NBA MVP Watch
By InsideHoops.com | Apr. 6, 2008
The InsideHoops.com 2007-08 NBA MVP Watch monitors names the true top contenders are for the league's Most Valuable Player award. The NBA MVP race, which is only for the regular season and does not include any post-season action, often goes down to the final week. Visit InsideHoops.com regularly to keep track of the top NBA MVP candidates.
1-tie) Kobe Bryant, SG, L.A. Lakers (52-24)
Stats: 28.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 5.4 apg, 1.9 spg, 46.0% FG ...
Comments: Kobe deserves an MVP, since he hasn't won one yet. And, he's clearly in the top one or two candidates this season. And his Lakers have overachieved despite a mid-season trade which shook chemistry, and injuries to Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynym barely slowed them.
1-tie) Chris Paul, PG, New Orleans Hornets (54-22)
Stats: 21.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 11.5 apg, 2.7 spg, 49.2% FG ...
Comments: CP3 dictates the entire Hornets offense and it's a beautiful thing to watch. If they win the West, CP3 has to win MVP. If they come close -- and they will -- CP3 possibly still deserves it. InsideHoops declares CP3 and Kobe are tied right now, and it's going down to the wire.
3) Kevin Garnett, PF, Boston Celtics (61-15)
Stats: 18.9 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.4 spg, 1.3 b pg ...
Comments: KG contributes across the board, and his defense is key. But many who watch the Celtics closely tell InsideHoops.com that Paul Pierce is just as deserving.
4) LeBron James, SF, Cleveland Cavaliers (42-35)
Stats: 30.2 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 7.3 apg, 1.9 spg, 1.1 bpg, 48.1% FG ...
Comments: Absolutely incredible season from the one of the league's top two or three offensive talents. But the Cavs have just the 13th best winning percentage in the league, making it impossible for us to give James the award. At best he deserves to be #3, above KG, but there's no way can we list him above CP3 or Kobe.
5) Tim Duncan, PF, San Antonio Spurs (52-24)
Stats: 19.8 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.9 bpg, 50.9% FG ...
Comments: You forgot about Duncan. Everybody brushes him off when discussing this award. But he could easily be #1 or close to #1 every season. If you don't know why, watch him each time the Spurs play defense, and watch how they use him to create on offense.
6) Tracy McGrady, SG, Houston Rockets (51-25)
Stats: 22.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 5.7 apg, 1.1 spg, 42.6% FG ...
Comments: The Rockets went insane, winning 22 games in a row, and Yao Ming getting hurt affected nothing, because of total team play but also because T-Mac, who has had a terrific season, took things to a while other level.
7) Amare Stoudemire, PF, Phoenix Suns (51-26)
Stats: 25.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 1.4 apg, 2.2 bpg, 58.8% FG ...
Comments: Amare's been terrific this season, and since Shaq arrived in Phoenix he's gotten even better.
8) Dwight Howard, C, Orlando Magic (48-28)
Stats: 20.9 ppg, 14.4 rpg, 1.3 apg, 2.2 bpg, 59.5% FG ...
Comments: Howard's domination around the rim and on the board, plus his shot-blocking and general existence, deserves attention. And it must be said that Hedo Turkoglu deserves praise for his fantastic season as well.
9) Paul Pierce, SF, Boston Celtics (61-15)
Stats: 19.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.6 apg, 1.3 spg, 46.0% FG ...
Comments: I already gave props to Pierce above in KG's comments, but it has to be said that Pierce really raised his game this season, especially on the defensive end.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Last season's MVP Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks, 23.5 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 3.6 apg) probably deserves to be somewhere between #6 and #9 on this list above, but his team wasn't quite as good this season, and that hurts his MVP ranking a bit...
Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns, 17.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 11.2 apg) is still fantastic... Chauncey Billups (Detroit Pistons, 17.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 7.0 apg) is terrific and the only reason he isn't listed above is because three other Pistons starters contribute almost as heavily... Carlos Boozer (Utah Jazz, 21.6 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 2.8 apg) is awesome, and teammate Deron Williams (Jazz, 19.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 10.5 apg) is now a fairly elite point guard... Allen Iverson (Denver Nuggets), Carmelo Anthony (Nuggets) and Baron Davis (Golden State Warriors) also deserve reconigition for excellence this year.
NBA MVP WATCH FROM PRESEASON: OCT. 22, 2007
Stats are from the 2006-07 regular season.
1) Tim Duncan, Spurs
Vitals: PF, 6-11, 260
Stats: 20.0 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 3.4 apg, 2.4 bpg, .546 FG%
Comments: It's tough for Duncan to win the MVP award because his stats aren't as dominant as a few other top players on title contenders. Though, Duncan's superior defensive play deserves to be factored in. Maybe it happens this year.
