At the end of Bulls/Heat, play-by-play man Mike Tirico kept going on and on about how “shocking” it was that Miami got swept. While it’s obviously rare for the defending champs to get smoked in the first round, there wasn’t much shocking about this series. Miami’s best player isn’t 100 percent, the rest of the squad is ancient, and collectively they’re not nearly as athletic as the Bulls. Last year Chicago pushed the Heat to the limit; this year they added Ben Wallace, P.J. Brown and Tyrus Thomas to the frontcourt and watched Ben Gordon (24 pts) and Luol Deng (22 pts, 12 rebs, 4 stls) mature into legit stars … D-Wade had 24 points and 10 dimes, but again had turnover issues (7 turnovers), getting picked clean a couple times by Kirk Hinrich … Is this the last game for Alonzo Mourning and Gary Payton? Everyone asked the same question last year — at this point, you gotta wonder if both of them wish they’d gone out on a winning note after beating Dallas for the chip in ‘06 … Speaking of the Mavs, another shocker that isn’t really that shocking is what Golden State is going to Dallas. Last night’s W put the Warriors up 3-1, but Baron Davis and Co. have pretty much owned Dallas over the past couple years. What actually is shocking is that GS did it last night while getting nothing from Monta Ellis (0 pts, 0-for-5 FGs). Baron, meanwhile, was doing whatever he wanted out there. He dropped 33 points, hit a halfcourt shot at halftime and took over during the run that gave the Warriors the lead for good … How great was that Bay Area crowd? Everyone was standing up the entire time and was loud as hell … If the postseason was taken into consideration for this year’s MVP voting, Steve Nash would house Dirk. Nash dropped 23 dimes and 17 points (15 dimes in the first half) on the Lakers to put the Suns up 3-1 in the series. Amare Stoudemire (27 pts, 21 rebs) and Shawn Marion (22 pts, 11 rebs) were the main beneficiaries of Steve’s dimes … Kobe put up 31 points and 9 dimes, but color commentator Jon Barry had it right when he kept imploring Kobe to shoot more. Sad, but it’s really L.A.’s only chance … Did you hear Barry talk on the ‘96 NBA Draft without thinking? After it was pointed out that Kobe and Nash was the respective 13th and 15th picks in that year’s class, Barry quipped, “That means 12 teams screwed up.” Play-by-play man Mike Breen quickly stepped in with, “Well, Allen Iverson wasn’t a bad pick.” That’s not to mention Ray Allen, Stephon Marbury, Antoine Walker, Marcus Camby and Shareef Abdur-Rahim. And it’s not like back in ‘96, anyone in their right mind would have chosen Nash or Kobe with a Top 5 pick — that class was too loaded and KG hadn’t yet proven that high schoolers could succeed in the new era. That said, we can’t defend all of the cats picked ahead of Kobe and Nash, a.k.a. Todd Fuller and Vitaly Potapenko … The Raptors got pieced again in Jersey to fall behind 3-1 in their series. Vince Carter kept up the Jekyll-and-Hyde thing at home and on the road, dropping 27 points. Is he automatically gonna start bricking fadeaways again when they go back to Toronto? … Random sighting over the weekend: Bostjan Nachbar stepping out of a place called something like “Herbal Spa” in NYC’s West Village. According to the sign, the place specializes in “Eastern European techniques” of waxing, massage, etc. Hey, whatever Bokie’s doing, it’s working … We’re out like the champs …
April 30th, 2007 at 2:05 am
Keith says:
Sitting at work I could only stay updated on the Mavs/Warriors game with ESPN’s Gamecast. It was the most exciting text play-by-play I’ve ever watched. We need a TV in here. Are the Warriors only an anti-Mavs team, or are they the real deal? It will be interesting to see them in the second round.
April 30th, 2007 at 3:13 am
The J says:
For anyone who didn’t catch the Canadian telecast of the Raptors-Nets, here is the breakdown of the highlight of the game.
A floor reporter winding up a sideline interview with a clearly drunk Bruce Willis:
Reporter - You’re also a couple months away from your new movie Die Hard 4.
Bruce - Yeah, and I think it’s better than the first.
Reporter - Well then “Yippee-kayee”, Chuck.
(camera pans away from interview back to the game)
Bruce - Yippee-Kayee MotherF@#ker!
Chuck (commentator) - (long pause) Sorry for the language everyone.
Theo (color guy) - I think someone had a few sodas at the game.
