Pick The 2012 NBA MVP

[PlayTheGame]

So we're halfway through the 2012 NBA season, and quite a few guys are having spectacular seasons. The title of this thread says it all. Pick who you think deserves the 2012 NBA MVP so far, and explain why. I'll start us off.

I think Kobe Bryant deserves it so far. With 28.4 PPG, Kobe is leading the league in scoring per game. He is by far the most impressive Laker this season, although Bynum is playing some of his best basketball too. As the only capable guard on the Lakers' roster, he often carries the team in games, leading the team to a respectable 20-14 record at the break (on track to make the playoffs). Thus, it is certainly arguable that he's the most valuable player in the league to his respective team. Now, Kobe's had better seasons in the past, but I think he has a good shot to get the MVP this year, especially if he gets hot toward the end of the season, something he often does. After tearing wrist ligaments right before the start of the season, he certainly has impressed as the captain of the Lakers.

Arguments can certainly be made for guys like Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard, Kevin Love, Chris Paul, and Derrick Rose, but I still give it to Bryant over those guys, and here's why: Durant's stats are a little less impressive than Kobe's, and he has Russell Westbrook feeding him the ball. Dwight Howard, while equally valuable to his team, could very well change teams/systems, which could affect him in the running for the award. Love plays in a smaller market for a worse team, and his stats are also a little less overwhelming, although he's equally important to his team. Paul seems to get snubbed a lot, but I feel as if his importance has lessened a bit now that he's on the same team as Blake Griffin. If he couldn't win in it while it N.O., why will he win it now? Derrick Rose is also extremely valuable to his team, but he's been injured a lot this season, and his team has done very well without him.

I think if you take Kobe off the Lakers right now, they suffer worse or just as bad as any other team losing its star player (which shows valuableness). Losing Howard & Love from their respective teams would produce a similarly bad effect, but I think Kobe edges them out stats-wise.

Certain top-guys, in my opinion, should not get it: Dwayne Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Dirk Nowitzki, & Carmelo Anthony. While James is having the best season of his career and is clearly the best NBA player alive right now, that doesn't mean he is the Most Valuable Player to his team, and he is not. Wade, James, & Bosh will always cancel each other out. They'll win titles, but not individual awards. Dirk hasn't played enough or well enough in the first half of this season to consider him, and Carmelo has been overshadowed by some guy named Jeremy Lin, has missed time, and hasn't had an overly stellar season.

So my pick is Kobe, but arguments can be made for other guys. Pick your 2012 NBA MVP and explain why.

 

[Harthan]

LeBron. Not even close. He's both the best and the most valuable and you clearly haven't been paying attention if you say otherwise.

Kobe isn't even the most valuable player on his team, let alone the league.

 

[PlayTheGame]

I've been paying very close attention, thank you very much Harthan.

To say Kobe isn't the most valuable player on his team right now shows you don't watch Laker games.

How can you say LeBron is the most valuable? You don't understand the award if you think he'll win undoubtedly. I'm not saying he can't win, but I think the deck is stacked against him based on the star-power around him. There's no doubt he's the best player in the league, but its not a "best player in the league" award.

 

[Big Sexy]

First off, why the fuck would you make an opening post that long and then not put this in the sports section? Anyways...

No question it's Kevin Durant. His numbers are basically equal with LeBron's but he's doing it with slightly less talent around him and he faces stiffer competition being in the Western Conference.

 

[PlayTheGame]

Because the sports section gets no where near as much attention as the GSD, and I wanted to hear a lot of people's opinions, and this way they could choose whether or not they wanted to make a long or small post.

But your pick is solid, I can't argue against Durant, especially if he continues to up his game in the second half of the season.

 

[ScreaminNormanSmiley]

Larry Bird

 

[Big Sexy]

Larry Bird

John Havlicek is having a way better year.

 

[Harthan]

You know, I'm not interested in having this argument. I've done Kobe vs LeBron to death with my friends, and I know exactly how it ends. If I'm not even going to get post count for this, it's really not worth my time.

 

[PlayTheGame]

Okay lol.

 

[Stormtrooper]

Spoiler

Kinda hard to argue how VALUABLE he is to his TEAM. Arguably he is more valuable to his team then any other player int he league. Yes, I know he's not gonna win it, and I understand that, just pointing out that he is damn valuable.

