The One-Month MVP
D-Wade (wallpaper. Miami Heat)Is it too early? Of course not. Exactly four weeks after Opening Night ‘08-09, the NBA’s Most Valuable Player has to be Dwyane Wade.
Let’s start with numbers. Fourteen games in, Wade is averaging 28.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 7.6 assists, 2.4 steals and 1.9 blocks. He ranks second in the League in scoring, less than a full point behind LeBron and well ahead of Chris Bosh, Dirk and Kobe, who round out the top five. He’s third in steals behind Chris Paul and J-Kidd. As a two-guard, he’s sixth in assists. And as a short two-guard, he’s seventh in blocks, ahead of notorious brick walls Elton Brand, Tim Duncan and Emeka Okafor.
Next, team success. The Miami Heat are 7-7 after last night’s loss to the Rockets and sit #12 in Dime’s most recent NBA Hit List power ranking. Doesn’t sound like the typical resume of an MVP, but consider the whole picture. The Heat aren’t that good. I’m one to talk, because going into the season I admittedly overrated them by saying their best-case scenario was an Eastern Conference Finals bid. But after seeing them play a few times, I see the flaws. Mike Beasley is good, but he’s still learning. Same for Mario Chalmers. Shawn Marion, as much as I love his game and have advocated for him over the years, looks like he’s running on fumes. Miami also has no big man to speak of (unless you’re a big Joel Anthony fan), no dead-eye shooter (unless you’re a big Daequan Cook fan), a rookie coach, and honestly have no reason being near .500 were it not for one guy: D-Wade.
Finally, let’s talk impact. How many people had written D-Wade off before this season? The new Converse ads weren’t drawn from thin air. Before the Olympics, Wade had all but fallen off the public plane in terms of elite-level NBA superstars, and even after he turned in an MVP-like performance for the Redeem Team in Beijing, was given no better than a cautious, wait-and-see disclaimer as the season approached. Now? Anyone who’s seen a Miami game can see Wade is better than he’s ever been. He’s stronger, got more spring in his step, his jumper is more reliable (OK, maybe not so much beyond the arc), and if the game is close in the fourth quarter, it’s almost guaranteed that he’ll take over and at the very least give his team a good chance to win. The Cavs have played some good basketball this year without LeBron on the court (thanks to Mo Williams), and the Lakers have dominated with Kobe playing the background, and that tells me no one is more important to his team than Wade.
I can see how this will end, though. Back in 2006, Kobe did everything he could to carry a Lakers team that barely made the playoffs, and lost in the MVP voting to Steve Nash. Because Miami is not gonna win 50 games and take a high seed in the East, no matter what kind of insane numbers Wade posts, he’ll ultimately fall short to LeBron or Kobe or CP. But on my ballot, if I had to turn it in today, D-Wade gets checked off #1.
November 25th, 2008 at 9:02 am
Ace_One says:
LBJ 4 MVP. nuff said.
November 25th, 2008 at 9:07 am
fallinup says:
Right now. Wade deserves it whole heartedly. After seeing his fire in the Olympics…you knew he was on a mission this season. But I’m afraid if Cleveland keeps it’s spot in the east. The MVP is Bron’s to lose. Just because everyone is riding his jock.
November 25th, 2008 at 9:13 am
TJ says:
It’s got to be Lebron. Adding up the record and the handful of huge games from James means he has to be MVP at this point.
November 25th, 2008 at 9:13 am
justice says:
Wade has been great,those turnovers drive me crazy though but he probably has the ball in his hands more than anyone other elites in the league except cp, so i guess u gotta roll with it..
but the mvp will be lebron or kobe their teams are too good for them to lose it, and lebron pretty much has been there and done what d-wade is doing…
November 25th, 2008 at 9:18 am
Joe says:
7 for 23 last night with 5 turnovers against a real team.
ouch.
only a matter of time before he gets hurt.
November 25th, 2008 at 9:28 am
John says:
D-Wade is the MVP so far, but I agree, in the end, they will delivery to Lebron, just because his team will win 55 games and be 2 seed in the east.