Look for this one on you-tube soon. The only real highlight of that game if you are a Raptors fan.
April 30th, 2007 at 4:17 am
knoc says:
the Bulls are gona charge through to the Finals!!!
Ahhh (tear*) just like the jordan days
April 30th, 2007 at 7:29 am
K-Dizzle says:
“If the postseason was taken into consideration for this year’s MVP voting, Steve Nash would house Dirk”
This is gonna be sweet. Nash deserves the MVP, everyone knows it. Mavericks without Dirk still win 45 games. Phoenix without Nash are the Boston Celtics. I look forward to the announcement of Nowitzki as the “REGULAR SEASON MVP” in game 1 of the Phoenix- Golden State series. Let’s hope the writers and voters aren’t scared to make history…
April 30th, 2007 at 8:08 am
FK in Toronto says:
PETA is soon going to step in for the Raps/Nets series, the two games in NJ were about the equivilent of clubbing baby seals.
There are soon going to be a hell of a lot of bandwaggers heading from Raptor camp to a team near you…
April 30th, 2007 at 9:03 am
Bron says:
Know what really cost the Heat? The draft. since wade, who have they drafted thats even in the rotation? Dorrell Wright was supposed to be the second coming of tmac (pay attention durant fans) but other than pre-season hes the highest paid towel boy in the league. Then theres wayne simien who was mr.everything for kansas with hinrich but now seems to be constantly modeling suits on the sideline. THEN on top of that, with GP maybe 5 days of turning into a pile of ashe, and white chocolate having bum knees, the best pg they could get was quinn and hite? With Juan jose barra and my summer league buddy keydran clark (who averaged 30 a game D1) going undrafted? Even the knicks make better draft choices. They need to make a move for acie law or alando tucker this summer or it could be another long year. Shaq isn’t gettin any younger and kapono isn’t turnin into chris mullin anytime soon.
Also, what happen to all the “dirk is the absolute mvp” talk? Are people just noticing his terrible shot selection and the fact hes gettin chumped by 6′6 guys? If you put 6′7 al harrington on KG, where do you think he’d be callin for the ball? in the post. Dirk on the other hand? chuckin from deep like hes doug flutie. I mean just think about it, that game wouldn’t have even been close if it wasn’t for stackhouse. You think dirk would of stepped in and blocked a former dunk champ? was dirk even in the area? If you had to pick 3 people on the mavs you see makin a game changing block or steal, is dirk even on the list? mine goes josh howard, stackhouse, diop…so much for mvp. I’d still give it to kobe (who everyone knows i cant stand) over dirk and nash for this simple reason. Yea kobe is a jock and doesn’t pass but you put him on the suns instead of nash and their the new bulls. Abusive wing player with crazy role players. You put nash on the lakers and their the hornets. Nice pg with a bunch of other guys in jerseys. who is more valuable. Just ask dallas, they let nash go and suddenly their in the nba finals. were people serious sayin nash is the best pg of all time? Ask ice thomas, the badboys and their 2 rings who they think is a better pg. Ask john stockton and his finals appearences who is better. Not to mention magic, kidd (went to the finals with jason collins in the post not amare….jason collins). Baron davis is about to do what nash couldnt..but your right, nash is on the level with larry bird..please.
April 30th, 2007 at 9:32 am
Austin Burton says:
You can’t really do the “switch Kobe and Nash” thing because of the systems. Put Nash in a triangle and he’s not the Steve Nash that’s a two-time MVP — the system doesn’t call for him to run wild and drop dimes all over the place as the PG. Put Kobe in PHX’s system and he’s another wing player; that system is run by the PG, which needs to be someone like Nash. Just like the Triangle needs to be anchored by a 2-guard, just like Kobe (MJ in Chicago).
Basically, Nash doesn’t put up 18 ppg, 12 apg in the triangle and Kobe doesn’t put up 30 ppg in Phoenix’s system. (Who’s running point, Marcus Banks?)
April 30th, 2007 at 10:18 am
Drew Ebanks says:
Raptor Fan here…wow the ship is sinking fast…very fast! I can’t even explain what I watched last night. The J was right above…the Bruce Willis thing was odd and the most exciting thing that happened in that game.
I said this would happen…back on Apr 11th…
Peep it at http://dunkuverymuch.blogspot.com/2007/04/be-careful-what-you-wish-for-raptor.html.
Raps are done like dinner.
Dimemag keep up the good work.
