ESPN weighs in on the MVP

ESPN.com is unbearable. Adande is such a hack. In his chats, he reasons that Kobe plays with Lamar, thus Kobe’s MVP candidacy isn’t strengthened by carrying his team throughout injuries to himself and others. Wow. How do these writers get away with it? If it was that easy, then why, has it taken 4 years?
All of the so called "experts" use ANY excuse to attach a but to Kobe. But he played with Shaq. He’s a great scorer, but……He’s a great defender, but……He’s the game’s best individual player, but…..he’s getting his teammates involved,but….Now he has Bynum, but…..Well, now he has Pau, but…..Well, he plays with Lamar. Why does Chris Paul get credit for making his teammates better than they ever could be (which may be true, so say the "experts"), but with Kobe, there is always some excuse given on why he shouldn’t be worthy. The Anti-Kobe machine doesn’t stop. First it’s LeBron’s stats, the KG’s leadership and transformation of Boston, then Chris Paul’s stats, then back to KG, then it’s all of a sudden Lifetime Achievement Award. Are they serious? Look at these predictions….

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dime-NewOrleansPreview0708

The Hornets have exceeded expectation, but so have the Lakers, and have accomplished MORE in theri improvement.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dime-LALPreview0708

More in that the Lakers are considered favorites to win the West and make it to the Finals, where as the Hornets merely get credit for a remarkable season. Isn’t that what an MVP should do? It’s not about merely playing great, or making teammates better, but leading your team to true Championship aspirations.

The Lakers have run through the Hornets and Spurs in back to back games. The two teams gunning for the top spot in the West with the Lakers. So, to say that the MVP shouldn’t come down to a game. I couldn’t disagree more. In a race this close (again, so say the "experts"), then this game has to be the measuring stick. A week away from the playoffs, and who will have their team ready. Which player will shine? Which player is going to will their team to win? In both cases it was Kobe. Emphatically. Then, to drive that point home, they crush the defending champion Spurs in the very next game! Meanwhile, the Hornets lost again, when they still controlled their destiny. Does the MVP of the league, get crushed then drop a dud the next game, when he needs to win those games. Or does the MVP close those games out, to the point where he doesn’t have to play the 4th quarter. The Hornets and Spurs needed to win those games just as much as the Lakers, but couldn’t get past Kobe and the Lakers.

The Lakers are playing their best basketball when it counts most, heading into the playoffs, but…..(we’ll see what’s next).

Kobe can go back to getting T's again starting tomorrow.

LOVE MY LAKERS BUT THE MEDICAL STAFF SUCKS!!!

bring on the Nuggets!!:

Carmello got a DUI last night after their game - right in the middle of their playoff push, and all games are must win -

he seems to be too much of a child to ever be a serious superstar - and it's why the Nuggets are the type of un -serious team that these Lakers have never and will never have too much problem beating.

BK,

If everyone who votes on the MVP award has to defend their ballot, Kobe Bryant would have won that award a while back. Anyway, the writing is on the wall. This year is Kobe's year!! No one is going to steal it from him again!!

Some of these writers are KB haters!!

the last 2-3 years, Kobe's been the best player and not even making the top 3. Now that Lebron basically did what KB has been doing year in year out, ppl like Hollinger and Ford praised him. I dont have a problem with CP3 or even Garnett coming in above KB, but Lebron??!! Puhleasseee...

Sheridan says about Kobe: "Yes, he's the game's best player, but also give credit to Andrew Bynum, Sasha Vujacic and Jordan Farmar for improving on their own, to Lamar Odom for staying healthy, and to Mitch Kupchak for signing Derek Fisher and acquiring Pau Gasol."

and this is what he says for KG: "Yes, KG is surrounded by some terrific players, but he's the driving force behind an unprecedented team turnaround"

The same argument can be used for both players!!
"Yes, KG is one of the best game players, but also give credit to Rajon Ronde for improving his play, which made him the candidate of MIP, Paul Pierce for staying healthy and Danny Ainge for acquiring Ray Allen and Sam Cassell"

and
"Yes, KB24 is surrounded by veteran Derek Fisher, improved Andrew Bynum, Sasha, Farmar and Pau Gasol, but he's their go to guy when AB and PG missed more than 50 games combined"

KB for MVP!!

Re-post for this MVP thread:

ny fair person would have to proclaim Kobe the only legitimate MVP candidate. What? you say! I say he sealed the deal today by NOT playing in the 4th quarter. How's that?

