MVP Race: Stating Cases, Ripping 'Em Down

Each week I'll look at the players who would have the best shot at the league MVP award if the season ended today. Why? Because we're bound to disagree and fight each other with chain whips ...

1. Dirk Nowitzki, PF, Mavericks: Building Dirk's case for MVP: He's the best player on the best team in the league. Period. Exclamation mark. Ripping it down: Is he really any better than last year? And why does he keep getting lost in the clutch?

2. Steve Nash, PG, Suns: Building Nash's case for MVP: His unselfish style of play is infectious, entertaining and makes everyone around him better. His numbers have actually improved this year compared to his two previous MVP campaigns. The Suns stink without him. Ripping it down: Are we really ready to etch "Nash" alongside such names as Bird, Wilt and Russell? I mean, seriously, three in a row?

3. Kobe Bryant, SG, Lakers: Building Kobe's case for MVP: 52 points. He's by far the most talented player in the league (maybe on both ends of the court). 53 points. The Lakers would struggle to beat cardboard cutouts of the Grizzlies without him. 65 points. Ripping it down: LA is just a few games above .500. He's "led" his team to six and seven-game losing streaks in the past month and a half. The elbowing "incidents."

4. LeBron James, F, Cavaliers: Building LeBron's case for MVP: His post-All-Star numbers are downright scary. 32 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists per game. He's led the Cavs to eight straight wins and the second best record in the conference. Ripping it down: He plays in the East. He played disinterested and on cruise control for the first half of the season. He suffers from some type of Nick Anderson-disease at the free-throw line.

5. Michael Redd, G, Bucks: I'm kidding, I'm kidding ... who cares?

On the cusp: Tracy McGrady, Tim Duncan and Gilbert Arenas.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

3-20-2007 @ 4:31PM

KD said...

"On the cusp" again? This is BOGUS, man.

3-20-2007 @ 5:39PM

jon said...

4. LeBron James, F, Cavaliers: Building LeBron's case for MVP: His post-All-Star numbers are downright scary. 32 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists per game. He's led the Cavs to eight straight wins and the second best record in the conference. Ripping it down: He plays in the East. He played disinterested and on cruise control for the first half of the season. He suffers from some type of Nick Anderson-disease at the free-throw line.

Of course second best in the east is well not very good and if you blast Dirk for getting lost in crunch time..Hell Dirk is Mj compared to Lebron...Its Nash...

3-20-2007 @ 5:29PM

Pat said...

I was just watching the Phoenix-NJ Nets game tape a friend in AZ sent me - absolutely amazing!
Here is Nash's performance In the two NBA Instant Classics games of 2006-07:
Phoenix@New Jersey Nets 12/7/06 - NBA's 1st Instant Classic game:
Nash hit a three pointer to tie the game 123-123 with 2" to go in regulation. In 2nd OT Nash had 9 points and 4 assists out of Suns' 18 points to win the game. Overall: 42 points, 13 assists, 6 rebounds.
Phoenix@Dallas Mavericks 3/14/07 - NBA's 2nd Instant Classic game:
With Phoenix down 101-108, Nash scored 10 points in the final 57" of regulation and hit a 3-pointer to tie the game with 2" to go in regulation. Suns won the game in 2-OT. Overall ; 32 points, 16 assists, 8 rebounds.
Nash performs well in good games, especially in the clutch. There is no doubt in my mind that Nash is the MVP - yes, 3 times! Why not? Is there a rule that no one can be mentioned alongside those 3?

3-21-2007 @ 4:59AM

manny said...

Nash deserves it again. Dirk getting the MVP wouldn't be the worst but Nash really deserves it. Saying Nash doesn't deserve to be mentioned with Bird, Wilt and Russell is so weak. He's probably the best point guard to play in the NBA and is certainly the best this year- AND his team is doing well, in large part because of his play and leadership.

LeBron is a great player and his day will come, but not today. Kobe may be impressive individually but thats his problem- he plays like and individual, not a team player. Now that its his team, he takes the spotlight and they hover around .500.

Nash deserves the MV3- give the man his due.

3-21-2007 @ 9:01PM

Michael said...

Nash. When the game is on the line Nash is money. Dirk isn't as reliable in the clutch. Heckuva player though.

3-21-2007 @ 3:20PM

David said...

Kobe is hands down the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the Los Angelos Lakers...without him the Lakers are a lottery team. The other players, Dirk, Steve Nash are loaded with all stars. Kobe is on a Lakers team that not only made the playoffs last year, but are in the 6th slot this year, so far. No if and's or but's Kobe is the best player on both ends of the court in the NBA.
KOBE for M.V.P.

3-21-2007 @ 11:21AM

R.Panganiban said...

