Photo. MannionAs you can see from the cover of our new issue, at the midway point of the NBA season, we think that Kobe Bryant has made a pretty undeniable case for MVP. That being said, as the march to the playoffs grows in intensity, the guy who will end up battling for that honor with Kobe will undoubtedly be Chris Paul.
What CP3 has done this season has been nothing short of amazing, leading the Hornets to the best record in the West, and most recently in back-to-back games (the All-Star game and last night’s run against the Mavs), he served Jason Kidd. Today’s New Orleans Times-Picayune pushes CP’s campaign:
The Hornets dragged the Mavericks up and down the court Wednesday night. At times, they manhandled Dallas the same way they’ve manhandled many other opponents this season, and the result was a 104-93 victory that ruined the return to Dallas of Jason Kidd.
“We were focused,” Hornets Coach Byron Scott said. “We know how good Dallas is.”
But the Mavericks weren’t that good in New Orleans, a credit to what the Hornets often have done to their opponents.
That’s not to say the Kidd move won’t work for Dallas (35-19). The chance to add Hall of Fame talent, even if it’s 34-year-old Hall of Fame talent, is one that has to be taken if the guy still can play. And Kidd, who started at guard for the Eastern Conference in the All-Star Game on Sunday, still has skills.
But he didn’t pick the best night to rejoin the Mavericks, from whom he once was traded.
Fact is, there aren’t many good nights available for point guards on teams opposing the Hornets, not with Chris Paul kicking gluteus and taking lunch money like a cherub-faced schoolyard bully.All due respect to Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, those “MVP!” chants for Paul beginning to reverberate throughout the New Orleans Arena every time his face is shown, or every time he swishes a clutch shot, aren’t premature or hollow. The Hornets are the best team in the best conference, and Paul clearly is the one Hornet that New Orleans can’t do without, a player who has given MVP-caliber performances night in and night out against all comers.
“We’ve got 30 more games left,” said Paul, dismissing MVP talk as if blowing by a defender after a lethal crossover. “It’s going to be interesting.”
Interesting? There’s nothing interesting about 31 points, 11 assists, nine steals and five rebounds, which is what Paul posted against Dallas. Instead, the word that comes to mind is dominance.
Photo. Courtesy of JordanIf it keeps going like this, it would hard to deny Paul the MVP ahead of LeBron and maybe even Kobe.
February 21st, 2008 at 12:11 pm
GEE...If she got coot problems you better not mess with her says:
Just curious DIME how do you all have Kobe ahead of LeBron, when Bron clearly has his team in playoff running, and way less help than Kobe?
I don’t even think Kobe could have that squad where LeBron has them if they were to trade places. Just wondering?
February 21st, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Myrie says:
Interesting.
It would not bother me if Chris Paul received first place votes. Or even won the award.
But the competition is still thick for MVP.
Kobe Bryant’s team may actually have a better record by next week. And he’ll still finish 2nd in the league in scoring. If Kobe Bryant is the best player on the best team….shouldn’t he win MVP?
LeBron James will lead in the league in overall scoring. And in 4th quarter scoring. And no player will have to do more per game to allow his team a chance to win. And that includes Chris Paul; who plays with allstar talent in his staring lineup. Consider the pieces around LeBron as oppose to the pieces around Chris Paul.
…shouldn’t he win MVP?
Kevin Garnett has missed a few games; but he has had the biggest impact of any player in the league this season. Is that not as pure an attribute as their is for an MVP? His team will have the best overall record in the league. His teams’ defense will be the best in the league (all due to him), he will average a double-double and the team will have the best ‘wins’ improvement from last yr to this year. All due to KG. The best player on the team with the best record (and leading their league leading defensive surge)….shouldn’t he win the MVP?
Dwight Howard.
Hedo takes the last shot. But Dwight puts them in that position every game. He is leading the surprise team of his conference. Averaging Moses Malone type numbers. 21pts, 15rebs, shooting 60% and leading the league in double doubles and dunks. When was the last time a player (not named Dennis Rodman) average 15 boards a night?
If Hedo goes down, this team still has a chance. If Dwight Howard goes down, they have NO chance.
…..shouldn’t he win the MVP?
February 21st, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Crabhands says:
Here is the thing about giving the MVP to the best player on the best team from the best conference: you can not argue with a team’s record. The games were played and the W and L columns were updated.