If the test is being the player who most made his team mates better, what better way to prove it than by letting his team mates put the Spurs away while he's on the bench. The Lakers outscored the Spurs 27-18 with Kobe as cheerleader.

Would anyone have predicted that would be possible in September? I think not. If you look at Kobe's mindset in the dark days of summer, and his mindset through the season, one not only has to acknowledge the transformation, but to praise it. Yes, Kobe made his team mates better in a manner you'll see only once in a lifetime. KB24=MVP! Go Lakers!

Of the white voters, five voted for someone other than Kobe. (Abbot, Ford, Hollinger, Legler, and Sheridan.)

Two white voters voted for Kobe. (Stein, Thorpe.)

Of the black voters, one voted for someone other than Kobe. (Palmer.)

Seven black voters voted for Kobe. (Adande, Brooks, Broussard, Hill, M. Jackson, S. Jackson, Rose.)

87.5% of black voters went for Kobe. 28.6% of white voters voted for Kobe.

You know, I've argued for years that the media's hatred of Kobe had more to do with Jordan than with the rape charges. Maybe I'm just an idiot. I don't know how else you get that kind of racial split on a matter of basketball unless it's Kobe and the white girl at the root of it.

AK/BK,

I just read that article and I was cracking up on a few idiots named, Hollinger and Ford. What a tool? I need not to entertain these clowns coz it is so obvious that they are Kobe haters. I couldn't even think of any reason to justify these guys comments.

Can you guys smack these guys on the head and send them to my office so I can drug test them? Coz' I seriously think they are both on crack.....

55 WIN BANDWAGON MEMBER..... OH YEAH!!!
GO LAKERS!!!!!!
Juno

I work for the medical staff, to say they suck is unfair.
You might know basketball but you do not know medicine, sports injuries are the hardest things to estimate recovery time. each persons body heals differently and progress can be real slow for some people (i.e. Trevor Ariza)
I think the medical staff has nothing but the athletes interests. For professional athletes an injury can lead to early retirement.

I love this blog. I take it with the good and the bad, but DAMN sometimes some of your comments are soooooooooooooo out there its hard to believe adults with common sense are typing.

A guys knee moved from its original place to as far as it could without breaking skin and/or bone, who is really surprised the AT LEAST 8weeks was truly the LEAST.
C'mon!

Until they figure out how to standardize calculations of MVP points, there is no guarantee these guys will keep changing their way of deciding the MVP distinction.

-Regular season MVP gets the team to the playoffs.
-Playoffs, where Superstars are made and most valuable players raised the level of the game.

-NBA Finals MVP has its own MVP.

So what happened to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd rd of the playoffs? This is where the real games are played! It is what gets you to the NBA FInals, the ultimate prze. How does the NBA league recognize the performance of such NBA greatness?

A combination of regular season games and the playoffs should be how the points are calculated for annual league MVP.

John Hollinger = Stat geek. Everything he says is based on a world that isn't reality. In Hollingers world, Lebron is the MVP becasue he has the fullest stat sheet in every game, yet his team doesn't win. How can a player be valuable to their team, if his performances don't result in victory? Without LeBron the Cavs aren't very good. With him, they're also not very good. He should be the MVP.

John Hollinger needs and intervention, so that he can kick his drug habit.

Mrs. Purple and Gold,

I read your post with great interest, while you have a point in saying that this kind of injury could lead to career threatening or 8 weeks rehab, the least. What makes your point interesting, you were fortrightly honest eventhough we are all speculating of what is the nature of the injury. You did not promise anything, you gave your views with regards to the injury. I think bloggers here will not be expecting and would exercise their reasonable conscience on these injured players if it was presented in that manner. Don't you think another physician or a 2dn opinion would also be helpful to look into the injury and make his own diagnosis. That's fair, isn't it? After consulting two doctors, if they were unanimous that Bynum's health or Ariza's foot are over for this season, do you think anybody here with reasonable common sense will question those findings? I believe they will all accept it and move on. On the other hand, we cannot help it that people are suspecting of conspiracies to hide the nature of the injury or provide misinformations. I said suspect only.....Are we using Bynum's health or Ariza's foot as part and parcel of the numerous strategies for the playoffs?

What makes it complicated is when Lakers medical staff as well as the coach publicized assumptions, first it was 8 weeks, then it was two weeks more, then it would have been yesterday, Sunday against the Spurs, then suddenly we don't know when........? With all the facilities of modern medicine available in the 21st Century, is it too much to ask for an educated guess & not fool a million fans with vague and constantly changing statements?

