Offical NBA 2009-10 MVP Thread

[h1]One MVP is great, but multiple winners are a rare bird[/h1]
By Steve Aschburner, NBA.com
Posted Mar 5 2010 11:50AM

A week ago in this space, The Race looked at the impact on MVP candidates when a team has one superstar vs. two or more.

This week, the committee is reviewing NBA history for MVP winners who have two or more such trophies.

Maybethis is the NBA's version of baseball's "first-ballot Hall of Famers"cutoff to differentiate its elite of the elite at Cooperstown. The Racewill just lay out some numbers and let you form your own opinions aboutpast MVP winners -- and the three guys on this week's list who have achance to move up from one-timer status.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, ofcourse, is the all-time MVP leader with six honors over his remarkablecareer. Bill Russell and Michael Jordan collected five each and WiltChamberlain was honored with four (though he curiously missed in1961-62 after averaging his Herculean 50.4 ppg). That means fourplayers have accounted for 20 of the 54 MVP awards since the modernversion was created in 1955-56.

Three more players -- Larry Bird,Magic Johnson and Moses Malone -- each won three MVP awards. And fourguys -- fittingly, three of the greatest power forwards in leaguehistory -- won two each: Bob Pettit, Karl Malone, Tim Duncan andplaymaker Steve Nash. So that ups the "hogging" stats to 37 trophiesspread around to just 11 players.

That leaves 17 one-and-done MVPwinners, which is a far greater honor than that characterization makesit sound. The list of names still is a Who's Who and, literally, atimeline fit for Springfield, Mass.: Bob Cousy, Oscar Robertson, WesUnseld, Willis Reed, Dave Cowens, Bob McAdoo, Bill Walton, JuliusErving, Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, ShaquilleO'Neal, Allen Iverson, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, Kobe Bryant andLeBron James.

An interesting sub-plot to The Race this season,then, is whether any of the three guys on this week's list -- James,Bryant and Nowitzki -- can boost himself into an even more special clubby claiming his second Maurice Podoloff trophy. That would make it 3:nerd:ut of 55 by just a dozen players. Stay tuned and keep counting.

1. Lebron James, Cavaliers (48-14)

lebron_james.jpg


[table][tr][td]G[/td][td]MPG[/td][td]PPG[/td][td]RPG[/td][td]APG[/td][td]SPG[/td][td]BPG[/td][td]FG%[/td][td]3P%[/td][td]FT%[/td][/tr][tr][td]62[/td][td]39.0[/td][td]29.8[/td][td]7.1[/td][td]8.6[/td][td]1.7[/td][td]1.0[/td][td].504[/td][td].345[/td][td].776[/td][/tr][/table]Last Week's Rank - 1
Nets fans got about as close to having LeBronJames on their side as they're going to get, given the pity Jamesexpressed for them after the Cavaliers' easy victory at Izod CenterWednesday. The free agent-to-be New Jersey supposedly is wooing evengot booed a couple of times for not being flashy enough on breakawaydunks, which suggests that his 26-point, 14-assist, seven-reboundperformances won't be coming in a New Jersey jersey anytime soon.


2. Dwight Howard, Magic (42-20)

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[table][tr][td]G[/td][td]MPG[/td][td]PPG[/td][td]RPG[/td][td]APG[/td][td]SPG[/td][td]BPG[/td][td]FG%[/td][td]3P%[/td][td]FT%[/td][/tr][tr][td]62[/td][td]35.1[/td][td]18.7[/td][td]13.1[/td][td]1.6[/td][td]1.0[/td][td]2.8[/td][td].603[/td][td]---[/td][td].613[/td][/tr][/table]Last Week's Rank - 3
The committee likes continuous improvement atthis rarefied level, and that's what Howard has been showing lately.First the Orlando strongman boosted his accuracy at the foul line. Thisweek he made a big adjustment at the other end: After totaling 21points and eight rebounds in 49 foul-plagued minutes in the Magic'sprevious two games, Howard didn't commit a single personal foul andracked up 28 points and 12 boards in a laugher over Golden State.


