Lebron James
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SacKings7
Starter
That's an amazing feat, I must say. But I personally think that stats shouldn't decide the MVP. Of course they probably will, but it should be who means the most to their team, IE who's team drastically changes for the worse if their star gets injured or in foul trouble. That's why I think Wade deserves it, because the Heat are god-awful without him.
Just my $.02
He's leading his team towards a championship and doing it with stats across the board. If that doesn't meet the "means the most to their team" what does? DWade deserves to be in contention but I simply cannot imagine someone actually voting for him over James when it actually comes time to mark the ballots.
We're not talking about a couple of stats here. We're talking about Lebron James being the best on his team in five KEY categories. FIVE!!! If he sits out, they lose their scorer, their top rebounder, the guy who dishes the ball most to other players, the guy who gets the other team to turn over the ball via steals and did we mention he also blocks more shots than anyone else in a Cavs uniform???
That's not just stat padding. That's hall of fame performance!
We're not talking about a couple of stats here. We're talking about Lebron James being the best on his team in five KEY categories. FIVE!!! If he sits out, they lose their scorer, their top rebounder, the guy who dishes the ball most to other players, the guy who gets the other team to turn over the ball via steals and did we mention he also blocks more shots than anyone else in a Cavs uniform???
That's not just stat padding. That's hall of fame performance!
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jalfa
Starter
I always think it's kind of sad that it's always just LeBron, Wade and Kobe in these polls. The fact that, production and otherwise, Chris Paul is at the same level as those three (and, at least production wise, vastly superior to Kobe) is just overlooked. Sometimes I wish the Hornets were playing at a faster pace, because if they were, he'd get at least the MVP recognition of, say, Dwyane Wade.
SacKings7
Starter
Yeah, but it's usually the best players on the best teams that get noticed for it. The Hornets are in what, 7th? And they've got a pretty good roster
jalfa
Starter
However, they have a better record than the Heat, despite being absolutely ravaged by injuries all season and Chris Paul is playing better than Kobe Bryant. On my personal list, Paul is second, ahead of both Wade and Bryant.
I totally forgot about Chris Paul, to be honest about it. I did include the "other" option...
SacKings7
Starter
Yeah I know, but Wade was injured last season, and the Heat had the worst record in the league. Now virtually the same team + Wade, and they're 4th or 5th in the conference. Wade doesn't have either David West on his team.
Note: I am by no means saying Chris Paul shouldn't get consideration. Heck, Dwight Howard deserves it too, but he isn't even in the equation either. Paul's another of my favorite players, being a Wake Forest fan n all, but the expectations were high for the Hornets this year, and they haven't lived up to them
A
AriesMar27
Guest
lebron has it hands down... without lebron this season would be a boring waste of time watching the lakers anc celtics all season... chris paul is good but his team isnt playing well enough to warrant a mvp consideration. if the magic were #1 in the league or at least the east he would be in the conversation as well....
but lebron james is the best player in the nba... period....
but lebron james is the best player in the nba... period....
MoneyMike916
Bench
yall already know my vote 
Arby's Roast Beef
Starter
He is the MVP. Few flaws, carried his own team, statistically superior to everyone else, and just a physical freak to go along with his ever improving skillset. Becoming a defensive monster too. I guess his jumpshot's still lagging behind, but he can definitely get hot from there, and who cares when you can pass/get to the basket at will?
SacKings7
Starter
Best player in the NBA? Absolutely. MVP? Not necessarily. Contrary to people's beliefs, it's not the same thing.
Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
It is in this case.
I've repeatedly mentioned that the MVP formula has ALWAYS been:
Best Player + On A Great (50+min, 55+ usually) Team + Having A Great Year + Is The Man On His Team
Now as soon as I throw that out there, everybody sttarts jumping in with their own formulations, but your own formulation doesn't matter. The above is THE formulation in the NBA, and always has been. You walk backward through the MVPs, they all confrom to that formula, and just as importantly, the people who don't win do not confrom. Hence Kobe can average 35, but his team did not win enough, so he did not win it. Boston can have a great year last year, but with none of their stars having a great year (statistically) there was no MVP there. Basically look to the Top 5 to maybe Top 8 on the outside teams in the league, and your MVP is in there.