April 30th, 2007 at 10:55 am
Bron says:
put it this way burton..you could put chris paul, chauncy, hinrich etc..on the suns and they’d still be abusive team. Marcus banks is about even with smush parker in overall pg talent so it wouldn’t be that much of a difference. And even if you changed the lakers to a run and guy system, nash still wouldn’t thrive..like I said, dallas got better LOSING nash. Everyone thought they’d fall apart but you put devin harris in that spot, who isn’t even a allstar let alone a mvp candidate and the mavs lead the league. Same thing with the suns..they were in the playoffs with F’N marbury at point, so far all nash has done is gotten them one round farther. Not really MVP mind blowing difference. so fine. put kobe AND smush parker on the suns for nash and say…raja bell and marcus banks along with allowing the lakers to run and gun..which team is a favorite in the west? the suns with kobe…and I HATE kobe..so its not like i’m one of those “well he scored 81 so hes mvp” people. Put nash on a bad team and he would turn them into a bad team with alot of assists ala chris paul. Everyone is like, oh well the suns do bad when he is hurt. Well duh, if you go from a allstar pg you play with 24/7 to a bs pg like banks who never see’s the court of course theres going to be drop off. The same thing happen with chris paul and the hornets but he isn’t mvp level either. Plain and simple, you can’t give nash 3 mvps, when he hasnt won anything on a stacked team. Same with dirk…josh howard guards the best player, the team has a better record when he scores 20 than when dirk scores 30 but yet dirk is mvp…for what? being 7′0 and hitting 3 pointers? when he goes tayshaun prince and blocks a game winning shot in a BIG game (not against the hawks or something) then maybe he’ll merit mvp…when nash goes to a team like the bobcats and turns them into contenders, then maybe he’ll me mvp but as for now hes like phil jackson..doin good things on a stacked team. I could go run the point with marion and amare fillin lanes and my ball experience only goes as far as college and playin over seas.
April 30th, 2007 at 11:04 am
Bron says:
also not mention. if you had a lineup of kobe,marion,diaw and amare..you could pretty much put a high school pg on the team and kobe/amare would still go for 30 since the ball wouldn’t be in the pgs hands and kobe can create for himself. If he could put up 60 (yes its against bum teams but yea) with people double and tripling him…just think if he had people like amare and marion PLUS he wouldn’t have to use as much energy since he wouldn’t be guarding the best player on the other team as its marions job. so wow, kobe doesn’t average 30 ppg on the suns, instead he averages 25 and 7 assists…either way it would be a better team than a run and gun lakers squad with nash.
April 30th, 2007 at 11:24 am
Shep says:
Another quality moment from the Canadian Raptors telecast…
Horrible colour guy (Chuck Swirsky): Leo, give me your best Dick Bavetta story… because I know you love Dick!
April 30th, 2007 at 11:30 am
franky f says:
Let’s all just take a moment of silence for both the Heat and the Mavs……..Alright, now get serious for a second. It’s gonna be Suns and Detroit in the finals, and that shit is gonna be sick! Kobe for MVP. What happened to the Dirk who was taking it hard to the rim last postseason? Nash is sick, and with his record-tying 23 assists he can be named with the other top PG’s of all time: Magic, Stockton, Isiah. Well, not until he gets to the finals.
April 30th, 2007 at 3:13 pm
Andy says:
Ha!
Bulls, Suns, Mavs, ??????
SSS PPP UUUU RRRR SSS
/S /P /U /R /S
SPURS PLAYING FULLCOURT BALL!
April 30th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
dagwaller says:
Bron, let me see if I can channel Burton here. It’s not about the skill level of the players; if it was, then yes, you’d be right, Amare, Marion and Kobe would crush people. It’s about the system. Kobe wouldn’t thrive in Phoenix, because there would be no one to pass him the ball. That’s the beauty of Phoenix’s system. If, as you suggest, he just created his own shot the entire time, there would be no difference between the Suns and the Lakers. Yes, the players are more talented, but their biggest advantages would be nullified because the fast break wouldn’t be there anymore.
Ditto Nash to the Lakers. Nash would be able to pass to the Lakers and make them better, yes, but that’s not the SYSTEM in place there. The triangle is a highly regimented system, one in which a single player doesn’t have the ball in his hands the entire time (which is why, as currently constituted, they won’t win a playoff series, Kobe or no). In that system, instead of having the ball in his hands and pounding the ball around, Nash would have 2 or 3 options, then pick one ASAP. After that, it might be another 10 seconds before he saw the ball again. It’s hard to impact the game the way that Nash does if he doesn’t have the ball in his hands. It’s not like he’s going to be cutting and setting picks.