3. Kevin Durant, Thunder (36-24)

kevin_durant.jpg


[table][tr][td]G[/td][td]MPG[/td][td]PPG[/td][td]RPG[/td][td]APG[/td][td]SPG[/td][td]BPG[/td][td]FG%[/td][td]3P%[/td][td]FT%[/td][/tr][tr][td]60[/td][td]39.6[/td][td]29.6[/td][td]7.5[/td][td]2.8[/td][td]1.4[/td][td]0.9[/td][td].478[/td][td].381[/td][td].884[/td][/tr][/table]Last Week's Rank - 2
Uh oh, another streak bites the dust. A fewdays after Durant's string of 25-point games ended at 29, his streak ofscoring 20 or more was snapped at 34 in a rout by Denver Wednesday. Healso had a sub-par four boards and zero assists on an all-around offnight for the Thunder.


4. Kobe Bryant, Lakers (46-16)

kobe_bryant.jpg


[table][tr][td]G[/td][td]MPG[/td][td]PPG[/td][td]RPG[/td][td]APG[/td][td]SPG[/td][td]BPG[/td][td]FG%[/td][td]3P%[/td][td]FT%[/td][/tr][tr][td]57[/td][td]38.8[/td][td]27.6[/td][td]5.2[/td][td]4.8[/td][td]1.7[/td][td]0.4[/td][td].460[/td][td].319[/td][td].822[/td][/tr][/table]Last Week's Rank - 4
Bryant has been money at the line, sinking 29of 33 freebies over his last three games. But his 39 points on 15-of-28shooting in Miami -- and an airballed 3-pointer late in overtime --wasn't enough to prevent the Lakers from losing their fifth in sixtries in south Florida or slipping to 9-9 on the road since Dec. 26.


5. Dirk Nowitzki, Mavs (41-21)

dirk_nowitzki.jpg


[table][tr][td]G[/td][td]MPG[/td][td]PPG[/td][td]RPG[/td][td]APG[/td][td]SPG[/td][td]BPG[/td][td]FG%[/td][td]3P%[/td][td]FT%[/td][/tr][tr][td]61[/td][td]38.0[/td][td]25.2[/td][td]7.7[/td][td]2.6[/td][td]0.9[/td][td]1.0[/td][td].479[/td][td].360[/td][td].908[/td][/tr][/table]Last Week's Rank - 6
You want to talk free throws (look, we knowit's not sexy but they count, right?), we need to talk Nowitzki. Thisseason, the Mavericks' sharpshooter -- who flicks his shots as easilyas most of us shoot Nerf balls -- has made 96.4 percent of his foulshots in the fourth quarter and in overtimes. That's just one of thekeys to the Mavericks' nine-game winning streak.


6. Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets (40-21)

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[table][tr][td]G[/td][td]MPG[/td][td]PPG[/td][td]RPG[/td][td]APG[/td][td]SPG[/td][td]BPG[/td][td]FG%[/td][td]3P%[/td][td]FT%[/td][/tr][tr][td]48[/td][td]37.8[/td][td]28.6[/td][td]6.3[/td][td]3.4[/td][td]1.3[/td][td]0.4[/td][td].457[/td][td].341[/td][td].829[/td][/tr][/table]Last Week's Rank - 5
Anthony had been running on "E" lately, interms of his overall energy, but he roused from a personal mini-slumpwith 30 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the Nuggets' rout ofOKC. Denver's small forward scored 23 in the first half, more than theThunder's MVP candidate Kevin Durant (19) in the whole game. It wasAnthony's 24th game of 30 points or more this season, up from 13 lastyear, but his first in seven games.


7. Deron Williams, Jazz (39-22)

deron_williams.jpg


[table][tr][td]G[/td][td]MPG[/td][td]PPG[/td][td]RPG[/td][td]APG[/td][td]SPG[/td][td]BPG[/td][td]FG%[/td][td]3P%[/td][td]FT%[/td][/tr][tr][td]55[/td][td]37.2[/td][td]18.6[/td][td]4.1[/td][td]10.1[/td][td]1.2[/td][td]0.2[/td][td].474[/td][td].378[/td][td].785[/td][/tr][/table]Last Week's Rank - 9
First Williams racked up 35 points, with 13assists, in the Jazz's 23-point victory against Houston. Then, aftergetting 13 and 13 in a loss to the Clippers, he had 27 points, nineassists, two steals and two turnovers in Utah's 116-108 triumph atPhoenix. Not bad for a guy who has been playing with a sore right wristsince January.


