2007-2008 NBA MVP

[hanster]

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i really dont think you could swap anyone with lebron and the cavs would be better. i could be biased since i watch all the cavs games and rarely watch other teams so i do have homer persuasions to him.


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You're not biased, he's the best player in the league.

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[kidcolin]

Kobe isn't top 5.

funny ending to the Nets/Lakers game. Kobe was heating up. The announcer (Stu Lantz I think?) talking about how Kobe is the best in the 4th blah blah blah. Then he turns it over cuz he gets caught in the air, giving up what would've been a breakaway had a clear path foul not been committed. Then he hucks up an awful shot. Then after convincing the refs he was in the act of shooting from 27 feet when Kidd fouls him right on the inbound, he bricks the game tying free throw. Way to be Kobe.

[Popinjay]

My vote goes to LBJ. He has the worst supporting cast, like really bad, and manages to win.

[doubLe a tom]

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Kobe isn't top 5.


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ummm... [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[Artdogg]

This is how I think it will finish

1. KG
2. LBJ
3. Kobe
4. Duncan
5. Nash
6. Dirk

I think the all the attention will be on the Celtics this year and their turnaround and KG will get most of the credit and will win it going away. LBJ will probably deserve it the most, but the Cavs would need to improve by 4-5 wins or more for that to happen, which I can't see happening. If he stays healthy though I think he takes it next year easily. Unless the Suns or Mavs make a serious run at 70 wins this year (they won't), Nash and Dirk will take a backseat to everyone else this year in the MVP voting. Suns win the title though.

[kidcolin]

meh. This season: LBJ KG Duncan Paul Dwight are all clear favorites over him at this point. Maybe you can come up with a way to rank him 5th (discount Duncan due to his mere 33 mpg or something silly), but I can't.

My main point is, it's not even close between LBJ and Kobe right now. Scoring is pretty much a push (similar bulk, similar efficiency since LBJ's higher FG% is offset by his FT%, the only real hole in his game). So are steals and TOs. His clear edge are rebounds and assists. He rebounds much better, especially on the offensive end. He facilitates much better (on a less talented squad, no less). On top of that, he throws in 1.5 BPG. He's just playing on another level right now.

[Semtex]

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Kobe isn't top 5.

funny ending to the Nets/Lakers game. Kobe was heating up. The announcer (Stu Lantz I think?) talking about how Kobe is the best in the 4th blah blah blah. Then he turns it over cuz he gets caught in the air, giving up what would've been a breakaway had a clear path foul not been committed. Then he hucks up an awful shot. Then after convincing the refs he was in the act of shooting from 27 feet when Kidd fouls him right on the inbound, he bricks the game tying free throw. Way to be Kobe.

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Yeah Kobe sucks obv. Brought them all the way back from 10 down basically singlehandedly, being directly or indirectly responsible for something like 20 of their last 25 points. He makes a circus 3 point play that maybe five other people in the league could pull off. But he misses a free throw at the end, the only one he missed in 16 attempts all game. Way overrated. Shouldn't even be top 20 IMO.

[kidcolin]

Haha.. I was waiting for that. And I agree with you, mostly. However, he was partly responsible for them being down 10 by going 3-16 or whatever. This is EXACTLY what's wrong with people when it comes to analyzing Kobe. And obviously it was just a one game sample, but it acts as a good metaphor. He has those Jordan-esque moments (comebacks, circus shots, dominance), and everyone starts saying "oh man closest thing to Jordan ever." But he's not. And it's not close (I've posted about it before, cited the stats, etc, so I'm not doing it again). Bryant is great. Phenomenal. A guy you can build a contender around, who are few and far between. But he's a far cry from the greatest baller ever, and currently isn't the best player in the league. It's that simple.

[Semtex]

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But [kobe]'s a far cry from the greatest baller ever, and currently isn't the best player in the league. It's that simple.

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Thats fine, but to say he is not even top 5 is ridiculous.

I have always though KG was the best player in the league but I have also always thought Kobe was the second best. Kobe > Lebron. Lebron could not lead a terrible team to the playoffs in the West the way Kobe has led the Lakers the last two years. Its that simple. Me and Aces were discussing OJ Mayo in the Pac 10 thread and if you want to talk about guys who sleepwalk through games Lebron is the "king" of that and that only as far as I'm concerned. I'll give you that Lebron has had a better season than Kobe right now numbers wise, but as far as comparisons to Jordan go the only key stat I believe is games won. Against the best of the West (Spurs, Suns, Jazz, Mavs, Hornets, Nugs, Lakers and Rockets) the Cavs are 1-4 while the Lakers are 3-3.

[Aloysius]

KC - Kobe's kind of having a beastly year (again). These are certainly "Jordan-esque" numbers - but I agree that commentators overweight Kobe's end-of-game heroics (this is most clearly seen in 82games clutch performers' analytics).

If LBJ keeps up his 31/8/8 pace shooting 50% from the field, they can not deny him the MVP. KG is having a brilliant season but unless one of the C's Big 3 gets injured (boosting KG's #s), this is LBJ's year. I would say the fact KG recently won an MVP hurts his chances also - but Nash voting seems to indicate this isn't a huge voter concern. (Then again KG is not white.)

-Al

Edit - oh KC, I realize that Kobe's numbers are somewhat close but not on par with Jordan at the same age etc., just felt you were a bit unfair. Also lol at Kobe fans claiming LBJ's supporting cast >> Kobe's supporting cast - Lakers have a solid roster.