Breaking down the 2012 NBA MVP race

[stevew]

With the strike shortened season, it has been a very interesting season for the MVP.

Poll forthcoming.

[spleen1015]

:party:

[larrymcg421]

Um, Lebron. I hate the motherfucker, but this isn't rocket science.

[jbergey22]

Like Larry says.

He has slowed down a bit but Lebrons numbers in the first half of the season were just amazing.

With that said I would not be surprised if the actually voters voted for Durant.

[Atocep]

I fully expect the voters to go with Durant because it's anyone but Lebron for quite a few of them. Lebron should easily be MVP this year though.

[cartman]

Greg Oden

[stevew]

Um, Lebron. I hate the motherfucker, but this isn't rocket science.

I don't think Gloria is that big of a slut to fuck her own kid.

[DanGarion]

WTF, no Jeremy Lin?!?!

[gstelmack]

:party:

Currently leading for "post that most closely matches the thread title", by quite a long ways.

[EagleFan]

Probably lots of thugs, drugs and guns.

Edit: The title being fixed kind of ruins this breakdown...

[RainMaker]

Lebron should be the shoe-in even if his team has underperformed. Do think Durant is making it interesting, especially if the Thunder finish at the top of the league.

[samifan24]

LeBron will win and everyone will forget about Kevin Love just because he plays for a team with a losing record that will likely miss the playoffs. Still Love has been unbelievable this season.

[bulletsponge]

who cares. mvp voting is more about politics than anything else

[MrBug708]

who cares. mvp voting is more about politics than anything else

You mean Steve Nash having as many MVP's as Kobe and Shaq isn't about ability?

[MikeVic]

You mean Steve Nash having as many MVP's as Kobe and Shaq isn't about ability?

I'm not saying Nash deserves two MVPs, but Kobe/Shaq had to have hurt each other in the race.

[MrBug708]

I'm not saying Nash deserves two MVPs, but Kobe/Shaq had to have hurt each other in the race.

Most likely. Steve Nash was a hell of a player, but there are plenty of players who deserved a second MVP over Steve Nash

[stevew]

Nash has one of LeBron's MVPs and one of Kobe's. Derrick Rose also has one of LeBron's.

[larrymcg421]

Allen Iverson has one of Shaq's.

[Groundhog]

Put me down for Durant.

[Neon_Chaos]

AFAIC, It's a four-horse race, with Lebron and Durant in the lead. Rose ad Rondo are far behind.

I have it ranked:

1. Durant
2. LeBron
3. Rose
4. Rondo

Also, I'm basing it off of my criteria that I posted waaaaay back. Granted, the number of wins and games played required is skewed due to the shortened season.

Since 1980-81, only one man has won the MVP by playing in less than 75 games for the full season, that's Allen Iverson, who won it in 2000-2001 by playing only 71.

So, what would be the criteria in winning the MVP? Forget stats. If you want to give out the "Best Statistical Performance for a Season" Award, give it to Lebron.

The staggering truth is that you have to win. Winners get the nod, regardless of statistics. Why? Because everyone loves winners. Not mediocrity.

So, what does the list of previous MVP-winners show us? There is a familiar pattern that can be considered as a loose criteria for determining the MVP. They win, they drive their team to be better than their previous season, they are defined as the leader and stand-out player of their team, and they play the season out.

Loose criteria on deciding who is the MVP:
Win at least 50 games. Everyone loves winners.
Be one of the top 3 teams in your Conference, or at least win your Division.
The player must be defined as the stand-out player of the team.
Play in at least 70 games (which is why Garnett is still in the running, barely)
Have a better year than your previous year (Cleveland won 50 games last season, are you seriously considering Lebron as the MVP when his team is on pace to fall short of that mark?)

LeBron, no matter how good he is, just might not win MVP ever again until he separates from Wade, or they unleash a 70-win season:P

[whomario]

Rose ? He has missed like 30% of the games (and that number will still rise as he´s not close to returning) and his team has been solid without him as well. And i don´t think Rondo is even close to the Top4 either, while he´s had great games and a nice season overall he´s also had some
I think you can make a case for James and Durant and while i agree that it´s also about politics, it also imo is often a problem that people scream about that and themselves not get that it simply isn´t merely about the best player and i also don´t think it should be.

My Top8 would be sth like this :

James
Durant
Love
Howard
Parker
Nash
Paul
Rondo

Nash might be biased, but have you seen the Suns when he´s on the bench or had a look at their roster ? They are basically the Bobcats when he´s not playing and a solid playoff team when he´s on the court.

No Nowitzki or Bryant on purpose, Dirk just had a too slow start of the season and the Mavs are simply a mess while Bryan has fallen off badly and simply isn´t that much of a positive factor for the lakers (imo a team of Bynum/Gasol with any other 18-20 ppg wing scorer would be as good or better a team)

[stevew]

Rose will be lucky to play 40 games this year.

[Neon_Chaos]

Oops. :) Not following Rose closely. If he's missed 30% of the games, he does not qualify.

[RedKingGold]

Um, Lebron. I hate the motherfucker, but this isn't rocket science.

This.

The topic is not even worth a poll.

[RainMaker]

I do understand the Kevin Durant argument. Not sure I could get on board it though. But there is an element of how your play and leadership translates into your team winning basketball games. The Heat have underperformed in the regular season.

