down the stretch of a close game, and because of Shaq's weakness at the line he can't do this. Duncan does, and so does Kobe Bryant. Accordingly, I think that Kobe has a better case for MVP than Shaq. P.S.: it's worth repeating again that Duncan has played in every one of the Spurs' games, where Shaq has missed 12 games for LA.
How can it not be Jason Kidd? The Nets went from being one of the worst teams in the NBA to the Eastern Conference Champion. You can toot all you want about how Kittles and Van Horn were the ones really responsible for this turnaround, but do you honestly believe that? The main ingredient to New Jersey's success has been Kidd. Take away Jason Kidd and they go back to being a crappy team. Tracy McGrady also warrants consideration.
