link just nice to see Carl get some recognition even though the author saying Gasol is just as worth (which imo he is)
the thing is that most of the MIP players are people who go from being on the bench to starter Landry is still a bench player so his progress is solely based on getting more minutes, though he is getting more touches when he does play because of the absence of Yao and McGrady
I always thought the MIP award was somewhat weak since you basically had to be a bad, average, or insignificant player the previous season to get it. "Look! He doesn't suck anymore! Give him an award!"
At this point in time I would give it to Gasol, if MEmphis keep winning and we keep losing. Winning and losing I've found is a big factor in all these awards
You forgot to bold the part of my quote the said "bad, average, or insignificant the previous season to get it". Selective bolding wrecks meaning. That was the year he escaped Vince Carter's shadow and became a true starter and got starter minutes. The prior year, he was pretty average : he had averaged 15 points and 6 rebs. He went up to 27 points and 7.5 rebs the next season. He won it in 2001 because he nearly doubled his scoring average and became the stud on that Orlando team. He went from an average player to a star in one year.
To be honest, I think giving Landry the MIP is doing a huge disservice to him. Landry has always been capable of putting up these numbers. He's always shot at a high percentage. He's always been able to finish strong. He simply never had the opportunity behind Yao and Scola. Now I'm not saying that Landry hasn't improved. But his improvements have been incremental, on both offense and defense. It's not one of those "Holy crap I never knew he can be this good!" situation.
Durant hasn't improved that much from last season. Crawford has a decent shot at 6th man, but his production isn't as noticeable as Landry's. Landry wasn't as known in the past as he is this season. Crawford has been known, and was known as a loser since he's never even made the playoffs before.
If AB is not going to win MIP of the Year, the thing is fixed. The guy has gone from a bench product to a starter half way through last year, was asked to carry a heavy load which he did to the best of his abilities. Now he's asked to be the creator, instigator, top scorer, top disher, lead and win games for us. Indeed if it wasn't for AB's emergence, the Rockets would be looking at a 12-34 record right now.