[korme]

LeBron hands down. The fact that this is an argument is sad.

[spleen1015]

Why is it a lock that it is Lebron? Take him off of Miami and they're still in the playoffs.

It is the MVP Award or the Best Player in the League Award?

[korme]

It's both. Listen, you take Jordan off the '93-94 Bulls and guess what? They go from 57 wins to 55 wins. Does that diminish his previous MVP awards? Of course not.

Facts are facts. Lebron is on pace to be 1 or 2 in single-season PER ALL-TIME. Stop hating.

[Atocep]

Why is it a lock that it is Lebron? Take him off of Miami and they're still in the playoffs.

It is the MVP Award or the Best Player in the League Award?

First, I wouldn't be so sure of that. The Heat without Lebron would probably somewhere around 8th or 9th in the East. Second, if you take Lebron off of the Heat and they're 15 games worse but still in the playoffs why does that exclude him from MVP?

Lebron easily adds the most wins to his team which is how I'd define Most Valuable.

[RainMaker]

No way. The Heat would still easily be a top 4 team in the East without Lebron. Wade had them as a 5-seed on a team that was freeing up cap space for the offseason.

[Atocep]

No way. The Heat would still easily be a top 4 team in the East without Lebron. Wade had them as a 5-seed on a team that was freeing up cap space for the offseason.

The East is a lot stronger this year than it was then. Philly is sitting in the 7 spot and IMO would be better than the Heat minus Lebron. The Knicks are in the 8 spot with a roster that would definitely be better than the Heat if everyone was healthy. Orlando, Boston, and Indiana would all be better IMO.

This season their the lack of depth would be magnified because of the compact schedule. In the weaker east from 3+ years ago they could be a top 5 team, but not with the east this year and with the schedule the way it is.

[RainMaker]

The East is incredibly weak. The Bulls are leading it and have had Rose out for nearly half the season and Rip Hamilton for almost the entire season. The aging Celtics and a dysfunctional Magic team are in the top half of the playoff tree. And the bottom of that conference is so brutally bad that even an average team can pad the win column.

The Heat minus Lebron are still the 2 seed in the East. Bosh and Wade would just play much larger roles. The Knicks don't have the talent you think they do. Amare is a shell of his former self and Carmelo is the most overated player in the league.

[korme]

Well at least this vote is shaping up the way I expected. 17 votes for fans of good basketball, and 18 votes split between Love/Durant (the anti-Lebron pick)

[RainMaker]

If you're going strictly by stats, I don't know how you could blame people for voting for Kevin Love. He is putting up some ridiculous numbers. Take a look at guys 26 and 13 over the course of a season. You're looking at guys like Shaq in his prime and Moses Malone.

[whomario]

And don´t forget that the Wolves have had a ton of injuries and up until Rubio went out were right there fighting for the 8th seed. Of course that had also to do with Pekovic emerging and Rubio holding the strings, but Love´s steady play and emerging crunch time abilites really were key.
It´s not like haven´t blasted him before this season, but he really stepped up his play on both ends this year and should make the 1st team all nba.

[Young Drachma]

I wonder if Lin wins most Improved

[RainMaker]

And don´t forget that the Wolves have had a ton of injuries and up until Rubio went out were right there fighting for the 8th seed. Of course that had also to do with Pekovic emerging and Rubio holding the strings, but Love´s steady play and emerging crunch time abilites really were key.
It´s not like haven´t blasted him before this season, but he really stepped up his play on both ends this year and should make the 1st team all nba.

Rubio had a drop after the initial buzz and Pekovic has come down to Earth. That team is really bad outside of Love right now.

[jbergey22]

Rubio had a drop after the initial buzz and Pekovic has come down to Earth. That team is really bad outside of Love right now.

Nah, you most likely havent watched them. Pek hasnt come down to earth he has been injured. He is a solid player just like Ridnour until his injury last night was playing very well. They are young and kind of what you would expect out of a young team. To say the rest of the team is "really bad" means you clearly dont have a clue about the Timberwolves this year.

[jbergey22]

The East is incredibly weak. The Bulls are leading it and have had Rose out for nearly half the season and Rip Hamilton for almost the entire season. The aging Celtics and a dysfunctional Magic team are in the top half of the playoff tree. And the bottom of that conference is so brutally bad that even an average team can pad the win column.

The Heat minus Lebron are still the 2 seed in the East. Bosh and Wade would just play much larger roles. The Knicks don't have the talent you think they do. Amare is a shell of his former self and Carmelo is the most overated player in the league.

Well people that study basketball think Lebron has been worth about 12 wins to the Heat this year. He has been first in player efficiency rating the last 5 years. Wade has taken a small step back from pre James years and how do we really have any proof of how good Bosh really is? His Raptors teams were always crap and now he is playing with 2 of the best in the NBA. For all we know Bosh has a minor impact on how many more games a team wins with or without him.

[RainMaker]

He had those Raptors teams in the playoffs with an atrocious roster. He is really a great basketball player that just doesn't get the opportunities in Miami. It's unfortunate he didn't stay in Toronto or go to a team like Houston that would feature him. Would be putting up 23 and 10 consistently.

I know he hasn't been what the Heat expected but I mainly put that down to the role he has with them. Just a bad fit. But it's unfortunate that it's caused people to forget just how good he was in Toronto.