http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2003/story?id=1548677 Spurs center repeats as MVP of league Associated Press Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs has won the balloting for the NBA's Most Valuable Player award, The Associated Press learned Saturday. Duncan becomes the first player since Michael Jordan in 1991 and 1992 to win the league's most coveted individual award in consecutive seasons. The San Antonio Express-News was the first news organization to learn of Duncan's selection, reporting the news on its Web site early Saturday. A basketball source with knowledge of the final vote totals, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to the AP that Duncan had indeed won the award. An official announcement is to be made Sunday on ABC. Duncan led the Spurs to the league's best record, 60-22, while averaging 23.3 points and career highs in rebounds (12.9), assists (3.9) and blocks (2.92). He beat a number of worthy candidates, including Minnesota's Kevin Garnett, Orlando's Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson of Philadelphia and Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal of the three-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. Writers and broadcasters from the 29 NBA cities voted on the MVP award, sending their ballots in at the conclusion of the regular season. Duncan is the seventh player to win the award in consecutive seasons, joining Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell. Duncan will receive his trophy one day before the Spurs open the second round of the playoffs against the Lakers. Los Angeles has knocked San Antonio out of the postseason in each of the past two seasons, needing only four games to do so in 2000-01 and five games to do it last season. Duncan, in his sixth NBA season, will be a member of the U.S. Olympic team in 2004. He was supposed to be on the 2000 Olympic team a year after winning the NBA championship with the Spurs, but an injury forced him to withdraw from the squad that won the gold medal in Sydney. Duncan, 27, is a five-time All-Star and was chosen Most Valuable Player of the 1999 NBA Finals. I think he absolutely 100% deserved it, but so did T-Mac, in my opinion. Duncan won it last year. Let T-Mac bask in the glory. I guess making the playoffs/playoff seeding really do make a difference, huh.
I really dislike the guy. He has a reputation as being a calm, cool character, while in reality he whines and complains like no other. Still, he led one of the least talented teams to 60 wins. Boggles the mind...
what are you going to say. Shaq gets 67 games two years in a row. He's not playing for regular season MVP. Oh, I don't want to have my toe surgery during my vacation.
It was either him or Garnett. Best regular season result in the league is no easy task with the supporting cast he has. T-Mac needs to lead his team atleast to first round home court advantage in the East to be considered IMO. -G'day-
Anyone who thought T-Mac deserved it the most, forgets that his team is barely .500 in the East. I don't care how weak his team is, an MVP contender from the East, better have his team well above .500. Duncan deserved without question. You could argue that KG has as much, maybe even more talent around him than Duncan. Except Duncan's team is a contender, compared to KG's pretender team.
Correct me if I am wrong...but I find it interesting that Duncan is about to pick up his second consecutive MVP award and the self proclaimed MDE, Shaq, only has one MVP trophy. What does that say about Duncan and where he should be placed in history among the NBA's best "CENTERS". Yes I said "CENTERS" and not PFs.
Duncan is a badass and deserves it for sure!!! What a great season. CONGRATS! Now lets watch the rest of the team choke against the Lakers!
If Shaq had played the whole season in the last 2 years he would be in with a real chance for the MVP. Too bad he decided to delay his surgeory this year which went against him and the team. -G'day-
I agree completely. The only other plays who do more with less are Garnett and McGrady. Spurs were that much better than the Magic and Wolves so you have to give it to TD.
I like Tim Duncan. But man!!!??! Two times in a row? He did do a good job though. Something is wrong with these Spurs....bribing everyone! Coach of the Year....MVP.....all these bad calls at the SBC Center. Or maybe they just have a very good organization. Congrats Tim...again.
The award should not be based on who won the year before. It annoyed me in the past when they'd give it to Barkley and Malone, just because it was their turn, when Jordan was the clear winner. MJ should have won two more MVPs. I have no problem with giving the award to Shaq over and over (versus Iverson in 2001), but Duncan just dominated, and Shaq blew his chances when he only got 67 games. imo, you have to play 70 to be considered, especially when your reason for not playing was so lame.
It was between them two, KG and TD. I wanted Garnet to win it because he is one of my favorite players, but TD earned it. He is a hell of a player.
Most Valuable Player: who would be worse off if they lost their guy, Spurs or Magic? Part of the Spurs success had to do with Pop, the Magic success started and ended with Tracy McGrady. McGrady got hosed.