November 25th, 2008 at 9:37 am
karizmatic says:
You’re right, but this year its LBJ’s turn to win the MVP next year is Chris Paul and then maybe Wade will get it after that. Too bad the MVP is such a joke.
November 25th, 2008 at 9:38 am
Ashlov says:
Wade is the best player on earth, period. No disrespect to Lebron or Kobe, but Wade has more skill, and more importantly bigger balls than those two.
November 25th, 2008 at 9:49 am
dapro says:
^
OK…………
I’d go Bron with Dwade a close 2nd
November 25th, 2008 at 9:50 am
asian dirk says:
LBJ,
out playing him and his teams doing better
November 25th, 2008 at 9:53 am
Ashlov says:
Sure, the Cavs have a balanced roster, as opposed to the Heat’s glaring hole at center. But this isn’t about the teams, it’s about the individual players. Wade is outplaying Lebron at this point.
November 25th, 2008 at 10:55 am
JCARR says:
“ONE MAN WHO NEEDS A SUPPORTING CAST” Wade has been great lately, but he needs W’s to add to his potential MVP resume.
November 25th, 2008 at 11:27 am
doug says:
one month MVP?ridiculous, this cat isn’t even in the conversation or are you guys changing the criteria for who wins the MVP now? Is it the best guy in the league regardless of record? They have a poor record an he’s not best player in the L so that automatically disqualifies him. D-wade has improved on the defensive end but MVP for the month?your reaching.Stat heads kill me..they look at a guys stat line and make all these outlandish and far fetched remarks like one month MVP, first ballot hall of famer for his first two years in the league, he’s leading the league in double-double(since when did people start keeping track of this crap, tripple doubles are the only ones that are noteworthy last time I checked) Did Rick Kamala from NBA TV help you write this article Austin?
November 25th, 2008 at 11:55 am
northern lights says:
Agreed. D-wade is tearing the league up in all stat categories. And he takes over in the fourth Q, a decidedly important trait for MVP candidates…
But if your looking at mediocre teams, and simply choosing the guy who is most valuable to his squad, Bosh needs some attention. Where on earth would the raptors be without him? non-existant.
D-wade
LBJ
Bosh
CP3
November 25th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
IGP says:
I really hate when people say “Nuff said.” No reason why specifically, just a pet peave.
November 25th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
doug says:
i beg to differ the Lakers wouldn’t be anything without Kobe. Kobe is the MVP right now.Hollar back.And just to respond to your question, eventhough I believe it was rhetorical Northern Ligh,”Where on earth would the raptors be without him? non-existant” Northern Light the Raptors are non-existant, all these cats are pretender. Brons the only real comp.for MVP other than that Kobe should get it again.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
jmg says:
Kobe Bosh and Lebron right now, only because their teams have winning records. The MVP cant be on a team that is below .500. Wade is carrying a heavy load right now, i just hope he can hold up!
November 25th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Austin Burton says:
@Doug — Would you have said it was too early if I said Kobe was one-month MVP?
Didn’t think so.
November 25th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
northern lights says:
@ doug, obviously Kobe and Lebron are frontrunners for MVP.. but its far from a two horse race with a foregone conclusion. Steve Nash two-time winner case in point… he stole MVP from Kobe when he actually deserved it.
Kobe has a much stronger supporting cast than wade. Gasol, LO, Bynum and Fisher (plus a bench full of decent role players… last game they had 8 players in double digit points)And Phil Jackson as coach.
Wade’s got a less efficient marion, unproven talents in Beastly and Chalmers, and no real big man + a rookie coach. (austin mentions all this in the article)
Credit where credit is due, Wade’s numbers are sick and his value to the heat is far superior than Kobe’s to the lakers… right now.
November 25th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
Blue says:
@ AB…
this is why you’re my boy! haha
d-wade is killing, and i think the heat will just continue to get better. i predict 51 wins for them…believe that!!!