HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors

Now that the regular season has concluded and the actual votes have been cast, HOOPSWORLD chimes in one last time with the final rankings for the 2010-2011 NBA MVP award.
 
As always, when deciding on these MVP rankings, we factor in individual player production (via both standard stats and advanced metrics) as well as team performance/success…

 
1. Derrick Rose – Chicago Bulls (25.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 7.7 apg):
I have had Rose in the top spot for a few months now, and he only got better and better as the season progressed, clearly and definitively separating himself from the pack.  By guiding the Bulls to the best record in the entire league, Rose essentially locked up the MVP in final few weeks of the regular season.  And how about this for an individual achievement: Rose became only the third NBA player in the last 30 years to rack up 2,000 points and 600 assists in one season.  The two other superstars that share that distinction?  LeBron James (2009-10) and someone named Michael Jordan (1988-89.)  Should the diminutive Rose be handed the hardware, he’ll join some elite company: Between 1956 and 2000, only one player 6’3" or shorter won a MVP award (Bob Cousy) – Rose would join Steve Nash and Allen Iverson as the sub-6-4 guards to be crowned the league’s most valuable player post 2000.  
 
2. Dwight Howard – Orlando Magic (22.9 ppg, 14.1 rpg, 2.4 bpg):
If D Rose didn’t have such an incredible season, and the Bulls didn’t win more regular season games than any other team in the NBA, Dwight Howard would likely walk away with the MVP.  Howard was utterly unstoppable at times this season (his only kryptonite being the free-throw stripe and referees’ whistles).  He has already been named the 2010-2011 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first player ever to earn that honor three straight seasons.  Here are just a few of the stats that highlight Dwight’s defensive dominance: He recorded at least 1,000 rebounds and 100 blocked shots for the sixth straight year; since blocked shots were officially tracked in 1973-74, only Moses Malone has done it more (seven seasons)…  He became one of only five players in NBA history since blocked shots became an official statistic in 1973-74 to record at least 6,000 rebounds and 1,000 blocked shots in his first 500 games… But it wasn’t just on the defensive end that Dwight did damage this season; his improving offensive game gave opponents headaches as well.  Howard averaged a career-high 22.9 points per game, as his expanding offensive repertoire allowed him to score in a variety of way around the basket.  If Howard ever develops a consistent and reliable set of low-post moves, Superman will really be unstoppable. 
 
3. Dirk Nowitzki – Dallas Mavericks (23.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.6 apg):
Dirk will never get the national attention that other superstars on this list receive.  His game simply isn’t as flashy; his on and off-court demeanor not as attention-grabbing.  However, that certainly doesn’t mean Dirk is any less gifted a basketball player.  Simply put, Nowitzki is one of the most consistent, effective, and efficient basketball players we will watch in our lifetime.  Dirk was up to his old (incredible) tricks again this season.  Yet another campaign averaging at least 23 points and 7 rebounds; amazingly, that makes seven such seasons in a row.  Even more impressive, Dirk authored arguably his most efficient season ever.  He shot a career-high 51.7% from the floor this season, while also shooting 39.3% from behind-the-arc and over 89% from the charity stripe.  And once again, the Mavericks posted one of the league’s better records, tied with the Lakers for second-most wins in the West.  And unlike the Spurs or Lakers, there was just one All-Star on the Mavs – yup, Mr. Nowitzki.             
 
4. LeBron James – Miami HEAT (26.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 7.0 apg):
As I detailed in a full column last week, you could certainly make a decent case LeBron is the rightful recipient of this season’s MVP award.  However, it is obvious that going into this season, even before the debacle of "The Decision," LeBron had history working against him – as voters tend to avoid giving the MVP to the same player for three straight seasons (only three players in NBA history have pulled of the MVP three-peat).  Then, after a summer of missteps tarnished his public image immeasurably, King James was fighting nearly insurmountable odds in his quest to keep his crown.  However, LeBron’s incredible season still demands respect.  There are a million stats we could point to that highlight his statistical achievements, but here’s one random tidbit of info to pass along (via Elias Sports Bureau): James led the NBA in road scoring average for the fourth straight season – the longest streak by any NBA player since Michael Jordan led the league in road scoring in each of seven straight seasons, starting with the 1986-87 seasons. 
 
{AUTHORS_BOX}5. Kobe Bryant – Los Angeles Lakers (25.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4.7 apg):
There were many peaks and many valleys for the Lakers during the 2010-2011 regular season.  However, Kobe was consistently and dependably excellent, which is certainly no surprise.  Bryant played all 82 games and once again placed among the league leaders in scoring – finishing 5th.  It is surprising when you realize Kobe has won only one MVP in his career and he won’t win another one this year; but Kobe has grander aspirations – a sixth NBA championship       
 
 
In the Race:
Chris Paul – New Orleans Hornets (15.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 9.8 apg):
Despite a limited supporting cast made even weaker when David West tore up his knee late in the season, the Hornets qualified for the playoffs in 2011 thanks primarily to the incredible efforts of Chris Paul.  CP3 posted not only his usually assortment of impressive standard stats, he also ranked near the top in PER, WinShares, and Offensive Efficiency.  And of course Paul was a pest on the defensive end as well: He led the league in steals (2.35 per game) for the third time in the last four years. That ties a league record, shared by four other players who led the NBA in steals three times: Micheal Ray Richardson, Alvin Robertson, Michael Jordan, and Allen Iverson.
 
Kevin Durant – Oklahoma City Thunder (27.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.7 apg):
Durant’s scoring average had increased by 5 ppg in each of his last two seasons, so it was a bit surprising to see his PPG "dip" down to below 28 this season.  Nonetheless, Durant obviously remains one of the NBA’s most lethal scoring machines, and helped guide his Thunder to home court advantage in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.  We can assume they’ll take up residency in the top half of the West for many years to come.   

Russell Westbrook – Oklahoma City Thunder (21.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 8.2 apg):
One of the reasons why Kevin Durant scored less this year was because Russell Westbrook blossomed into an elite NBA superstar.  Westbrook improved dramatically in nearly every category this season, posting career-highs in scoring, steals, blocks, assists, FG%, three-point percentage, and free-throw percentage.  One additional stat courtesy of Elias, detailing how deadly the duo of Westbrook and Durant were this season: Durant and Westbrook each scored 30-or-more points in the same game five times this season. The only other NBA teammates this season to score 30-or-more points in the same game at least five times are LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, who did it seven times.

Dwyane Wade – Miami HEAT (25.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 4.6 apg):
Despite another phenomenal season, including finishing second in the NBA in 4th Quarter scoring, Wade won’t sniff an MVP award anytime soon.  Like LeBron, Wade was fully aware he was likely sacrificing any shot he had at a regular season MVP when the Super Friends were formed.

Manu Ginobili – San Antonio Spurs (17.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 4.9 apg):
The Spurs, posting the second best record in the entire league, don’t have a true MVP.  Timmy D and Tony Parker were both obviously vital to San Antonio’s success, but Manu was arguably the Spurs best and most consistent player during the 2010-2011 season.

Honorable Mention: Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, LaMarcus Aldridge, Al Horford, Paul Pierce, Pau Gasol, Amar’e Stoudemire

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