Mid-Season NBA MVP

Cousin Money Mike

We are just past the mid way point for the NBA season which means NBA Most Valuable Player talk. This season has been dazzling thus far. Lets take a look in the eastern conference to start. With the majority of everyone hating on Miami and the Big 3 because of Lebron (well deserved). The Boston Celtics finally getting healthy getting Kendrick Perkins back. The Bulls led by All-Star Derrick Rose and Carlos Boozer. The Orlando Magic and the big trade they made parting ways with Vince Carter and acquiring Gilbert Arenas. And the resurgence or the New York Knicks mainly because of Amare Stoudmire arrival. Moving onto the West were we have the San Antonio Spurs. A bunch of wise old veterans who just flat out get the job done with a league best 39-7 record. Then we move onto the the 2-time defending champs Los Angeles Lakers. We all know Phil and company will be ready to go by playoff time as they are just sleeping walking through the regular season. Followed by the young and talented Oklahoma City Thunder. I have to mention the dazzling play of to super star players of Blake Griffin and Kevin Love who both are putting up monster numbers. That is just the recap of a few things that have gone on in the dazzling NBA season.

 

Now onto the main topic who is the MVP thus far at the mid way point of the season:

 

  5. Kobe Bryant: Kobe is putting up not even close to his best numbers but lets face the facts. Is Kobe really interested in getting another MVP trophy? No. He wants the rings so that when it is all said and done he can put into the same category as Michael Jordan. Will he be in the category is the different story. Kobe is at 25 points a game, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds a game. Good numbers but not great. But when push comes to shove and the game on the line I want this guy taking the final shot.

 

4. For my next two spots you can flip flop Amare Stoudamire and Dwight Howard. Both unbelievable at both ends of the court. Lets give the 4th spot to Stoudamire only because of his teams record at 23-21. Amare is at 26 PPG, 9 RB, and 2 blocks a game. I have to go back over the years and I am going punish him just for his teams record just like Dwayne Wade in Miami. But there is no doubt that he has changed the way people look at the New York Knicks. Him and Raymond Felton have put the Knicks on the map and next year when they get 'Melo they will battle for the top spot in the East.

 

3. Dwight Howard. Howard is just a flat out beast. After some games I like looking through box scores. For the most part he gets his share of points and touches, but occasionally I come across a game or two where he is like 5-9 from the floor. Why? How can this man not get 15-20 attempts a game. He is a beast n the boards and in the paint. He is this generations Shaq. Give this man the basketball more Orlando. Howard is averaging 22pts, 13 boards, and 2 blocks. The magic will go as far as he carries them.

 

2. Lebron James. Yes he the villain of the league and not many people like him. But lets face the facts he is without a doubt the most talented player in the game. He can do it all. He is a freak of nature. I hate the guy as much as the next guy, but the dude can play. Looks at these numbers on a team where he has to share the ball with superstar Dwayne. 26 ppg, 7 boards, 7 assists, and 1 block. He has his fingerprints all over every win the Heat get. The big question still remains can he win a championship.

 

1. Derrick Rose. This guy is coming into his own. The strides he has made from year to year have been phenomenal. Let's go to his rookie year when his strength was getting to rim. Then his sophomore year when he become a good mid range shooter. Now this year when he has become a great mid range shooter and is developing his 3 point shot and is getting very good at it. The guy can not be guarded. Try and get in his jock and he will go right around. Then when he goes around and help comes he will stop in the dime and drill the mid rangers. Or back off him at the arc and he'll knock down a 3 in your eye. 25 ppg, 8 assists, and 5 boards. Did I mention that he has put together a highlight reel this year of dunks. Him and Boozer have master the pick n roll game. It is almost becoming a ritual now at the end of home games hearing that "M-V-P" chant from the crowd.

 

What else you got for me Mr. Steamboat?????

 

SteamboatJackson

Word have left me in awe of how you snubbed some of the best players in the NBA off of your list. You make me laugh with how naive you are and how much credit you give yo a guy that has not heart (yes Lebron James). Your recap was toughing but left out some pimp daddy's that needed some credit, but your mention of Blake Griffin and Kevin Love was well deserved and so much that I wanted to name drop them again. But I am going to give you my Top 5 and then will follow up with the best of the rest because you left some names off that are getting the short end of the stick.