Nash could hardly win a game if he is on the laker team.But kobe could win a championship if he is with the phoenix team.Remember dirk & nash with the dallas team.Right now, Dallas has 2 superstar.Phoenix has 3 superstar(nash 2x mvp)Laker has one superstar.Kobe got all star mvp & playing & working with injured teammates.

3-21-2007 @ 12:34PM

mike said...

Dallas got better thanks to Avery Johnson and made Dirk better. Dirk is a great player but people worry about him at clutch time.
Kobe got rid of Shaq and made the Fakers worse. Kobe draws an unusual amount of attention for leading the team, as he wanted it, to mediocrity. May be a great player but a poor leader and team mate.

D'Antoni got Nash and made the Suns better. Nash, already good, has flourished under D'Antoni's style and is as good as money in the bank- he's a clutch player who leads his team by example.

If you look at the big picture, its Nash, hands down.

3-22-2007 @ 1:07AM

Laker4Life said...

if Nash is a three MVP, my wife is a virgin, I can think of seven point guards i would take before nash today. tony P, Jason K, C paul, Jason T, Mike Bibby, Chauncy Bilips, AI, D williams. There is very little that seperates Nash from Jason Williams, he just happens to be playing on a team that suit his stlye. Trust me when Jwill was running with Chris Webber back in 2000-2001 sac was the best passing team in the NBA and score 100 plus points a night, like NASH, they never won anything.

3-22-2007 @ 11:31PM

ron said...

tight race between two individuals only: dirk nowitzki & steve nash. lebron? he will get his time. kobe? no, never. right, he can do 81, 65 or 50 and win those games. but there are 82 games in a season. if he can do 50+ consistently on 82 games, then no doubt, he can be an mvp.

3-23-2007 @ 8:36AM

Kevin said...

Kobe or Lebron are having outstanding seasons and if you put either of these great players on the Suns or Dallas...they would be Legends already. If Nash wins MVP again this year...I will boycott the NBA for one season!

3-23-2007 @ 5:15AM

yea, scoring 60 on the "mighty" grizzlies is quite an accomplishment- kudos, kobe. he says: my teammates gave "ME" great screens and gave "ME" great passes so "I" had great looks. hardly anyone else on the lakers scored. so, yea, he can shoot but the fakers will not likely get higher than 6th spot in the playoffs. at that point he'll be playing with teams that use 5 guys. he'll be watching most of the playoffs from home.

3-23-2007 @ 5:13AM

armand said...

It amazes me that Kobe is such a popular player inspite of his lack of character. It would also appear the NBA would love to have their sports gear money-maker win an MVP to enhance his value to their marketing schemes. Too bad the more worthy Nash or Nowitzki may loose out thanks to a PR scam. The Lakers are one dimensional with Kobe's ego being greater than the sum of the team. Whoever wins is not life and death but I think its more appropriate that a great player who personally impacts his whole team is more deserving than a 'hot dog'. Obviously, a number of you disagree.

Clark said...

To Kevin:
Nash smoked Lebron in both their meetings, so I think it's best if you boycotted the NBA for one season.. indefinitely is even better, because the NBA isn't for troglodytes like you

3-23-2007 @ 3:16AM

3-23-2007 @ 5:14AM

kevin- boycott the nba permanently and do us all a favor

3-23-2007 @ 7:07AM

To Armand:
Way to go!

To Mike:
Nice to see someone with brains

To Kevin:
You got a lot of class, all right, and it's all LOW

3-23-2007 @ 6:01AM

To Laker4Life:
Wow, that has got to be the DUMBEST post I've ever seen..

Either you're THAT stupid or you're just another mindless clown like Kevin here..

3-23-2007 @ 11:03AM

whit said...

Steve Nash mvp?? that is ridiculous. a 3x mvp should have at least one championship ring. hell, nash has never made it to the Finals. that euro ball trash that the Suns play is entertaining i have to admit, but when it comes to winning nba titles you have to play some D. Does anyone really think the suns are going to beat the spurs, mavs, and pistons to win a title? Give the mvp to dirk - best player on best team. (ps - T-Mac deserves some attention too)

3-23-2007 @ 6:15PM

Travis said...

It is very convenient to look only at the "great" games that Nash has and the missteps in "clutch" that Dirk has had. Does anyone look to the game-winning shots Dirk has hit throughout the year or the missed shots that Nash has had in the crunch-time....No, you only mention one side of it. Nash is an incredible player, however Dirk does so many things on a nightly basis that proves him as MVP of this league. The Suns have 4 all-stars (I'm including Barbosa b/c he should be instead of Parker) on their roster. You take away Nash they still have 3. The Mavs have 1 all-star, with respect to Josh Howard, he was "placed" on the all-star team, and if Dirk were to go away, the Mavs fall to oblivion. He is the best player on the best team in the league!!!!

DIRK IS THE MVP!