http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4401763/ Yao is listed as the 5th of MVP candidates right after KG/Ducan/Peja/Shaq. Give some loves to our players and keep the BBS clean pls.
If the backcourt could at least competently get the ball to Yao, he would be putting up 20+ easily on a nightly basis.
When I first looked at the link, I thought it was absurd for Yao to be a candidate for MVP, but when you consider the best players on the top teams, an argument can be made. Here are the best players on the top teams in the league: 1. Sacramento - Peja 2. San Antonio - TD 3. Los Angeles - Shaq 4. Minnesota - KG 5. Indiana - Jermaine O'Neal 6. Detroit - ??? 7. Dallas - Dirk 8. Memphis - Pau 9. Houston - Yao Of these guys, probably Jermaine O'Neal is the only when left out of the MSNBC article that should go above Yao. Dirk, Pau are certaintly more questionable.
I agree with Visagial... only Jermaine O'Neal can really be put above Yao Ming. Maybe, MAYBE, Kobe Bryant without the injuries. (I know I know, it hurt me to say it too.) Stuart
I think Iverson and Kobe go above Yao. Dirk may also but that is not as clear. I love Yao, but he's only blossomed in the last month to star status - and that's not enough time to be considered one of the best. I think he needs to show this for an entire season (or at least half a season) and lead his team to a superb record as that's what MVP's do. Duncun, Shaq, Kobe, Iverson...these guys have done that. Jermaine, he's doing it this year with Indiana. So is Pedja and Garnett. I think next year will be Yao's year. If he can get some more endurance he's going to be unbeatable.
MVP stands for most valuable player, not the guy who score the most or has the best statistics. Sure AI and VC have impressive stats. but how is their team doing? To me, MVP should be the guy who is taking their team to the next level, and Yao certainly qualify in that category, and here's few other than I consider as MVP candidates: KG, Duncan, Shaq, Kobe, LeBron, Sam, Jermaine O'Neal, Peja, Dirk
Right, and if not for our back court, we would be in the lottery hoping to pick up sebastian telfair...(who will be lucky to get older and be half the player Steve is)
iverson does not belong on this list. whether he is a better player can be argued, but mvp is for winning teams. a lottery team has never had a mvp.
i never thought id say this because yao is my favoritest player in the whole nba- but the YOF phenomenon has really sucked some of the joy out of this board for me.
Actually it's the readers who are on crack. Because the list is voted in by readers on a weekly basis.