I'm not sure who deserves the award between Duncan and Garnett. You can make a case for both. Dollar for Dollar Duncan wins it easily <B>Duncan deserves it because:</B> 1. Led team to most wins in Western Conference 2. He got his team out of the first round Here are his rankings Ranks #7 in the NBA in Points Per Game(23.3) Ranks #3 in the NBA in Rebounds Per Game(12.9) Ranks #7 in the NBA in Field-Goal Percentage(0.513) Ranks #3 in the NBA in Blocks Per Game(2.93) Ranks #17 in the NBA in Minutes Per Game(39.3) Ranks #12 in the NBA in Minutes Played(3181.0) Ranks #5 in the NBA in Field Goals Made(714.0) Ranks #18 in the NBA in Field Goal Attempts(1392.0) Ranks #11 in the NBA in Free Throws(450.0) Ranks #6 in the NBA in Free Throw Attempts(634.0) Ranks #4 in the NBA in Offensive Rebounds(259.0) Ranks #5 in the NBA in Offensive Rebounds Per Game(3.2) Ranks #3 in the NBA in Defensive Rebounds(784.0) Ranks #3 in the NBA in Defensive Rebounds Per Game(9.7) Ranks #3 in the NBA in Total Rebounds(1043.0) Ranks #2 in the NBA in Blocks(237.0) Ranks #6 in the NBA in Points(1884.0) Ranks #2 in the NBA in Double-doubles(58.0) Ranks #8 in the NBA in Triple-doubles(1.0) Ranks #6 in the NBA in Field Goals Per 48 Minutes(10.77) Ranks #15 in the NBA in Free Throws Per 48 Minutes(6.79) Ranks #10 in the NBA in Free Throw Attempts Per 48 Minutes(9.57) Ranks #3 in the NBA in Defensive Rebounds Per 48 Minutes(11.8) Ranks #6 in the NBA in Rebounds Per 48 Minutes(15.7) Ranks #10 in the NBA in Blocks Per 48 Minutes(3.58) Ranks #10 in the NBA in Points Per 48 Minutes(28.4) Ranks #12 in the NBA in Total Turnovers(248.0) Ranks #2 in the NBA in Total Efficiency Points(2425.0) Ranks #2 in the NBA in Efficiency Ranking(29.94) Ranks #3 in the NBA in Efficiency Ranking Per 48 Minutes(36.59) Ranks #14 in the NBA in Turnovers Per Game(3.06) <B>KG deserves it because:</B> 1. Rated number 1 in efficiency per 48 minutes for the regular season 2. Rank number 1 in defensive rebounds and triple doubles. This suggest KG does everything for the team. Here are his rankings Ranks #8 in the NBA in Points Per Game(23.0) Ranks #2 in the NBA in Rebounds Per Game(13.4) Ranks #13 in the NBA in Assists Per Game(6.0) Ranks #11 in the NBA in Field-Goal Percentage(0.502) Ranks #17 in the NBA in Blocks Per Game(1.57) Ranks #8 in the NBA in Minutes Per Game(40.5) Ranks #5 in the NBA in Minutes Played(3321.0) Ranks #4 in the NBA in Field Goals Made(743.0) Ranks #11 in the NBA in Field Goal Attempts(1481.0) Ranks #17 in the NBA in Free Throws(377.0) Ranks #16 in the NBA in Free Throw Attempts(502.0) Ranks #8 in the NBA in Offensive Rebounds(244.0) Ranks #8 in the NBA in Offensive Rebounds Per Game(3.0) Ranks #1 in the NBA in Defensive Rebounds(858.0) Ranks #2 in the NBA in Defensive Rebounds Per Game(10.5) Ranks #2 in the NBA in Total Rebounds(1102.0) Ranks #13 in the NBA in Assists(495.0) Ranks #16 in the NBA in Blocks(129.0) Ranks #7 in the NBA in Points(1883.0) Ranks #1 in the NBA in Double-doubles(68.0) Ranks #1 in the NBA in Triple-doubles(6.0) Ranks #8 in the NBA in Field Goals Per 48 Minutes(10.74) Ranks #2 in the NBA in Defensive Rebounds Per 48 Minutes(12.4) Ranks #5 in the NBA in Rebounds Per 48 Minutes(15.9) Ranks #15 in the NBA in Points Per 48 Minutes(27.2) Ranks #15 in the NBA in Total Turnovers(229.0) Ranks #1 in the NBA in Total Efficiency Points(2630.0) Ranks #1 in the NBA in Efficiency Ranking(32.07) Ranks #1 in the NBA in Efficiency Ranking Per 48 Minutes(38.01) Ranks #17 in the NBA in Turnovers Per Game(2.79)