8. Chauncey Billups, Nuggets (40-21)

chauncey_billups.jpg


[table][tr][td]G[/td][td]MPG[/td][td]PPG[/td][td]RPG[/td][td]APG[/td][td]SPG[/td][td]BPG[/td][td]FG%[/td][td]3P%[/td][td]FT%[/td][/tr][tr][td]52[/td][td]33.7[/td][td]20.1[/td][td]3.0[/td][td]6.0[/td][td]1.2[/td][td]0.1[/td][td].438[/td][td].431[/td][td].904[/td][/tr][/table]Last Week's Rank - 7
When Billups scored 21 at Phoenix Monday, itwas the fifth time in seven games that he had led Denver in scoring --no small achievement when you're playing alongside another MVPcandidate (Anthony). The veteran point guard is averaging 23.2 pointsover his past 25 games.


9. Chris Bosh, Raptors (31-28)

chris_bosh.jpg


[table][tr][td]G[/td][td]MPG[/td][td]PPG[/td][td]RPG[/td][td]APG[/td][td]SPG[/td][td]BPG[/td][td]FG%[/td][td]3P%[/td][td]FT%[/td][/tr][tr][td]53[/td][td]36.4[/td][td]24.5[/td][td]11.4[/td][td]2.3[/td][td]0.6[/td][td]1.1[/td][td].525[/td][td].372[/td][td].790[/td][/tr][/table]Last Week's Rank - 8
One of thoseabsence-makes-the-heart-grow-fonder weeks for Bosh, who skipped theRaptors' last trip with a sprained ankle. He did practice Wednesday butwas listed as day-to-day for Toronto's game against the Knicks Friday.A 2-4 week by his teammates while he's out at least is the sort ofthing that can help draw MVP support.


10. Dwyane Wade, Heat (31-31)

dwyane_wade.jpg

[table][tr][td]G[/td][td]MPG[/td][td]PPG[/td][td]RPG[/td][td]APG[/td][td]SPG[/td][td]BPG[/td][td]FG%[/td][td]3P%[/td][td]FT%[/td][/tr][tr][td]58[/td][td]35.9[/td][td]26.2[/td][td]4.6[/td][td]6.6[/td][td]1.8[/td][td]1.0[/td][td].467[/td][td].293[/td][td].756[/td][/tr][/table]Last Week's Rank - --
A Steve Nash-like night by Wade -- and anun-Steve Nash-like night by Nash -- gets the Miami guard onto this lastrung of The Race in place of Phoenix's playmaker. Wade didn't getlocked into a scoring duel with Bryant in the Heat's 114-111 overtimevictory over the Lakers; instead, he dished a season-best 14 assists.Heck, he didn't even take a shot in the extra five minutes, but hehelped get Miami up to .500 (31-31) in its quest for the final Eastplayoff spot. Nash? He had 14 points, 15 assists but (ugh!) seventurnovers in the loss to Utah Thursday
 
Originally Posted by Ben Roethlisberger

KD should get it.

Durant deserves it over Lebron. Lebron is doing the same thing as every season, putting up good stats and leading the Cavs to the top of the eastern conference. Durant is putting up good stats while taking one of the worst teams last season into the playoffs into the west. OKC is 12 games over .500 right now which is amazing for such a young team who lost 59 games last season and 62 the year before that.


ALSO SMH FOR DWIGHT HOWARD BEING ANYWHERE IN THE TOP 5
indifferent.gif
 
Originally Posted by Billy Hoyle

Originally Posted by Ben Roethlisberger

KD should get it.

Durant deserves it over Lebron. Lebron is doing the same thing as every season, putting up good stats and leading the Cavs to the top of the eastern conference. Durant is putting up good stats while taking one of the worst teams last season into the playoffs into the west. OKC is 12 games over .500 right now which is amazing for such a young team who lost 59 games last season and 62 the year before that.


ALSO SMH FOR DWIGHT HOWARD BEING ANYWHERE IN THE TOP 5
indifferent.gif
Which is exactly why he is in the lead for MVP

Co-sign on the SMH with Howard in the top 5
 
Originally Posted by rck2sactown

Originally Posted by Billy Hoyle

Originally Posted by Ben Roethlisberger

KD should get it.