2) LeBron James, Cavaliers
Vitals: SF, 6-8, 240
Stats: 27.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 6.0 apg, 1.6 spg, .476 FG%
Comments: After carrying the Cavs to the NBA Finals, where Cleveland got smoked by the superior Spurs, this could be the year King James establishes his dominance in even more dramatic fashion. Limiting LeBron's MVP chances is the fact that the award usually goes to the best player on one of the top two or three teams, and the Cavs probably won't be quite that good.
3) Kevin Garnett, Celtics
Vitals: PF, 6-11, 220
Stats: 22.4 ppg, 12.8 rpg, 4.1 apg, 1.2 spg, 1.7 bpg
Comments: KG played on an MVP level even when the Timberwolves were a lottery team. But he'll get real consideration now that he's on the Celtics, who on paper have the potential to compile a pretty nice record.
4) Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks
Vitals: PF, 7-0, 245
Stats: 24.6 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 3.4 apg, 0.8 bpg, 50.2% FG
Comments: Last season's MVP, Nowitzki and the Mavericks got upset in the first round of the playoffs by the Golden State Warriors. Although the MVP is for the regular season and not the playoffs, the early exit will make it slightly harder for Dirk to win the award again.
5) Steve Nash, Suns
Vitals: PG, 6-3, 195
Stats: 18.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 11.6 apg, 0.8 spg, 53.2% FG
Comments: A two-time MVP, Nash has as good a shot at any of the top candidates to take the award home again. But he may have to raise his game to an even higher level -- is that possible? -- to convince the voters to honor him yet again.
6) Yao Ming, Rockets
Vitals: C, 7-6, 310
Stats: 25.0 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 2.0 apg, 2.0 bpg, 51.6% FG
Comments: Yao is consistently terrific but only plays on a true MVP level for flashes. With some additional help around him this season, perhaps this is the year he takes his game to a higher level and gets some consideration for the award.
7) Kobe Bryant, Lakers
Vitals: SG, 6-6, 220
Stats: 31.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 5.4 apg, 1.4 spg, 46.3% FG
Comments: An amazing player with ridiculous stats, the Lakers superstar's shot at winning the league MVP is limited by his team's record, which tends to be very average.
8) Tracy McGrady, Rockets
Vitals: SG, 6-8, 223
Stats: 24.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 6.5 apg, 1.3 spg, 43.1% FG
Comments: Not considered a true candidate despite amazing stats, as with Yao Ming above, if the Rockets take their game a notch higher this season T-Mac could get some mentions, at least as a candidate that won't win it but is worth mentioning in lists like these.
9) Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets
Vitals: SF, 6-8, 230
Stats: 28.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.2 spg, 47.6% FG
Comments: A super scorer with a better all-around game than some may realize, if Melo's Nuggets make loud noise this season he'll get some MVP attention.
10) Allen Iverson, Nuggets
Vitals: SG, 6-0, 165
Stats: 26.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 7.2 apg, 1.9 spg, 44.2% FG
Comments: See comments for Melo. They basically apply for Iverson, too.
11) Gilbert Arenas, Wizards
Vitals: PG, 6-4, 215
Stats: 28.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 6.0 apg, 1.9 spg, 41.8% FG
Comments: A great offensive talent, though he needs to raise that field goal percentage, Arenas isn't a top MVP candidate but is good enough to be worth mentioning as one of those bubble players who isn't likely to ever win the award, especially while playing for a pretty good but not great squad.
12) Baron Davis, Warriors
Vitals: PG, 6-3, 215
Stats: 20.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 8.1 apg, 2.1 spg, 43.9% FG
Comments: A scoring point guard who suffers a few too many injuries, B-Diddy's Warriors don't win enough for him to get top MVP consideration, but he certainly helped carry his squad last season in impressive fashion.
HONORABLE MENTION
Deron Williams (Utah Jazz) has emerged as the team's leader, even with Carlos Boozer's impressive work up front. The Jazz are one of the league's best teams, giving Deron a chance to at least flirt with consideration for the award... Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat) plays on an MVP level, but his squad doesn't seem destined to finish with a great record this season... Chris Bosh (Raptors) isn't on an MVP level just yet but he's an All-Star who does a great job carrying the squad that last season won the Atlantic Division... Jason Kidd (Nets) doesn't score a lot but his amazing rebounds and assists averages and all-around leadership always impress... Chris Paul (Hornets) hasn't been around the block long enough to warrant serious MVP consideration just yet but if you look at how great he's played despite injuries to other key Hornets, CP3 is the real deal... Dwight Howard (Magic) is still developing his game, but sheer raw athletic ability allows him to dunk and rebound at will. With the addition of Rashard Lewis to Orlando the team could win more games than expected, which would possibly send some MVP glances in Dwight's direction... Chauncey Billups (Pistons) is the closest thing a well-balanced Detroit squad has to an MVP contender.
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