Both of those points aside, their types of defense don’t fit in with their “new teams”, either. Nash doesn’t really do much other than to funnel people into the lane, where, in the fast pace that he’s created, opposing guards hurry by Steve just to get swatted by the super-athletic forwards the Suns employ. He’s then able to get out on the run. Meanwhile, Kobe plays the passing lanes in the halfcourt (hard to do with such a fast paced SYSTEM) and locks down the opposing team’s best swingman, which is already a job that Raja Bell has.
I’m out like Bron…
April 30th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
Grissy says:
Shep, Chuck isn’t the color guy, Leo is…but great line none the less!!…
And Bruce Willis was money…I stopped and had to think if he had really just said that…
April 30th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
Austin Burton says:
dagwaller beat me to it … Phil Jackson has been running the triangle forever and has won 9 championships with it; he’s not going to change his system even if he was given a PG with Nash’s capabilities. D’Antoni hasn’t been as successful as Phil, but he’s also been running the same system for years (including in Europe, I presume), so he’s not changing either. So if the Lakers get Nash, they’re not going run-and-gun. And if Phoenix gets Kobe, they’re not going to a Kobe-centric system. Both players would have to work within the system and find a way to do their thing. All I’m saying is that if that were to happen, Nash isn’t going to be the Nash you see today, and Kobe won’t be the Kobe you see today. Will they still be All-Stars? Of course. But you can’t just hypothetically switch their jerseys like that … it’s easier to do say with, say, Kobe and T-Mac or Nash and Chucky Atkins or whoever is playing PG in Memphis.
That’s more interesting to me: how would Kobe do with Yao Ming, Shane Battier and crew? How would Nash do with Pau Gasol, Rudy Gay, Mike Miller, etc.?
Bron, part of the reason Dallas’ record improved without Nash is because Dirk grew up and got better, and because they committed to defense. And J-Terry replaced Nash, not Devin Harris.
April 30th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
Joeman says:
BULLS VS Warriors in the finals!!!!!!
Bulls win in five games after Stephen Jackson is arrested for jaywalking with a loaded gun in his bag.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!
April 30th, 2007 at 9:17 pm
shock_theatre says:
Sick of hearing about Nash or Dirk. Both of their team would be in playoffs(Not as great of records a given). Yeah I know he is the two time Mvp, will not win this year. The voters are two scared of making him a three time when he has not even won a championship. I do not believe either are Mvp material, neither play defense and they cannot get it done the deeper they get in the playoffs. It would be disrespectful to those Hall of Famers for these over-rated players to win another.
But one is from the Great White North and the other is German. Will not say anything, because most peeps know the reason.
True MVPS
Kobe
Lebron
Arenas(if was not injured)
Carmello
Without these players neither of these teams would see the playoffs. That is an Mvp
People act like Dallas & Phoenix are subpar team with one great player. Get real both of these teams are still 4 & 5 seeds without them. So lets be honest they are good players(minus defense) surrounded by good players.
I know the media loves to hype them up to draw in fans, Dirk is cool, but who holds this team together is Jason Terry. Phoenix without Amare is just the same Run & Gun exciting team that cannot win anything when it counts.
The MVP has turned into a joke
April 30th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
shock_theatre says:
To put these joke azz, over-hyped players in the category of past winners is total disrespect to the game.
Most on the list have more rings than Dirk and Nash have all star appearances.
