Top 5 MVP candidates

[dirk41nowitzki]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/column...arc&id=1977676

Dirk is #5 right now by Marc Stein. I agree with his choices, and I also agree with the facts that KG (but don't agree with Kobe) will overtake him if the Wolves start winning simply because KG's numbers 23-13-6 are amazing as always. The only way for Dirk to stay in the top 5 is to keep his 27-10-3 and keep the Mavs winning. Maybe he can overtake LJB and Shaq as well if the Cavs and Heat stumble a little bit.

[grndmstr_c]

A statistical breakdown of Stein's top 5 (bold indicates the leader in a given category out of these 5 players):

Steve Nash
Team Record: 34-10
point per game: 15.7
true shooting %: 62%
rebounds per game: 3.2
assists per game: 10.9
steals per game: 1.07
blocks per game: .02
TO's per game: 3.17
PER rating: 22.58
On-court +/-: 12.9
Net +/-: 13.5

Tim Duncan
Team Record: 35-10
point per game: 21.6
true shooting %: 53.6%
rebounds per game: 11.9
assists per game: 2.5
steals per game: .8
blocks per game: 2.84
TO's per game: 2.11
PER rating: 27.71
On-court +/-: +15.2
Net +/-: +15.7

Lebron James
Team Record: 25-16
point per game: 25
true shooting %: 56.5%
rebounds per game: 7.4
assists per game: 7.6
steals per game: 2.39
blocks per game: .85
TO's per game: 3.39
PER rating: 26.14
On-court +/-: +4.8
Net +/-: +11

Shaquile O'Neal
Team Record: 31-13
point per game: 23
true shooting %: 58.7%
rebounds per game: 10.7
assists per game: 2.7
steals per game: .44
blocks per game: 2.56
TO's per game: 2.91
PER rating: 26.71
On-court +/-: +5.9
Net +/-: +2.1

Dirk Nowitzki
Team Record: 28-13
point per game: 27
true shooting %: 57.7%
rebounds per game: 10.1
assists per game: 2.9
steals per game: 1.35
blocks per game: 1.4
TO's per game: 2.4
PER rating: 27.3
On-court +/-: +10.7
Net +/-: +23.7

[grndmstr_c]

I have to admit I have a hard time understanding why Dirk is the one who's supposedly looking over his shoulder at KG and Kobe. If your primary emphasis is team success than I can accept TD and Nash being 1 and 2 (I like that order better than Stein's), both owing to their teams' records and their on-court +/-, but I'd put Dirk third in both categories; the Mavs are better than the Heat in spite of Miami's slightly better record, and Dirk's on-court +/- is clearly superior to either LeBron or Shaq. Dirk's the leader by a wide margin in net +/-. In terms of traditional stats he's right up there with everybody else in the group, scoring more than anybody else, pulling down double figure rebounds, and ranking behind only Duncan in PER. I'm not trying to say he should be #1, because I don't think that's the case, but putting him any lower than 3rd right now is very questionable, IMO.

[rakesh.s]

Nash, Lebron and Dirk should be the top 3

I'm in the minority, but I don't like Duncan as an MVP candidate..everybody whines about Dirk's passing skills, but Duncan doesn't even average 3 assists but is an MVP candidate every single year.

Glad to see that Garnett isn't on the list..His team sucks and his mystique has worn off. I'd like to see if they make the playoffs.

I think Nash should win it hands down..His presence provides 30 more points a night..without him, the suns score 80 and with him, they get 110. Lebron is having a terrific season but Nash is the man this year.

[V2M]

I agree. Dirk ought to be 3rd (if not tied for 2nd w/ Duncan). Nash is clearly ahead of others at #1, because he's helped turn around a 29-53 team into a 34-10 team (34-6 w/ him and 0-4 without him).

Team Record, impact of the player's game on the team's success (Net +/-), combined with the generally accepted stats such as PPG, RPG, etc.
should help decide who wins. Clearly Dirk's better than Bron and Shaq at this point from this perspective.