 

[GI Cake]

Spoiler

Kinda hard to argue how VALUABLE he is to his TEAM. Arguably he is more valuable to his team then any other player int he league. Yes, I know he's not gonna win it, and I understand that, just pointing out that he is damn valuable.

I like Lin, but I don't think he is going to win MVP. He could win most improved seeing as how he went from 3rd string to starting Point Guard.

As for my pick for MVP, it's a toss up between Kevin Durant and Chris Paul.

 

[Stormtrooper]

I like Lin, but I don't think he is going to win MVP. He could win most improved seeing as how he went from 3rd string to starting Point Guard.

I agree he won't win (hell, I even said it in the post). But depending on how you want to view the concept of Most Valuable, an argument can be made for him.

But, if he keeps up the pace for the remainder of the season (ridiculously unlikely, by the way) and the Knicks get to the 4 seed or higher (again unlikely), maybe he gets legit consideration.

As for my pick for MVP, it's a toss up between Kevin Durant and Chris Paul.

Durant of LeBron will win it I think.

 

[Big Sexy]

Yea those 8 points on 1-11 shooting and 8 turnovers he put up against the Heat was real valuable. I like Lin but it's insane to even bring the guys name up after only a great 12 game run where the team went 9-3. Especially when he is averaging over 5 turnovers per game.

 

[klunderbunker]

My problem with giving it to Lebron is that if you take him away, the Heat are still going to be a very good team. They wouldn't be as good as they are now but they'd be a legit championship contender. I don't think I could go with him based on that. However, based on the way the voting goes, it'll probably go to him.

 

[PlayTheGame]

I can't see how LeBron is most valuable. Best NBA player? There's no doubt about it. Best player on the Heat? Sure. But there's more valuable players to their respective teams than James is to the Heat. If James wasn't on the Heat, the Heat would still be an NBA Finals contender with Dwayne Wade & Chris Bosh leading the way.

James will always be in contention for the award due to him being the best player in the league, but I don't think any of the Big 3 of the Heat can win it. I think it'll play out like it did last season. James and Rose were both in contention, but I believe that the writers favored Rose because he clearly was more valuable (by the definition of the award) to his team. Bulls - Rose vs. Heat - James, the Bulls are in far worse shape and possibly even miss the playoffs. It'll come down to something like James, Bryant, Paul, Durant, Howard, or someone else, and I think someone else will get it over James.

Let's not forget too that James is a very polarizing figure. I recently read in an article about the James/MVP debate that not only are writers reluctant to vote for someone who's already won, but some are biased against James and dislike him for past actions. That may give someone like a Paul or a Durant the needed edge over him, as they are pretty much universally liked NBA figures who haven't won the award before.

Again, I'm not saying James definitely won't win, he very well could if he somehow elevates his game even further in the second half. It's just an uphill battle for him due to the above reasons, and I believe other players may have easier paths to the award.

 

[Khalifa]

I think Lebron will win it, but it is stupid just because he is on a team that wins and already has two very very good players in Bosh and Wade. The way the award is described it should be almost impossible for Bron to win this year. However he is the best in the league right now.

If Lakers win some more games and become a number 1 or 2 seed in the west I can see Kobe getting it. He is putting up some crazy numbers and is no doubt making the Lakers better. Without him or Bynum the Lakers would be nothing.

Kevin Durant is also up there and can make a good run. Watch out for Tony Parker as well if Spurs keep up their stellar run.

 

[Harthan]

Sigh. Okay. This isn't about LeBron/Kobe, this is just going to be about LeBron and other people. But the notion that the Heat are still going to be nearly as good as they are without LeBron is preposterous. Without LeBron, they're a bottom half seed at best, and possibly a lottery team at worst, which was demonstrated repeatedly in the time between Shaq in Miami and the formation of the Big Three. Furthermore, Chris Bosh isn't even that good. The Big Three is a little more like Two and a Half Men, to be honest. LeBron is the only thing keeping title hopes alive in Miami.

You can also look at it from a win shares standpoint. LeBron currently has almost twice as many win shares as anyone else on his team. For comparison, Kevin Durant only has 1.6 more than James Harden, and a little more than that relative to Russel Westbrook.

Still, I can accept arguments for Kevin Durant, because win shares isn't a flawless formula. One can also make a strong case for Kevin Love, who has three times as many win shares as any other player on his team. However, LeBron has more win shares total than both men.