2003-04 - Kevin Garnett, Minnesota
2002-03 - Tim Duncan, San Antonio
2001-02 - Tim Duncan, San Antonio
2000-01 - Allen Iverson, Philadelphia
1999-00 - Shaquille O’Neal, Los Angeles Lakers
1998-99 - Karl Malone, Utah
1997-98 - Michael Jordan, Chicago
1996-97 - Karl Malone, Utah
1995-96 - Michael Jordan, Chicago
1994-95 - David Robinson, San Antonio
1993-94 - Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston
1992-93 - Charles Barkley, Phoenix
1991-92 - Michael Jordan, Chicago
1990-91 - Michael Jordan, Chicago
1989-90 - Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers
1988-89 - Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers
1987-88 - Michael Jordan, Chicago
1986-87 - Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers
1985-86 - Larry Bird, Boston
1984-85 - Larry Bird, Boston
1983-84 - Larry Bird, Boston
1982-83 - Moses Malone, Philadelphia
1981-82 - Moses Malone, Houston
1980-81 - Julius Erving, Philadelphia
1979-80 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles
1978-79 - Moses Malone, Houston
1977-78 - Bill Walton, Portland
1976-77 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles
1975-76 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles
1974-75 - Bob McAdoo, Buffalo
1973-74 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee
1972-73 - Dave Cowens, Boston
1971-72 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee
1970-71 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee
1969-70 - Willis Reed, New York
1968-69 - Wes Unseld, Baltimore
1967-68 - Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia
1966-67 - Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia
1965-66 - Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia
1964-65 - Bill Russell, Boston
1963-64 - Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati
1962-63 - Bill Russell, Boston
1961-62 - Bill Russell, Boston
1960-61 - Bill Russell, Boston
1959-60 - Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia
1958-59 - Bob Pettit, St. Louis
1957-58 - Bill Russell, Boston
1956-57 - Bob Cousy, Boston
1955-56 - Bob Pettit, St. Louis
April 30th, 2007 at 9:31 pm
jdizzle says:
I may get some “r u crazy” type responses 4 this but f&@k it. Honestly I wouldn’t even put kobe in the mvp conversation. I mean come on how can u be the mvp, much less a candidate, if the highest seed your team can get is #7 TWO YEARS IN A ROW!
Im out like the Embers-excuse me, the Heat.
April 30th, 2007 at 9:37 pm
shock_theatre says:
Respect to the Warriors and their fans. That place was crunk. Baron was insane and Don Nelson is getting it done. Would be a good match Phoenix and Golden State(pretty good hustling defense). Nash is still garbage, but the team has some talent.
Multiple MVP Winners
6 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
5 - Michael Jordan
5 - Bill Russell
4 - Wilt Chamberlain
3 - Larry Bird
3 - Magic Johnson
3 - Moses Malone
2 - Tim Duncan
2 - Karl Malone
2 - Steve Nash
2 - Bob Pettit
I wonder if any of these guys won a Championship.
April 30th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
Austin Burton says:
If you want to talk MVP candidates whose teams wouldn’t make the playoffs without them, you need to include T-Mac. He carried a mediocre roster on his back to the 4th-best record in the West while Yao missed 30-plus games. Even when Yao is on the court, it’s still T-Mac’s team.
April 30th, 2007 at 11:34 pm
Dank says:
finally, people are starting to realize how much of a joke Nash and nowitzki are. if it wasnt for marion and Stat (who i hate by the way but im giving him credit) Nash would’ve had 6 assists and 17 turnovers on any given night. he cant deal with good defense (such as the one that showed up thursday by the lakers…u know, the one that comes as often as Haley’s Comet). and nowitzki? do i even need to argue how much of a choking little SOB he is?? do i need to mention that without DESAGANA DIOP the warriors ran all over the Mavs???? but of course, since most (if not all) the voters are white, and since the league has been losing its white fan base, they put the spotlight on MEDIOCRE white players, takin away from the real MVPS such as Yao, Tmac, KOBE, Lebron, Arenas, Melo…and for those of you who think im pulling the race card, hating on white players, get this: i see more talent in Andris Biedrins, Luke Walton, and Pavlovic than i see in nowitzki or nash. Please, go suck a fat one Mavs and Suns fans. your teams are jack without its role players. you know, the guys who step up when its crunch time.
im out like saying the MVP isn’t rigged.
May 1st, 2007 at 12:12 am
flyp says:
Hey shock_theatre, you can’t really call Nash garbage… He’s getting paid biggg dollars to ball and you’re posting trash talk on a message board. So he must have some skill.
On another note, doesn’t the Nash MVP talk deserve comparison to Malone’s two MVP’s? His team never took home the chip and his teams were full of talent (and short shorts).
And in terms of choosing an MVP, if it were given simply to the best player in the game without acknowleding team success, KG has been robbed of a couple of MVPs. So all you people saying how Kobe should be MVP strictly on talent, keep this in mind and try and think like the voters think. (Best player on a very good team)
May 1st, 2007 at 2:13 am
K-Dizzle says:
Way to go and make this about race, clown. Everyone comes on to discuss legitimate reasons why their guy is the MVP. Don’t rip on the two leading vote getters because they happen to be white. The award is “Most Valuable Player” meaning, the player, without who, his team does not attain the level of success they reached. Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki just happened to be the most valuable players on the two best teams in the L. Every team has an MVP, so it’s comparative. Is McGrady more valuable than Ben Gordon? Is Kobe more valuable than Carlos boozer? Are the Spurs jack without Tim Duncan? Where’s G-State without B-Diddy? Appreciate what Nash, Lebron, Bosh, Kobe, Baron do for their teams. Nobody said a word when Nash won the first MVP. Everyone agreed it was his again last year without STAT, now that he’s ready to make history and join exclusive company, it’s about race? The writers are not all white and the NBA ain’t losing money.