CP better be in the running.
February 21st, 2008 at 12:13 pm
doc says:
1.CP3-Cant deny best record in West. 2. Kobe -He deserve one and this is his best team without Shaq. 3.Bron-Carries a bunch of scrubs by hiself.
February 21st, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Prof. TX says:
It looks like CP has the same argument for MVP that Nash had for his trophies. He’s the PG on a top western squad that puts up very good numbers and whose team wouldn’t be nearly as good without him. It looks like a pretty similar case, and it worked for Nash twice.
February 21st, 2008 at 12:50 pm
dagwaller says:
I agree with Prof. There’s nobody on the Hornets as good at their position as the Lakers have; then again, by the end of the season, I bet that the Lakers will have a better record. Regardless, I think that CP has more to do with the Hornets being good than Kobe with the Lakers.
February 21st, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Smitty313 says:
Remember when Kobe was putting up big numbers two years ago basicly putting his team on his back. They gave it ot Steve Nash who had a better team. Kobe was putting up 35 ponit per game. They give MVP’s to people with the better teams (NASH, Dirk). With that said I think Kobe deserved the last 2 MVP’s. Without him the Lakers would have never made the playoffs. That is the same thing Lebron is doing this year. If they vote the same way as they did the last three years Kobe or CP3 should get it. If the vote for who’s most valuble to their team then it goes to Lebron. If Lebron gets Kobe should have recived at least one of Nash torphies, maybe even Dirks. Remember this year all the talked about was how KG was mvp.
February 21st, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Smitty313 says:
Kobe will lead the league in scoring before the season’s over. Remeber last year Carmelo was the leading scorer at this time. Kobe already gaining on Lebron. If it wasn’t for blowouts Kobne would be the leading scorer. At the start of the season Lakers were destroying teams. Kobe was on the bench alot in the fourth qtr.
February 21st, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Constable Goon says:
The West is tougher than the East also. That is why I’d give the award to either CP3 or KB24. ‘Bron is KILLING but he’d be second in the east to K.G. in my opinion…and it is arguable that Dwight Howard should get it too..
February 21st, 2008 at 1:14 pm
YallAllReadyKnow says:
only a dumbass would vote for chris paul.
give it to the best player having the best season. is chris paul having the best season? i didn’t think so. so he dont deserve no mvp award. good guy, good baller, but not no 2008 mvp.
he’s the current flavor of the month. remember brandon roy mvp chants back in december?
a players full body of work and their teams success should define the mvp.
who votes for this anyway? must be some biased sports writers. i guess if you give them a couple headline articles a year, you get the award.
does dime get to vote on any player awards?
February 21st, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Jer Boi says:
the correct nickname is CP3..
CP3=MVP!
February 21st, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Kyle says:
My MVP goes to Fabby Davis Jr.
For real, I’m liking CP’s chances, especially with Kobe’s finger status. King James and CP are going to give him a run this second half.
February 21st, 2008 at 2:15 pm
jay says:
i think kobe will end up leading the team in scoring when it is all said and done. bron and paul will be close. i think kob will finally get the mvp that has eluded him to this point!
February 21st, 2008 at 2:16 pm
GEE...If she got coot problems you better not mess with her says:
Smitty why would Kobe have to lead the leauge now that he has sufficient help? I see Kobe getting his stats up in other spots likes steals and assist. Possibly blocks with the way he got up for Shaq’s shot last night woooo!
I think LeBron is going to walk away with that title.
Chris will most def. be in the mix, you would have to be such a lame to not see what Chris has been doing. I think no matter how it goes someone is going to get that fresh snub.
Everyone knows the main candidates I think who is the dark horse candidates is more interesting.
I think if Denver got on a roll, then A.I. could be a dark horse candidate.
February 21st, 2008 at 2:21 pm
svigi says:
There should be two MVPs, one from the western and from of the eastern conference. What do you think about that?
February 21st, 2008 at 2:27 pm
GEE...If she got coot problems you better not mess with her says:
Svigi I am with that. Isn’t that what baseball does?