 

[Goliath Uterus]

My problem with giving it to Lebron is that if you take him away, the Heat are still going to be a very good team. They wouldn't be as good as they are now but they'd be a legit championship contender. I don't think I could go with him based on that. However, based on the way the voting goes, it'll probably go to him.

The Heat would not be a good team without LeBron. At least not title contenders.

I agree he won't win (hell, I even said it in the post). But depending on how you want to view the concept of Most Valuable, an argument can be made for him.

No.

 

[Alastor]

Lebron if Heats get top seed. Durant if Thunders get top seed. Kobe if neither of those two teams are top seeds. (Spurs/Bulls might nick it)

 

[The Crock]

LeBron should win it, Durant's a close second. Kobe isn't near these two.

 

[PlayTheGame]

The Heat would not be a good team without LeBron. At least not title contenders.




No.

To say that the Heat without Lebron (meaning that they would still have Dwyane Wade AND Chris Bosh, two all-stars at the top of their game) would'nt be a good team/playoff bound is ludicrous. That's pretty hard to debate against. Dwayne Wade is arguably capable enough to get a team to the playoffs by himself, so with a dominant Bosh, that's a playoff team.

Those that are giving James the MVP aren't taking into consideration the basic qualifications for winning an MVP award, especially in the NBA. I'm totally with you that James is the best player in the NBA, and is playing some outstanding basketball. But whether you like it or not, the team that he is on is severely handicapping him from getting the necessary number of votes from the AP writers. Sure, he'll get some and certainly be in contention, just like last year. But, just like last year, the AP writers will most likely favor someone who is practically carrying his team and is standing out from everyone around them, like Derrick Rose last year. Is James carrying his team? He's certainly making them better, no doubt. But if he weren't there, would they fall apart? Absolutely not. Is Durant carrying his team? Is Kobe? Is Dwight? I'd say yes to all of them, and WITHOUT those guys, yes, those teams do fall apart and probably exit out of playoff contention. Thus, their "value" is higher to their team. That does not mean skill, just "value".

Look at it like this: Let's say a very wealthy family has an expensive sports car, but has a few other expensive cars in the garage. A middle-class family has a similar sports car that is slightly less expensive and flashy, but it's the only car that they have. Let's say they are both stolen. Which is a more value-based loss? The middle-class family's lost car, obviously, as it was their only car- the rich family will be okay, they can still roll out in one of their other sports cars they still have in the garage. Just like if Lebron (the best NBA player) were lost, they still have Wade and Bosh. Who do the Thunder turn to without Durant?

That's the point I'm trying to convey. If it were a "best player" award, James wins hands-down. But it is not and never has been. That's why he didn't win it last year when he was the best player, and why he won't win it this year as the current best player. Because it goes to the player with the most value, Derrick Rose (who put his team on his back) last year, and whoever fills that role this year in the remainder of the season (Durant, Kobe, Dwight, etc.).

Again, whether you agree with this notion or not, that is how the AP writers go about voting. James will get votes, but they will favor a stand-alone superstar, a la 2011 Rose.

 

[Alastor]

Lebron James won't win another regular season MVP easily unless there is a lack of viable candidates until he wins a ring. They want to avoid a 3 time MVP with no rings after Nash won nothing being a 2-time MVP. This season there is no lack of alternative good candidates to choose from, such as Durant, Kobe, Paul, Rose. Superstars with terrific individual stats on winning teams.

But then again Lebron is Lebron and if he average a historic number in terms of stats, the voters can't ignore that too.

 

[Goliath Uterus]

To say that the Heat without Lebron (meaning that they would still have Dwyane Wade AND Chris Bosh, two all-stars at the top of their game) would'nt be a good team/playoff bound is ludicrous. That's pretty hard to debate against. Dwayne Wade is arguably capable enough to get a team to the playoffs by himself, so with a dominant Bosh, that's a playoff team.

I never said they wouldn't makes the playoffs, but they're not a title contending team without James.

That's the point I'm trying to convey. If it were a "best player" award, James wins hands-down. But it is not and never has been. That's why he didn't win it last year when he was the best player, and why he won't win it this year as the current best player. Because it goes to the player with the most value

I've never really understood this. Wouldn't the basketball player with the most value be the greatest one playing the game today?