[seal614]

I feel like Duncan will get MVP consideration almost REGARDLESS of how well he's playing. His numbers could drop to like 18 10 and 2 blocks and they'd still be on his jock.

- Brian

[The Miles]

1. Tim Duncan-Best player in the NBA leading the best team in the NBA. To truly measure his impact you need to take his numbers and multiply them by 1.5.
2. LeBron James-Phenom, Cleveland is 2nd in the East and he is just insane. Best all around player in the NBA IMO.
3. Dirk Nowitzki-Best pure scorer in the NBA and underrated as a leader. Teams simply win 50 every year regardless of his teammates.
4. Shaq
5. Nash
6. KG

[Bayliss]

Can anyone explain to me why LeBron is getting some much publicity? His team record in the Least is still worse than than the 6th place team in the West.

[grndmstr_c]

LeBron deserves plenty of pub. When's the last time a second-year player straight out of highschool was good enough to be considered one of the top five players in the league. To be as good as he is, as young as he is...it's nothing short of amazing. Of course, I still think Dirk should be considered ahead of him in the MVP race.

[capitalcity]

NBA MVPs

I don't give a damn where the Suns finish, Steve Nash will not be the next name on this list.

[FilthyFinMavs]

Originally posted by: Bayliss
Can anyone explain to me why LeBron is getting some much publicity? His team record in the Least is still worse than than the 6th place team in the West.

The NBA is going to get Lebron out to the public as much as possible. He's amazing but I don't want to watch ESPN Sportcenter and look for JT"s dunk on Gilbert Arenas as a top 10 nominee and instead it gets overlooked by a spin move layup by Lebron. I'm just about sick of him almost. I gota give Lebron his props though. He's making Gooden look like a future all star.

[shaw-xx]

Dirk should at least be in the top 3.

If Nash won the title and MVP right after leaving Dallas, I would die...

[twelli]

Originally posted by: capitalcity
NBA MVPs

I don't give a damn where the Suns finish, Steve Nash will not be the next name on this list.

Looking at the names of all those great players I have my doubts too...

[V2M]

If Nash stays healthy and the Suns keep winning the way are, he's a lock. I don't see anyone even close at this point. Dirk & TD are next but the argument would always be, Nash helped turn a bad team into a contender.

LeBron, as great as he is, his team record doesn't warrant an MVP award. Of course, he'd surely have a few before he retires. That kid is simply the best thing the NBA has going. Af for Shaq, I don't think he's the MVP of Miami Heat, let alone the league, this year.

[Max Power]

There are two reasons that Nash won't win the MVP. First off his defense is horrible. If Dirk doesn't get the MVP it is because the perception exists that Dirk isn't a two-way player. And Dirk is light years ahead of Nash on D.

Second, Nash is getting a lot of support because the Suns have played so poorly without him in the lineup (duh - who is the backup point anyway?). Well, the Mavs don't have Nash anymore and the team has ELEVATED THEIR GAME. The primary reason is Dirk's improved defense and a new take-charge attitude. But the Mavs would not have a much different record with Nash at the point (maybe a game or two but that is pretty minor) and a MVP candidate should be harder to replace than THAT!

[dirno2000]

Well, the Mavs don't have Nash anymore and the team has ELEVATED THEIR GAME.

We're still 5th in the West, which is where we finished last season. We're going to need to move into the top two for Dirk to have a legitimate shot.

Plus as off base as Ford was in declaring the Mavs on pg away from being a contender, he's probably not the only voting media member who holds that perception.

If Phoenix finishes with the best record in the league, Nash will (and should) win it.

[veryclueless]

Right now i think nash is the run away winner...
Dirk isn't the favourite but if the team plays exceptionally well he has a very good chance(not like the sixers game)..
luck plays a part no doubt about it(imagine nash being out for 20 games who knows?)
i will be rooting for him ... wont be suprise if he didn't win it...

[veryclueless]

double post

[veryclueless]

tripple post

[veryclueless]

so sorry .. my browser is giving me problem...trust microsoft