I'm always hearing about, "Who is going to win the MVP race in the NBA?" so I decided to put my own input into the subject at hand. There are many players in the race for the coveted title, but only one can have it. In the end, it SHOULD really come down to two people in specific as runaways for contenders (Kevin Durant and LeBron James), and possibly a third and fourth if you think about recent momentum (Kevin Love) or average statistics such as points per game (Kobe Bryant). Even one player in general that I myself have opinionated in the mix because I enjoy watching him is Dwight Howard, though in reality his chances are very slim to get in because of his own created soap opera he dragged out for over three months on whether or not he wanted to stay in Orlando or whether he wanted to join an up and coming team in the New Jersey Nets. But I'm dragging off-topic, so let's get back to business shall we?
5. Dwight Howard
There's not really much to talk about with Dwight other than his recent three month changing-every-week decision on staying with Orlando, mainly because he is having a pretty normal year for him, averaging 20.9 PPG, 58% FG, 14.5 RPG, 2.13 BPG, and of course he still has that dismal 49% FT percentage that he has struggled with throughout his career, as many great big men have (Shaq, Ewing, etc.). He has 42 double-doubles this season, 2nd in the league to Kevin Love, and will most likely be in the running to win a fourth consecutive Defensive Player of the Year award, unless Serge Ibaka's unreal block average (3.4 BPG) and defensive playing puts him out in front if it already hasn't. Dwight's playing is great, yes, and he leads his team in 4 different categories, being points, rebounds, blocks, and STEALS (yes, their center is leading the team in steals), but he is not playing much better than he normally plays or than he usually has throughout his career other than maybe getting worse (if possible) with his free throws. The negative side for Dwight is that whole requesting a trade and then being all "wishy-washy" for three months about it and changing his mind every week about whether he wanted to stay or not will most likely hurt him in the run for MVP if he is even considered as a worthy candidate for his play. Bottom line: don't bet on Dwight Howard winning the MVP award this season, but maybe on another Defensive Player of the Year Award.
4. Kevin Love
This kid was just flat out put on this earth to play basketball. He originally was drafted 5th overall in the 2008 NBA draft to the Memphis Grizzlies who then traded him to the Minnesota Timber wolves for O.J. Mayo, and has been steadily rising in skill level, beginning to be noticed around the 2010-2011 season when he averaged 15.2 RPG and led the league, to reach at this point the best power forward in the league, and in my eyes is definitely a standout to win the Most Improved Player Award at the end of the season. He is having the best season of his career by a huge margin this season, averaging 26.5 PPG (tied with LeBron James for 3rd in the NBA), 13.6 RPG (second to Howard), and as a power forward averaging 39% from 3-Point Range. He is the only player in NBA history, if these numbers stay the same, that would average ~27 PPG and 13 RPG in the same single season. His numbers that he is putting up are above average by far, and he is gaining momentum as we grow closer to the playoffs, whether his team is in or not, when in the month of March he averaged-ready for this?-31 PPG and 15 RPG...WTF?! Anyways, the point is he is playing the best basketball at his position and of his career by far, but in the MVP race, it needs to be more than just rebounding and shooting threes, which are his specialties to add along with a great post game as all big men develop, but it is about being an all-around player. Derrick Rose did not win the MVP last season by just scoring and shooting threes. He drove and penetrated, found open teammates, made impossible looking layups, and being the play maker on the court for his team, leading them, along with their defense, to the best record in the NBA. I don't see Kevin Love leading his team to the playoffs this season, though he did bring them much closer than years past, only 4 1/2 games out of the 8th spot in the conference, but if he is young as is his team, which could potentially be almost as the Oklahoma City Thunder were early on in Durant's career-young, talented, inexperienced-but now that they have a couple years under them and have other key players than just Durant, they are top of the league. So in my opinion, next year or in years to come, look out for Kevin Love and the Minnesota Timber wolves!
3. Kobe Bryant
First off, I'm not a great big fan of Kobe. But I do respect him as a player and he is by far one of the greatest of all times. He shows it this season, at 34 years old, and he is leading the league in scoring, averaging 28.1 PPG and 42% FG. He has 5 games where he has scored at least 40 points and is keeping the aged Lakers in the drive for another championship opportunity. His clutch factor is as huge as ever, and his team still gives him of all people the ball just as they have the past 10 years. What does he lack? He isn't the all around player he used to be, and yes he may have a good chance of winning the MVP race and be the surprise in the voting to come out with the prize. he has only won the award one time in his illustrious career, but he still could be a very possible factor for the prize if he continues to play this caliber of basketball throughout the rest of the season.
2. LeBron James
Where to begin? Drafted straight out of high school in 2003, first pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers, led the team for eight seasons, one Finals appearance and a sensational eight years in this league. In Miami, his game has gotten even better than when he was in Cleveland, having Wade and Bosh as supporting cast to his game. He this season is having by far the best of his career so far, averaging 26.7 PPG, 8.1 RPG, and 6.4 APG, and he is probably the most athletic player in the league. His one lack he has had throughout his career is his clutch factor, which has been pretty much completely lacking or not there at all. Other than that, though, this season he could win another MVP title, since to most people it is a two man race to the finish between him and Kevin Durant. He also knows how to lead his team when they are depleted, averaging 30.7 PPG when Wade does not play and last night, with Wade on the bench with a knee injury, had 41 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists, helping his team clinch a playoff spot as a shoe-in for the number 2 seed in the East. MVP caliber? I think yes, he is a great all-around player with or without a clutch factor, but he is going to have to push a lot and keep up his sensational play of this season if he wants to fully pull away from a very momentous Kevin Durant.
1. Kevin Durant
My favorite to win the MVP award this season. In his fourth season in the league, all with the Seattle Super Sonics/Oklahoma City Thunder, he this season is averaging 27.5 PPG, 2nd in the league, 8.2 RPG, and shooting 50% FG with a 38% 3 Point percentage, along with a clutch factor that sometimes looks as if to rival Kobe's (yes I went there) and he is the centerpiece or ringleader of the big three with Westbrook and Harden in Oklahoma City, leading them to the top team in the West and 2nd best team in the league. He has a great clutch along with blinding quickness, a phenomenal post game he developed by watching film of Dirk Nowitzki, and always having a size advantage by a few inches over others at his position. The difference to me for why he deserves the title of MVP over LeBron? The fact that the one game so far where the Thunder beat the Heat, Durant outplayed James by far, having 28 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists while being played defensively by James, a near triple double, while James had a respectable 17 points and 7 assists, but was outmatched by the young Thunder forward. Yes, James may be a more all around player and better than Durant in the whole all around game of basketball, but when it comes down to it, the last two games against each other, Durant has outplayed James both times, and his scoring titles as young as he is and his leadership of his team shows why he deserves the MVP award this season, even by a close margin over LeBron James.
No comments:
Post a Comment