http://www.nba.com/2008/news/features/rob_peterson/10/31/race.to.mvp/index.html 6. Yao Ming, Houston Rockets Stats: PPG -- 25.5; RPG -- 11.5; APG -- 1.5; SPG -- 0.0; BPG -- 1.5; FG% -- .586; FT% -- 1.000 Comment: Who knows if Yao will be here when Race to the MVP turns out the lights on another season in April, but I believe no one is more important to the Rockets' success than the 7-6 center. He got off on the right foot this season, especially with a 30-13-3 performance in a win in Dallas on Thursday. Speaking of feet, it'd be nice if Yao stays healthy for a change. I hope Yao can move to the top as the season goes on. Go Rockets!
It's very hard to win the MVP in a star studded cast unless you were MVP material before the other stars came along. Tim Duncan won it because he was MVP caliber even before Parker and Ginobili showed up. Yao is closer to Paul Pierce's situation than KG, who I thought should've won it last year. And Yao's accomplishments were even less than those of Pierce. If the MVP goes to a Rocket this year, it's likely going to be Artest.
Wow, this is a really really bad analysis: Among the other idiotic things in there. Why don't they just call it "Who We Think Will Win the MVP Regardless of How the Season Has Started" Where's Carlos Boozer? Joe Johnson?
not true. I remember many analysts and reporters anointed Artest to be the pre-season MVP favorite the year he came back from suspension.
I got no problem with Deron Williams being on there. If he averages 20-10 he will be in the top 10 at season end. If any Rocket wins it this year it is Yao. He is the star that has no one else on this team that can do what he can. Artest once Battier is back will probably see his average drop to 16 points or so just due to drop in playing time. Right now he is playing 39.5 minutes a game that will fall to around 32 when Battier comes back. This plus the fact that we have multiple people who can score from the outside and drive (TMac, Brooks etc.). Yao is the only one who can back down people in the post (aka post up) at will like a star can. He will average 22-25 points per game and 10-12 rebounds a game and play the same amount of minutes as he has before. Plus Yao is widely seen as the face of the team both by Rocket fans and the outsiders. When a team dominates it is normally the one seen as the face of the team that gets MVP consideration.
I don't buy into Yao winning MVP, for the same reasons that Garnett didn't win it last year. We have a lot of great players on this team, and I don't see Yao really standing out as the single most valuable player on any team in the NBA when his teams can contribute so much aswell.
Yao will probably never win it because he's not the single go-to guy like Olajuwon. The Rockets in these first two games have found him but not enough, he needs to get a lot more touches.
Lol Carlos Boozer needs to be in there And Ekhh....Deron Williams....Stuff him and put Ron Ron in there
I think this is Chris Paul year for MVP. I thought he should've won it last year. The Hornets would be in the cellar if not for CP3. The rockets without Yao extended their winning streak to 22 games, and lost in the 1st round of the playoffs just the same when Yao was healthy. I don't care if the rockets go 82 and 0 this year, Yao will NOT win the MVP. The experts will all point to Artest being the difference.