This year 3 players have the complete formula -- LeBron, Kobe and Howard. Wade's team has not won enough. And really at this point neither has CP3's. Nobody on the Spurs or Boston is exceptional enough. Realistically it is LeBron and Kobe, and while it could come down to the best record thing as it perhaps did between Kobe and CP3 last year, its also true that Kobe already "got his" last year, and the LeBron/Cavs explosion this year feels fresher.
jalfa
Starter
It does not matter so terribly, since, to my mind, there is no justifiable reason to put anyone ahead of James, so don't worry. Also, I believe that Chris Paul, as mentioned in my initial post, is more a victim of circumstances than anything else. If he were playing on a faster team, he would put up (even) bigger numbers, be featured more in popular outlets and so on. As it is now, it's quite impossible for him to do so and he will thus not garner the MVP consideration that he merits. Anywhere.
SacKings7
Starter
Not that I disagree, but put ANY of the candidates on a faster team n they'd put up bigger numbers. Faster pace=more possessions=more stats.
SacKings7
Starter
I'm not questioning the method that the NBA is using, I'm just using my own method. The question on the poll is who SHOULD win the MVP. I'm 100% confident that Lebron is going to win it, and have absolutely no problem with it. But I think Wade SHOULD win it, even though I'm 100% confident that he won't.
jalfa
Starter
I know, but Chris Paul's team plays the slowest pace of the three. Which is why a look at PER sometimes help (I don't know where to find other useful per posession stats). PER says that the difference between Wade and Paul is microscopic (with a 0,2 adavantage for Wade) and Kobe is quite a lot worse.
Brick is 100% right. Unfortunately, more than stats/performance are weighed, and it leaves the player in question dependent on teammates. Wade has been phenomenal this year. His team is really not worth squat. When Jamarion Moon is a big part of your offense, you have a problem. Wade is the PG, the SG and the default SF on his team. He is doing what LBJ had to do his first 2 years in the leauge for the Cavs. No stats can show me (a reason I dislike Hollinger) how hard a player plays, how the team runs everything through him in the game, how the defense KNOWS he will have the ball in his hands no matter what, and how he always delivers. Having said that, LBJ is a monster that nobody in the NBA can match up against, and his skillset is probably more unique than any other player we've seen. He should win MVP. He might have much better teammates, but much like Wade, if you take him out, that team becomes a joke. We've seen what Mo does without a superstar to take the attention.
Paul, unfortunately, will probably never get the credit he deserves. Yes, he does have West, but after him not much. Rasual Butler is their 3rd option, and best shooter. Name 2 players off their bench that contribute without looking them up. Name 2 players off their bench period.
All these guys have a good case. LBJ just fits Brick's formula to a tee. Truth hurts.
Paul, unfortunately, will probably never get the credit he deserves. Yes, he does have West, but after him not much. Rasual Butler is their 3rd option, and best shooter. Name 2 players off their bench that contribute without looking them up. Name 2 players off their bench period.
All these guys have a good case. LBJ just fits Brick's formula to a tee. Truth hurts.
Don't forget that they're in the East. What Wade is doing this season is extremely important to his team, and that's underscored by the fact that he was out all last year and they only won 15 games. So there's no denying that he's vitally important to the Heat's chances. No doubt about it.
But you can say the same thing for LeBron and the Cavs. Take him away and the Cavs don't win 20 games either. So now, when you consider the fact that the Cavs have the best record in the league and are a contender for a championship, whereas the Heat wouldn't even make the playoffs in the West and are 21 games back of the Cavs, LeBron automatically trumps Wade. It's not a reflection on what Wade is doing or isn't doing; the Cavs are the best team in the League, and LeBron is the most dominant player in the League. That's the MVP.
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