February 21st, 2008 at 2:43 pm
t. jack says:
hands down. KOBE MVP everyone knows that he is the best player in the league. even dumb ass lebron says it as well. everyone is always talking shit about kobe and we all know that if colorado never would’ve happened, he would have at least 2 mvp’s.
ppl need to stop hating and start appreciating kobe for his greatness on the court.
cp3 is all right. we will see how they finish out. he is the new flavor of the week, so we will see how long this “hype” lasts.
whn lebron stops biting his fingernails like a 5 year old, and start shooting the bball and playing smarter and stop crying about his lack of help instead of going with what he has and try and to make his teammates better, then he should be mentioned in the mvp race and one of the top tier players in the nba. until then, stop with the nonsense that is lebron james.
kobe all the way!!
February 21st, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Top Gun says:
I dont understand why people think LeBron has nobody. He’s surrounded by the best rebounders, in fact, they’re number 1 in rebounding.
They also have Big Z, on of the top 3 centers in the east.
They have Larry Hughes, plays good D and he’s a even better offensive wing player, dude was even a star with the Wizards.
They got premier three point shooters in Gibson, Damon Jones, and Donyell Marshall who shares the record for most 3’s with Kobe.
Most importantly, LeBron has the green light to run the floor however he wants.
February 21st, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Top Gun says:
MVP
1. Kobe
2. Chris Paul
3. LeBron
It ain’t right that Kobe hasn’t won the award yet
February 21st, 2008 at 3:43 pm
YallAllReadyKnow says:
LeBron is the best in the world, but his team sucks ass. even he know that. they the best rebounding team in the league? good for them. what else they got going?
booby gibson is becoming more and more 1 dimensional. andserson verajo can’t shoot; neither can larry hughes. damon jones can’t get off of the bench, so alls he can do is run his mouth. and donyell marshall can’t jump.
i gots no problem with big z. he does what he does the way he does it. more power to big z. but he slow and clogs up the driving lanes for their guards. but i guess it don’t matter since none of their guards know how to drive the lane anyway.
face it dog, they suck.
if they had matched up with a healthy wiz squad last yr, cavs wouldn’t have been out the 1st round.
February 21st, 2008 at 3:47 pm
What is this!? says:
I’m sure when its all said and done that CP3, Kobe, Lebron and Dwight will all be in the running…but I think KG should get it for not only delivering on the court, but for the positive energy he has supplied to the Celtics. He helped breath new life into a storied franchise.
-As far as Kobe is concerned, he has been great, but I just can’t cheer for somebody that throws his teammates under the bus at any given moment because things aren’t going his way. He’s been fine for most of this season because his teammates are living up to their potential, but if he would have just been patient he would have seen that he had more talent and help around him then what he knew. The nonsense that he did this summer was NOT cute and people don’t forget about just because someone is playing well. He’s a great player…but he makes it extremely hard for people to cheer for him and want to wish him the best.
The Lakers success is a result of the development of the individual players around Kobe (probably as a result of them just being tired of hearing him b*tching all the time) … not because his presense is so inspirational that it makes them better. That is what K.G did for Boston, theres a difference. They certainly need Kobe, no doubt about that, but Bynum at the begging of the year was great, the addition of Derik Fisher and his leadership has been great, the perimeter shooters development has been great. So everyone has just developed and stepped up. The end.
-Lebron, for me has handled his situation with his teammates far better then Kobe. We all know that Lebron needs help, but he has sucked it up and went out there and played the game like the BEAST that he is and carried that team on his back. Which to me is far more impressive then somebody who has way more help around them. It could be because Lebron may be planning his escape in a few years…Hello MADISON SQUARE GARDEN.
-CP3 has been great as well. I think his impact on his team is almost similar to Lebrons, but with more talent. It’s obvious that team goes as he goes. He has been a true leader this year and within the next few years will probably be the BEST PG in the L. I say “probably” because you can’t leave out Derin Williams.
-Dwight was a BEAST at the beggining of the year and is still playing great, but I think at this point the other players mentioned are ahead of him. Also, I sort of feel like the MAGICS success is a collective effort on all parts.
February 21st, 2008 at 4:17 pm
YallAllReadyKnow says:
i know yall dime mofo’s ain’t gonna like where this link is coming from, but that besides the point. this is a good read. check it out bitches:
http://slamonline.com/online/2008/02/the-real-franchise-players/
February 22nd, 2008 at 6:11 am
josh says:
three way MVP CP3, KB24, King.