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For those of us that pay attention to the NBA on a nightly basis by either watching games or highlights on SportsCenter, we all know this season has been fantastic. Like other big-time professional sports around the world, the league MVP award is the greatest individual honor a player can achieve during a season.
Usually in the NBA, there are a couple of worthy candidates each season. Most often it’s a two-horse race. Considering the season the NBA has had this year in which playoff positioning changes on a nightly basis, the league, in my opinion, has four candidates for the MVP award.
Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, LeBron James and Kevin Garnett appear to be those in line to possibly win the award.
I honestly have no problems with any of the four winning the award this season. They’re all deserving in their own right.
I will be shocked if another player captures the MVP this season.
Here’s my breakdown of the four leading men:
Kobe Bryant
It’s shocking that he’s never won this award before. Bryant is the type of player who could win it every season.
He’s impossible to defend in a man-to-man situation. His game is as good as any perimeter player in the history of the league, including Michael Jordan.
As the leader of the Lakers, Bryant has his squad entering the playoffs as the top seed in the Western Conference — the most competitive conference in league history.
It’s hard to imagine, but Kobe is now a 12-year NBA veteran and has yet to win this award.
He’s due.
His stats are up there with anyone and I see him as the leading candidate to win the award. The acquisition of Pau Gasol at midseason gave Bryant another perennial all-star player, which is also a catapult for him winning this award. I don’t think he wins this award without Gasol this season.
I feel that earning the No. 1 seed in the West will end up being the deciding factor for Kobe — a living legend — winning his first MVP award. His 28.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG and 5.4 APG are other factors why I feel Bryant wins this award.
LeBron James
I believe this profit of a basketball could very well win the award, too. What hurts “The Chosen One” is his team’s record and the fact that he couldn’t help them to a higher seed than fourth in the Eastern Conference.
If you’re going by numbers and lack of help, LeBron definitely has a case.
Let’s be honest, if you took away Kobe and LeBron and had the Lakers play the Cavaliers, I think the Lakers would win easily.
I think that helps LeBron because he does have much less of a supporting cast. As I’ve said earlier, LeBron has no Scottie Pippen or even Pau Gasol. James’ numbers are spectacular, Jordanesque if you will (30.0 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 7.2 APG). How many guards average over seven boards and assists per season? Very few, only the likes of Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan.
LeBron is in that type of company along with the fact that his team doesn’t win 35 games without him. I think James will win multiple MVPs over the course of his amazing career. I just don’t think this season will be one of them.
Kevin Garnett
KG is now an icon. He’s one of the nicest, classiest players in the league and is largely responsible for resurrecting one of the most storied franchises in sports history.
The Celtics matter again.
They have a shot at the NBA Finals and have won over 60 games for the first time in 20 years.
It’s almost as if Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parrish are walking through the doors again.
Garnett’s numbers are down this season, which will hurt his chances of winning the MVP this season.
Garnett has won the MVP once before in 2003-04, so don’t think he’ll receive the sentimental vote Kobe Bryant will.
Garnett’s candidacy is due to the fact that Boston is relevant once again and he quickly became the unquestioned leader of the team with the best record in the NBA. His numbers, though down, are still fantastic (19, 9.3 and 3.5). Garnett could care less about winning this award, he wants a ring and he has a great chance to get one.
Chris Paul
CP3 has made himself a household name this season with fantasy basketball players everywhere. He’s in line to become the era’s next great point guard.
I believe he’ll be second in the voting this season to Kobe to win the award.
What I love about him is that he’s leading a team, the New Orleans Hornets, (yes, New Orleans has a team) to the second best record in the Western Conference, along with scoring 21 PPG and dishing out 11.6 assists each night.
Like LeBron, the Hornets without CP3 don’t win 35 games. I expect to see Paul win this award down the line at some point, but he’ll have to take a second place finish this season.
There you have it. Now it’s time to enjoy the NBA playoffs.
Listen to the Johnny Ballgame Show at 3:30 p.m. every Monday on 89.3 FM or www.kuoi.org.
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