There is no substitute for adhering to truth and/or anticipate fans' reactions. These are the playoffs and Bynum is an important player, everyone is interested about his availability. (if his name were Luke, nobody would really care. ok j/k only....we need Luke badly.)

Moke

"I read somewhere that in NBA, the point system is ,
10 for first, 7 for second, 5 for third, 3 for forth and 1 for fifth..something like that"

that's true.

Of the white voters, five voted for someone other than Kobe. (Abbot, Ford, Hollinger, Legler, and Sheridan.)

Two white voters voted for Kobe. (Stein, Thorpe.)

Of the black voters, one voted for someone other than Kobe. (Palmer.)

Seven black voters voted for Kobe. (Adande, Brooks, Broussard, Hill, M. Jackson, S. Jackson, Rose.)

87.5% of black voters went for Kobe. 28.6% of white voters voted for Kobe.

You know, I've argued for years that the media's hatred of Kobe had more to do with Jordan than with the rape charges. Maybe I'm just an idiot. I don't know how else you get that kind of racial split on a matter of basketball unless it's Kobe and the white girl at the root of it.

Posted by: FatSam | April 14, 2008 at 01:11 PM

FatSam, I am a white man living in the South who if he didn't work with Black people wouldn't have any close association with them. I think you have a good point. I'm not convinced it's even conscious, and maybe we could call the problem one of culture instead of color, but whatever we call it, the road for Kobe is tougher than any other candidate. Of course, this argument played a lot better concerning race the last three years when, after Larry Bird said the NBA needed white superstars, Nash won twice and Dirk once. That may all be coincidence, but I bet people who are not White would be a lot harder to convince.
KOBE for MVP or DAVID STERN to JAIL!!!

Just proof read my post. Note the third line, third word: "them". Yuck. I prove my own point.

Mark

Just for fun, I tried to guess who voted for Chris Paul based on their past articles and when I clicked on their names, I got 3 of the 4 a$$es right. It's really laughable... I felt like I just wasted 15 minutes of my life reading their drivel. I knew Hollinger was a hater but 4th????! What a tool!

M.V.P.

The NBA Most Valuable Player

What player holds the highest value to the NBA?
What are you looking at that this is not clear?

Chad ford wrote, “He should be the face of the NBA.”
Should? This is not about should, this is about IS!

Henry Abbott said, “Have you seen him head to head against Kobe?”
Head to head? How many minutes did they play head to head? Why are you comparing him to Kobe when Kobe rates 3rd by you?

John Hollinger said, “I wouldn't say he's the best player in the league”
Wouldn’t say? Nevertheless, you ARE saying.

Tim Legler said, “gets it done on both ends.”
Both ends? If that’s what you think. Really?

Chris Palmer said, “Steve Nash won two MVPs for doing a lot less.”
I can’t even type it again. (I feel sick)

Chris Sheridan said, “KG is surrounded by some terrific players”
Terrific players? Two perennial all-stars that were the focal point on every team they’ve played?

It’s a shame people like this can vote.

Mamba24,

Larry, we already have a 2008 Championship Bandwagon! You need to kill this 16-Game Bandwagon and add those late arriving and slow believing last-minute claim jumpers to the REAR of the 2008 Championship Banner. Make it right, Mamba. Don't let these "bandwagoners" hi-jack the true bandwagon. The 2008 Championship Banner was FIRST!. Let’s get it right. LOL. Thanks.

Tom

FatSam,
Two more likely reasons are the geography of the voters, and the fact that many still go with the "first impression" of Kobe - waving off Karl Malone in the All-Star game.

This little disclaimer was nestled in the description of the LAL Power Rankings from Marc Stein's Power Rankings at espn.com:

"Let the record show that the committee's MVP vote for Kobe was posted online before L.A.'s weekend victories over the Hornets and Spurs. One more win now should clinch Kobe's MVP trophy and the West's top seed."

In all fairness, Stein had already annointed Bryant as MVP, but maybe this is what he has heard from his other 'expert' panelists.

Kobe has surpassed expectations in more ways than one. He is a representative of the sport and future hall of famer. It is ridiculous that the NBA hasn't awarded him MVP the entire span of his career.

Regardless, between KG, CP3 and Kobe, the 2008 MVP winner isn't clearly defined. All three aforementioned candidates have lead their teams to great success in the 2007-2008 season.