Award Watch: NBA MVP
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…
Front Runners:
1. Derrick Rose – Chicago Bulls (24.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 8.1 apg):
With Miami’s loss on Thursday night the Bulls are now tied with the HEAT for the second-best record in the Eastern Conference. Back in October, if I would have told you that Chicago would be the #2 seed in late-January, despite both Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer missing huge chunks of the season, you would have told me that D Rose would have had to play like, well, an MVP. Derrick has done just that. The Bulls possess an NBA-best 13-game lead in the Central Division. In fact, they are undefeated (10-0) against Central Division opponents. Here is a smattering of comments from Rose-for-MVP-supporters around the NBA (courtesy of Bullsbythehorns.com):
Charles Barkley on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000 (via ESPNChicago): "I think Derrick has surpassed Deron Williams as the best point guard in the NBA, and I think right now he has to be the front-runner for MVP. He’s been fantastic, and I think when you look at the Eastern Conference, and I’ve said it all along, the Chicago Bulls to me are the most dangerous team if they get everybody healthy. Derrick Rose to me has been a tremendous leader. He’s missed his second and third best players the majority of the season, and they have the third-best record in the Eastern Conference. That’s pretty remarkable."
Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau (via ESPNChicago): "If you had to make [the pick] right now, what he’s done for our team, I can’t imagine anyone doing any more. But again, I think the big thing is how he’s lifted our team."
ESPN’s Rick Reilly: "Your MVP vote might be Dwyane Wade or LeBron James in Miami, but you’d be wrong. They have each other. It might be for the wizard Rondo in Boston, but he’s only a disher, not a scorer. It might be for Amare Stoudemire of the New York Knicks, but if he’s so valuable, why do they lose as often as they win? Rose has the Bulls in the hunt for the No. 1 seed in the East even though they lost their two trees — Joakim Noah (21 games) and Carlos Boozer (18) — for much of the first half. The pick is Rose for all the right reasons.
2. Amar’e Stoudemire – New York Knicks (26.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.7 apg):
If you have ever wondered what an MVP impact sounds like, you should have been inside Madison Square Garden late Thursday night as the Knicks were closing in on their victory over the Miami HEAT… It used to be that the loudest cheers at Knicks game came during the timeouts, when the dance team would fire T-shirts into the crowd. Nowadays, basketball-loving New Yorkers have been able to return home and scream for their beloved Knickerbockers. Stoudemire didn’t have his best game versus the Miami last night, but he had plenty of important buckets. More importantly, as we have talked about in this space all year long, Amar’e has provided the spark that has turned this organization around. The confidence/swagger STAT has instilled in his teammates, and the organization as whole, has been contagious. It was on full display Thursday night, in the Knicks biggest win in long time. The resurgence was actually audible. And Amar’e is to blame.
3. Chris Paul – New Orleans Hornets (16.4 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 9.7 apg):
As the hottest team in the NBA the Hornets, improbably, have now won 10 straight. After a mid-season slump, Chris Paul has powered the Hornets back to Top-3 status in the powerful Western Conference. Paul’s standard stats are obviously impressive, as are his advanced metrics – CP3 is second in the NBA In PER Rating (25.85). But the single most important numbers are 31 and 16 – the Hornets current win-loss record. This is a team that finished seven games below .500 last season, and last in the Southwest Division. What a difference a healthy CP3 makes, huh?
4. Dwight Howard – Orlando Magic (22.0 ppg, 13.4rpg, 2.2 bpg):
Orlando is still trying to find their groove and successfully incorporate all the newly-added pieces. However, the one constant has been Howard – an absolute rock in the middle. As the game’s most dominant defensive force, Superman’s expanding offensive repertoire is making him that much more valuable to the Magic. Howard’s usage rate is currently at a career-high level, as is his scoring average.
5. Kobe Bryant – Los Angeles Lakers (24.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.8 apg):
The Lakers are 8-2 over their last 10 games as Kobe and his crew are back amongst the NBA best regular-season records. Bryant’s minutes are way down this season (33 mpg compared with nearly 39 mpg in 2009-2010); however, Kobe has been more accurate from both the floor and the free-throw stripe, while reducing his turnovers.
In the Race:
Dirk Nowitzki – Dallas Mavericks (23.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.5 apg):
Dirk is still struggling to regain his form since returning from injury earlier this month. Over the Mavs last five contests, Dirk is shooting just 36% form the field, and averaging 18.8 points and 4.8 boards. Solid production, yes – but not near the numbers we have come to expect from the ultra-consistent Nowitzki.
LeBron James – Miami HEAT (25.8 ppg, 7.3rpg, 7.1 apg):
{AUTHOR_BOX}Last night, when Dwayne Wade caught fire (Wade connected on 14 of his first 15 field-goal attempts), it was weird to see a reigning MVP so blatantly defer to a teammate for long stretches in a close game. It is the byproduct of LBJ choosing to join forces with Wade and Bosh in Miami. On a related note, here’s an interesting stat: D Wade is second in the NBA in 4th-quarter scoring (behind only Amar’e Stoudemire). LeBron isn’t even in the top-5. For those that argue LBJ is the favorite to retain his crown, when was the last time an NBA MVP wasn’t the leading 4th quarter scorer on his own team?
Kevin Durant – Oklahoma City Thunder (28.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.9 apg):
Great stat from the Elias Sports Bureau pertaining to KD’s monster night against the T-Wolves: Kevin Durant exploded for 47 points to go along with his 18 rebounds in the Thunder’s 118-117 overtime win at Minnesota. The only other active player who has ever equaled or exceeded those totals of points and rebounds in an NBA game is Shaquille O’Neal, who did it three times, all in regulation games (for Orlando in 1994 and for the Lakers in 2000 and 2003). The only other player to do so over the last 20 seasons was Sacramento’s Chris Webber (Jan. 5, 2001 in overtime).
Russell Westbrook – Oklahoma City Thunder (22.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 8.4 apg):
Despite playing alongside the NBA’s leading scorer, Westbrook has been every bit as valuable to the Thunder this season as Durant. Russell’s consistent, all-around production has been vital in OKC’s evolution to legit threat in the West.
Deron Williams – Utah Jazz (21.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 9.4 apg):
The Jazz have lost Western-conference worst six straight, but those loses can’t be pinned on D-Will. Despite playing with a painful wrist injury, Williams poured in 39 points and dished out 9 dimes in Utah’s latest loss to the Spurs. The Jazz obviously need their top-gun healthy if they plan to reverse their losing ways.
Dwyane Wade – Miami HEAT (25.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 4.2 apg):
Wade was the one wearing tinted goggles to reduce glare and prevent migraines during Miami’s match-up with the Knicks on Thursday night, but it was Mike D’Antoni and New York who got a headache early on watching Wade score at will. Dwyane pumped in a game-high 34 points and grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds. However, Wade faltered down the stretch, missing all seven of his field-goal attempts in the 4th quarter. We shall see if there are any adverse effects from this migraine issue.
Manu Ginobili – San Antonio Spurs (18.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 4.9 apg):
With by far and away the NBA’s best record, it is only fair that at least one member of the Spurs gets some MVP-love. We’ll go with Manu, who is enjoying one of the best all-around seasons of his career.
Rajon Rondo – Boston Celtics (10.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 12.7 apg):
Ditto for the C’s. It seems every night the Celtics have a different MVP, but Rondo’s consistent impact at both ends of the floor is undeniably important.
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