Durant deserves it over Lebron. Lebron is doing the same thing as every season, putting up good stats and leading the Cavs to the top of the eastern conference. Durant is putting up good stats while taking one of the worst teams last season into the playoffs into the west. OKC is 12 games over .500 right now which is amazing for such a young team who lost 59 games last season and 62 the year before that.


ALSO SMH FOR DWIGHT HOWARD BEING ANYWHERE IN THE TOP 5
indifferent.gif
Which is exactly why he is in the lead for MVP

Co-sign on the SMH with Howard in the top 5
I know, dude sayin that like it's easy as hell or something. I respect what Durant is doing, but Bron clearly deserves it again

  
 
clearly deserves it? how
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what Durant is doing is more impressive, seems like you guys skipped over the fact that his team had 59 losses last season...
 
Originally Posted by Billy Hoyle

clearly deserves it? how
laugh.gif


what Durant is doing is more impressive, seems like you guys skipped over the fact that his team had 59 losses last season...
Hmmm, seems you skipped over the fact that Bron's leading his team to the best record in the league 2 years in a row and has the better stats. I'm not sayin KD isn't deserving, I'm just saying its not his time yet, not while Bron Bron's playing like this  
laugh.gif


  
 
Originally Posted by Billy Hoyle

Durant deserves it over Lebron. Lebron is doing the same thing as every season, putting up good stats and leading the Cavs to the top of the eastern conference.


?????

The hell?

laugh.gif


what Durant is doing is more impressive, seems like you guys skipped over the fact that his team had 59 losses last season...


There is no coherence in your arguments whatsoever. Are you arguing for MVP or Most Improved Player??

Hmmm, seems you skipped over the fact that Bron's leading his team to the best record in the league 2 years in a row and has the better stats.


The weird thing is dude didn't skip over that fact, he actually mentioned it himself.. But somehow, that was his argument against LeBron being the MVP.
 
Anybody wanna see Durant win the MVP and also for Lebron to lose in the ECF and storm off the court enraged ? I know i do
laugh.gif
 
IDK what the Thunder were last year has to do with anything...the whole team was young and now they've ALL grown up and learned how to win games. It's not like KD just inherited the Kings or something and is doing this.

LeBron is having another historical year. KD is not doing anything more impressive than what he is.

1- LeBron


2- KD
 
MVP - Most "Valuable" Player

Basically it speaks for itself, No questions asked..

-If Lebron gets injured do you think the Cavs can win?
-Durant and the Thunders are a big surprise because they are in the middle of the playoff race yet still they'll be a first round exit.
-The Lakers have won w/o Kobe in the line-up, If I'm Phil Jackson I'd let Kobe rest in the last 5 games and let his injuries heal.
-Mavericks have been pretty hot lately thanks mostly to their newly acquired players C.Butler and B.Haywood.
-Melo is getting better every year, actually I think the Nuggets have all the tools to go all the way this year.
-Nash is playing MVPish season again, same stats and numbers.
-D.Wade and his team has fallen out of the playoff race, but he is an MVP caliber player
-The Big three in Boston (KG, Allen, and Pierce) is just banged up hard, Rondo is their top MVP candidate.
-D.Howard is having an mediocre season in Orlando, they should change Head Coach next year


So in the end King James will win his 2nd MVP but can he win his first ring?
 
KD has been great and their turnaround this year will be nothing short of spectacular, but LBJ is flat out having a better year... You can't argue that.
 
Both can score but LeBron gets his team involved (8.5 agp)
Durant doesn't (2.8 asp)

I rather see LeBron win the reg season MVP but not the Finals Mvp
devil.gif

that's if he even gets there
 
Originally Posted by Billy Hoyle

seems like you guys skipped over the fact that his team had 59 losses last season...

Seems like the voters skipped over the fact that the Celtics had 58 losses and 06/07 and then had 66 wins in 07/08.  You dont see Kevin Garnett with the trophy do you?  And there aint no way the Thunder are going to sniff 66 wins.  
Just sayin.....
 
Bron easy. Dude is putting up video game numbers 30 ppg on 50% shooting, 7.2 rpg and 8.5 apg
sick.gif


Depending on what happens he'll probably have the regular season MVP on lock for the next 4 years at minimum...Finals MVPs on the other hand...that's a different story.
 
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