As a Black Man, my MVP is Steve Nash and I don’t care if he’s purple. He can straight ball. It’s not about how would he do in LA. It’s not about defensive inadequacies. It’s about WINNING and CHEMISTRY. Phoenix is a TEAM. After watching the first round of the playoffs, which for some reason, comes after the voting for MVP, who looks like the MVP, with my sincerest apologies to Baron Davis.
Talk ball, not race.
I’m out like the haters
May 1st, 2007 at 3:07 am
shock_theatre says:
Tmac too I agree should be MVP consideration. The other two actually play on good teams, Just using a couple of players for example(like Kobe). Don’t get me wrong Nash is a good PG, but his team would not be losing team without him. He is replaceable , Amare and Marion might not be.
May 1st, 2007 at 3:48 am
heavyhorse says:
nash is the best team player in basketball. you can’t argue that he didn’t deserve it at least the first year he won it.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:56 am
dagwaller says:
Re: People hating on Nash and Nowitzki
shock, here’s a quick list of the guys that you posted that have won MVP that don’t have rings.
KG
AI
Karl Malone
Charles Barkley
There are a few of you guys (shock, dank) that just seem to forget about these “role players” that are probably not as good as Biedrins or Luke Walton, either. Or whatever their black counterparts would be, I suppose.
About Kobe, LeBron, T-Mac, Arenas, and Melo:
These guys are all probably the MVP of their teams, yes. Without them, their team wouldn’t have made the playoffs, or would have a much, much lower seed (although I’d probably go with “out of the playoffs). Aside from the fact that I dislike T-Mac immensely for what he did to Orlando, he’s the ONLY ONE that belongs on this list.
Melo is easy: he spent a third of the season NOT EVEN PLAYING. Later.
Arenas? I live in Baltimore, and I posted a bunch of stuff in December about why he should win, but here’s the thing: all of his heroics came in the first few months of the season. Shaq wasn’t playing in his division then, and the Central teams stumbled out of the gate. Since then? He got injured down the stretch and only made third on the scoring list. He’s arguably tied with Caron and Antawn for the best player on the team; a glorified scorer. How many glorified scorers have won the MVP? Later, Gilbert.
It’s widely believed that LeBron coasted in the first half of the season, but even if he didn’t, what did he do to earn the MVP? “Carry” his team to the second seed in the East? This East? It’d be galling to give the MVP to anyone in the East, since they simply play against subpar competition (which is why Shaq shouldn’t have won the award when Nash won his first). Later, Lebron.
Kobe is a great player, yes. Getting into the 7th spot in the playoffs in the West is impressive, yes. Did he do it alone? No. People seem to forget the team that he played on for the first half - you know, the one before all of the injuries, when he was reinventing himself as a team player. THAT is a player that I could get behind as MVP. But then he was forced to gun it for the latter part of the season, which is a shame, but it also makes it hard to vote for him. I wonder if you guys thought that T-Mac should’ve won it when he won the scoring title and made it to the playoffs with the Magic? Kinda like Kobe and Gilbert…later Kobe.
T-Mac is a definite consideration, except that he, too, missed some time. I don’t know why he doesn’t get more consideration. I don’t like him, but I have a lot of respect for him. (Btw, yes, Kobe for T-Mac would be an appropriate trade. Chucky Atkins for Nash? I don’t think so.)
“Just voting for white guys”? Take a look at that list again, boys. Since ‘78-’79 (that’s almost 30 years, for a couple of you), Larry Bird won 3, and Steve Nash has 2. That’s a total of 5 in about 30 years. That doesn’t sound like racism to me…unless you’re a white person. Then, I guess, you could make an argument that there haven’t been enough white MVPs. I wouldn’t make that argument, but I don’t see how 5 in 30 years is a huge problem. Also, keep in mind that while it seems that the NBA has gotten away from its white fan base a bit, it’s been like that for a while now, and there still haven’t been a ton of white MVPs. Why now? Oh, that’s right - because there are a couple of good white guys, and the rest of the league hasn’t produced a definitive MVP (hence your entire list of guys).