 

5.) Lebron James: It is painful for me to put Lebron here but he is deserving to be on this list. He is having a strong season statistically which is why I have to respect the game and put him on here. Filling up the stat sheet in every category, highlighted by his NBA second leading scorer stat. He is a the 26th in the league in rebounding but he is the 1st overall small forward in rebounding which means he is doing more for his team in more areas. He is 12th in assists and of course 1st overall for a SF yet again with the next closest being at 40th. Lebron is using his full arsenal of weapons he has and if this Heat team can figure out how to win close games a run an efficient offense down the stretch watch out. When looking at the statistics too Lebron's scoring has slipped but that is really the only thing.

4.) Kevin Durant: Really a let down when looking at Kevin Durant because he was the odds on favorite for the MVP award this year. While he is the league leader in scoring he is doing that while shooting a lower percentage. The Oklahoma City Thunder were supposed to be the emerging team this year and while they are in the upper half of the tough Western Conference teams in the playoffs. (If they were to start today.) It just doesn't seem as though they have taken the next step be labeled 'those guys'. Quick definition: 'Those Guys'- The team that nobody wants to play because they have the edge and leadership of a game changer. KD has 18 games of 30 points of more this season which has is amazing, and while 9 are against teams with losing records that coincidentally means 9 are against very good teams. So he is showing up for the big games but a little more consistency against the top teams is where OKC needs KD. There is another factor that is hurting Durant in a young man named Russel Westbrook who I will talk about later.

3.) Amare Stoudemire: New York can smile again with a big building block in Amare. He has turned the Knicks into a playoff contender for years to come and he his making his teammates better which is the true sign of an MVP candidate. Something that could have helped his cause even more is if he would be a double figure average rebounder. He just doesn't get after the boards as hard as he should, although he is having one of his best blocks per game year. The Knicks sold out for Lebron and missed but Amare and about a 200% guarantee Carmelo Anthony is coming over the summer isn't a bad consolation. So when looking at it the Knicks would have needed to win there division for Amare to win the MVP because a .500 team doesn't cut it when discussing and MVP. His play has been inspirational and he has turn Raymond Felton into a relevant scoring point guard, which brings me great personal joy because that means another long prosperous career for another UNC Tar Heel. But the Knicks need to start winning a lot of games and finish about 15 to 20 games over .500 for Amare to be a serious contender. Give it your best this year Amare because once 'Melo arrives there goes your MVP chances.

2.) Dirk Nowitzki: This is my sleeper pick and it is a rather high sleeper pick. Dirk Nowitzki isn't flashing and he has a great team down there with the Dallas Mavericks. Mark Cuban has brought in some great pieces but time is limited for a lot of the old timers he does have down in Dallas. (P.S.- Mark Cuban if your reading this I am saddened that you weren't allowed to buy the Cubs, you were my one hope for the next 50 years of winning a World Series.) Without further ado Dirks stats don't blow you away he is still the 11th leading scorer in the league. With a 7-footer you would also expect more than 7 RPG but in Dallas they don't need that from Big Dirk. Dirk is a match-up nightmare for other teams because of his ability to shot it from anywhere on the floor. The thing that both hurts and helps Dirk's chances for MVP is that he missed 9 games and played just about 12 minutes in two other games while still being hobbled by injury. His numbers have slipped slightly since returning from injury. Where Dirk's chances are helped is that he was leading this team fighting for the one seed versus the San Antonio Spurs until he got hurt and his team lost 7 of 9 games while he was out. MVP's make a difference and losing one can really affect a team, just ask the Cavs. (Sorry Cleveland, I will always show you guys love from here on out.)

1.) Derek Rose: The most deserving pick in my opinion, as well as be acknowledged by many players in the league. Derek was 9th favored MVP coming into the season and currently ranks only behind Durant in most odds. With injuries to much of the Bulls core missing Noah and Boozer for much of this season it is remarkable where the Bulls sit in the standings. Right now sitting in the 2nd seed only the Bulls and their fans have one man to thank: Derek Rose. His improved three pointer point out by Cousin M&M (Money Mike) keeps opponents trying to find ways to stop him and it makes him a dual threat. Also, Cousin Money Mike says it is fitting that the fans chant, "M-V-P, M-V-P" at the end of games usually when shooting free-throws. Two things stand out this year that will be catalysts to his MVP trophy. The first was a sad moment where I felt for the kid who is coincidentally the same age as me and that was when he missed his second free throw versus the Clippers on Dec. 18th down by one to tie the game and go to overtime. Derek Rose never was a phenomenal free throw but he has elevated that part of his game since that miss. He was shooting .788 up until that miss and since then he is shooting .873 from the charity strip. Which lets you know something about Derek Rose, he always wants to get better and the fire in him to win is something that has become apparent. Everyone who is a competitor hates to lose and that missed free throw meant more to Derek than anyone else and the stats show since then. The second memorable moment was to Chicago grown gamers going back in forth in the fourth quarter: Featuring Dwayne Wade vs. Derek Rose. Wade posted 12 in the fourth and Rose 11, I thought this was a game that was going to go to Miami because on three straight Miami possessions Wade hit three three-pointers in a row. After every Wade hit though it was Derek rose that answered with a lay-up, another lay-up with an and one and a 20-foot jumper. This fourth quarter hold will be one of the most memorable moments versus a Chicago native that didn't want to come back to home, which was fine for Rose because this is his team and his town now.

While those conclude the MVP I want to settle one last debate. Derek Rose is always going to be a better point guard than Rajon Rando. Yes the point guard position requires to assist the ball which is very important to an offense but that being the primary objective is not longer the number one requirement. Rondo ranks 33rd in scoring while Derek Rose ranks number one. Both point guards rank in the top 5 in rebounds with Rose at 3 at Rondo at 5, so not much difference there. Rondo is the worst free throw shooting point guard in the league and has been since he came in, with no desire to work at it and get better. I am a 6 foot white kid that was considered a 4 in high school, which is power forward so I can't shoot all that well but I was around a 75% free-throw shooter. Rondo is shooting just under 50% from the free-throw line at 49.2%, for God's sake Shaq is shooting 55.8% from the free-throw line. That is embarrassing and by the way Rose is shooting 82.4% for the year and increase from years prior unlike Rondo who's percentage has gone down. Rondo 45th in three-point percent, Rose 20th need more be said for that? Yes, Rajon has assist by the difference of 4 assists but look at the scorers he passes to versus Roses. Pierce vs Deng. Advantage: Pierce. Bogans/Korver vs. Allen: Advantage Allen. Garnett vs. Boozer: Advantage Slightly Boozer. Noah vs. BOS Center Quartet: Push So his assists should be higher in my opinion. He can make your jawy drop with some of his passes much in the way that Steve Nash can. Guess what Rondo you can keep that over Rose because you will never be the complete modern NBA point guard that he is. Rose all-star votes 1,225,275 to Rondo's 1,171,311 all-star votes so happy that Derek is the starter. Hey Rondo how is your Gold Medal from Team USA's World Championship too?

Notable MVP Mentions:

Kobe Bryant: Strictly out of respect that Kobe is Kobe.

LaMarcus Aldridge: His play since Brandon Roy went down has been spectacular not that it was all to bad before.

Dwayne Wade:  Having one of his best shooting years and 5th in scoring even with LeBron being in South Beach. Unfortunately these two will battle votes from each other and their names are tainted.

Dwight Howard: His MVP status is on display on both ends of the floor and he is finally putting up huge numbers on offense consistently too. Ranking 14th in scoring impresses me big man.

Kevin Love: Who though the high energy, hustling white guys from  UCLA would be a monster in the league? Love is 16th in points in the league and leads the league in rebounding by almost two full rebounds per game. The unfortunate thing is that his team is miserable and he could never win but I wanted to show him some 'love'.