Furthermore, don’t look at it as white and black anymore. Look at it as “foreign” and “American”. Not that there’s anything wront with that, but Tim Duncan, Hakeem, Nash AND Nowitzki aren’t from this country. Yet they’ve only won a handful of MVPs over the course of the NBA’s history. Xenophobes! The NBA isn’t racist - it’s xenophobic! Only now they’re just so happening to pick these danged foreigners! Oh dearz, WhAtEvEr will we do?!?!
Dank, I guess Steve Nash wasn’t facing good defenses when he led his team to the 2-seed - we must have forgotten. I guess that Shawn Marion and Amare probably just ran the ball up themselves and dunked from the foul line when Steve was hiding from those good defenses. Or maybe Steve averaged 25 assists a game against the bad teams so that he could put up measly numbers against the good ones. By the way, he’s the only guy that averaged over 10 assists this season.
Nowitzki DOES play defense now, and if you haven’t been paying attention to his play all season, I guess I can understand why you’d say that he “chokes” and “doesn’t play defense”. Now that he’s on tv every other night, you can watch him play, and I guess that’s good for you. One thing, though: MVP is a regular season award. Later, Dank.
I’m out like MVP racists…
May 1st, 2007 at 11:18 am
bbty says:
If Phoenix role players carry Nash, then why can they not win without him? We’re talking .750 winning percentage with Nash in the lineup and below .250 winning percentage with Nash out of the lineup. To say that players like Biedrins, Walton and Pavlovic are more talented than Nash and Nowitzki says enough about one’s opinions. About not getting it done in the playoffs, the same could be said about Allen Iverson (who took his team to a final in a subpar conference) and Kevin Garnett, yet no one seems to be making these points. I love how someone can say Nash/Nowitzki don’t deserve to be MVP because they don’t play defence, and in the next breath, wants to give consideration to Gilbert Arenas. Ridiculous. If we want to use historical context and championships as a barometer for MVP, really only Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade should be considered. This is of course where that logic is flawed. To say the voting is rigged as a conspiracy to ensure a white guy wins loses credibility when guys like Barkley, Smith, Miller and other black analysts also consider Nash and Nowitzki as the top candidates. Again ridiculous.
Wow - Kobe puts up 30 points a game and leads his team to the playoffs over teams like the LA Clippers that choked throughout the year and losing their PG and upstart New Orleans - give him MVP! Wasn’t Lamar Odom supposed to be a star in the league? I wonder if playing with a Nash or Kidd would have lead to that.
May 1st, 2007 at 12:08 pm
Dank says:
oh sorry for bringing race excuse me. that sucks that you dont read dude, you would’ve learned something from a younger guy. everytime anyone says how nash and nowitzki dont deserve the MVP, they back it up with “you just hate them because they’re white”. nope, thats not the issue at all here. like i said, nash does not deserve the MVP, and the NBA, just like any other money making industry, is turning into a joke and into a corporation. giving the MVP to a guy that was 3rd in the league in turnovers (behind, are you ready for this? drum roll please… Dwight Howard and Eddy Curry, 2 guys who dont have ball handling skills) is ridiculous. the MVP of the Suns should be the entire TEAM who save Nash’s ass from leading the league in turovers by 300. i dont care if you have a trophy or not, thats besides the point. Dirk and Malone and Barkley and AI have all gotten to the finals, some of them choked more than others (dirk). some of them didnt have the backup (AI). the MVP is the guy who carries that team, no matter what. Nash and Nowitzki dont carry their teams night in and night out. thats why they have guys like Josh Howard, and the Matrix, and STAT and Jason Terry, and Jerry Stackhouse. oh what do all those guys have in common besides stepping up? oh yea now i remember, athletism. Talent. if nowitzki has so much “talent”, how come he is missing his trademark shot when 6 ft 7 guys are guarding him? how come Nash cant pass out of a good double team by the poor defense lakers? does an MVP have multiple nights of 7 plus turnovers? do you have answers for that smartass?? nope. i wont even give a debate for the true MVPs of the league simply because putting them in the same sentence with Nash and Nowitzki is disrespectful to Lebron and Kobe and Yao and Mac and whoever else u wanna make an MVP case for.
May 1st, 2007 at 12:15 pm
Bron says:
did someone here really compare walton and pav to nash and dirk? oh I have to agree there that its crazy talk.. While I think dirk is completely overrated, hes levels (I’m talkin 1st floor-22nd flor type gap) levels ahead of luke F’n walton.
That aside, yes the suns fall of when nash is hurt..Why you say? because nash is the best basketball player alive? No because you have to adjust to either play with a) my UNLV Alum marcus banks who never was a pass first guard. more of a defensive ball hawk
b) barbosa who is strictly a scoring guard.
When your used to playing a certain way, and that way changes, your gonna do bad. The only thing is, since nash is never really hurt that long, it looks worse since the team has no time to adjust to the new replacement guard. for all we know, if nash was hurt for say 15 games, the suns could suck the first couple games and then win 11 in a row once they adjust to a different style of pg. Again, all hypothetical.
and yes, dirk plays ALITTLE better defense. But again, hes not shutting anyone down, hes not guarding the Kobe,tmac, lebron (he tried once this year and lebron put 30 on him). So going from subpar defender to semi average defender isn’t really a big deal.
Also lets be honest people, faking there isn’t racism in sports is gay. I’m not gonna say its all racist but it does play a part. Hence the dress code which was to make the nba hip hop style go more white business. Is that terrible? no, but it IS david stern, the most no basketball looking person of all time control his investment and mold it into the way he wants. As for the MVP race, yes, black nba analyst are saying nash deserves it now, but they also said that he didn’t deserve it the year he beat out shaq. So does that mean we take one away and give it to him this year?
Also, putting iverson mvp run beside nashs? are you serious? do you see who iverson played with? He could of played every game with a bookbag, thats how much he carried that team. was that sixers team even close to the suns team now? no but he still carried them enough to win a game against the lakers dynasty. Nash hasn’t even made it to the finals on any team hes been on with other all stars on it.
As for sayin white people have a argument about more whites winning mvps, thats kinda crazy. You name me someone who merits it in that time span and we might have a debate..Most i can think of is stockton and he had another hall of famer on his team. Yes the mvp is a regular season award, so if thats the case dirk should win automatically right? wouldn’t that cancel nash even from the conversation? That way we could ignore how they both are pretty much junk come playoff time.
p.s: tmac for kobe isn’t equal. Kobe is way more complete than tmac, and doesn’t get hurt as much. I like tmac more than kobe since back in his orlando droppin 60 on the lakers days but that trade isn’t even a thought.
p.s: can we please stop sayin i’m out like this and that..the dime crew is barely creative with it, let alone rippin them off during comments.
May 1st, 2007 at 12:21 pm
Bron says:
one last thing, i love how everyone rags on east teams when, havn’t they won rings recently? cant say the same for the mavs or the suns. Thats like a east player sayin the spurs and the lakers carried the west the past few years.
May 1st, 2007 at 12:51 pm
Dank says:
aye bron, i agree with what you said, but my statement got messed up in here. im not COMPARING nash to walton or pavlovic. they’re never gunna perhaps be as important to they teams, but im saying i respect those 2 more than i respect nash or nowitzki (thats where the race issue should leave right there). the other thing is, yea the suns SUCK without nash, but thats cause they havent worked anyone else enough to take the reigns from him when he’s ready to bounce. that team is gunna be a disaster, a turnover machine, unless they teach barbosa that besides scoring more he needs to actually play the Point. am i wrong? if so, then how come that, even when the suns are winning by 30’s with 6 minutes left in the final quarter, the same 8 guys are always coming in and out of the game? burke and rose and banks and jumaine jones dont get tick for a reason, not cus they suck, but because they aren’t involved in any way during practices. does that give nash more MVP valuability? nope. like i said, if it wasnt for marions and STATs quick hands, he’d be averaging 11 points a night with 5 assists and 7 turnovers. as far as Tmac goes, i know, i know, injuries. but man, that team would’ve been in the lottery again if he had played the same amount of games as last year. Kobe is my man, my pick for MVP the past 2 years. and AI, dude had been a one man team since he came from georgetown. now he gets to lay back a little in denver, but the truth is he should make melo take control, not just give it to him cus melo is the face of the franchise. dont get me wrong, the man in denver has been melo since he joined them, but he needs to be more aggressive. last night was a disaster for that team.
May 17th, 2007 at 12:46 pm
Bean says:
its a shame that the heat got shut out by the bulls but they gotta nother thing cmin if they even thinking about gettin past the pistons right now!….the pistons are lookin pretty unstoppable right now and nuthin will stand their way to gettin to the finals and play against their next opponent!