Steve Nash wins the MVP

[wyvrn]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2422255

So beign a Mavs fan, I am a huge supporter of Mr. Nash. But I don't think he deserves to win this award for a second time with all of the other great players in the NBA. I think Nowitzki and James had just as good arguments, and I think Nash should have been 3rd or 4th on the ballot this year. He is a phenomenal player in getting his teammates involved, and can shoot the rock, but he has obvious defensive liabilities and his points per game aren't that impressive. I think he is now overrated like Jason Kidd was overrated in his prime (and I am a big fan of Kidd as well). Phoenix is a good team with good talent and a great coach, and I think it's wrong to give Nash all the credit for their success there. Of course, that's just my opinion.

 

[RagingBITCH]

Well Nash really made Phoenix a contender the past two years, period, bar none. No other player on that roster has the same effect as Nash does on the whole team when he's in the lineup.

But did he deserve to win the MVP this year? Nope. There were far better players.

 

[bigrash]

I didnt think Nash would have won this year. I was rooting for Lebron or Kobe

 

[tfinch2]

White Power!

 

[cKGunslinger]

He's pretty fly.. for a white guy.

 

[axelfox]

The funny thing is that IF they had Amare Stoudamire, he might have not have won it. But since they won the division (I think) w/o him and Nash pretty much carrying the load (except that Diaw and a couple of other guys stepping up), that gave him a good bolster.

 

[ballmode]

wow he was like the underdog this year... I thought Lebron was going to do it, but he is sometimes streaky... Nash dumps assists like none other

 

[Dualist]

Nash is a pretty good player on the team, but probably overrated.

 

[venk]

I'd still give it to Lebron. He alone made the Cavs (arguably) the 3rd best team in the east. I can't believe Nash won, i'd give it to Billups before him.

 

[ManSnake]

Originally posted by: tfinch2
White Power!

He no white. He mexican!

 

[SP33Demon]

That's why this award is decided by the people who know basketball like the back of their hands and not people on computer forums.

Nash showed in Game 1 why he makes his team better than Kobe's. If Kobe chokes again, this series is over.

Nash had career highs in 4 categories after winning the MVP last year, his team won 52 games with 1 good player and 3 scrubs, and nobody is as all around good as Nash.

Try this on for size: Nash almost shot just as good from 3pt range (.439) as Kobe (.450) and Lebron's (.480) regular FG%. All while leading the NBA in assists per game (next closest was Baron Davis @1.5 behind him lol). Let's not even get into FT% for Nash (.921) to Kobe (.850) or Lebron (.740). Who do you want on the line at the end of game? Won't even get into FG%, rofl. It's a wrap, the best man won.

 

[Baked]

Damn crazy canadian.

 

[BrokenVisage]

Good for him, I honestly didn't think he would win it again but he really does deserve it. I guess the Kobe and James votes cancelled each other out and allowed Nash to come out on top, he truely does make his team better.

 

[interchange]

Originally posted by: SP33Demon
Try this on for size: Nash almost shot just as good from 3pt range (.439) as Kobe (.450) and Lebron (.458). All while leading the NBA in assists per game (next closest was Baron Davis @1.5 behind him lol). Let's not even get into FT% for Nash (.921) to Kobe (.850) or Lebron (.740). Who do you want on the line at the end of game? Won't even get into FG%, rofl. It's a wrap, the best man won.

Uhh Kobe shot .348 and Lebron shot .335 from deep. The stats you listed were their overall field goal percentage.

 

[cHeeZeFacTory]

2 MVP's, no rings, not even a finals appearance. Is he even a first ballot hall of famer with 2 mvp's? imo, no. This guys leads teams to great regular season records, but he got no DEFENSE. Nash had players like Nowitzki, Finley, and a slew of other good players in Dallas, but he failed to get anything done in the playoffs due to his defense.

Steve Nash's name really doesn't come into my mind when I need a guy to win a game for me in the last 5 minutes of a game.

 

[OrByte]

Sorry that is a dumb selection.

As much as I dislike Kobe, he deserved it this year. I don't think anyone can have a better season (save Lebron...but he get his in a few years) than Kobe had this year.

 

[tfinch2]

Originally posted by: SP33Demon
That's why this award is decided by the people who know basketball like the back of their hands and not people on computer forums.

Nash showed in Game 1 why he makes his team better than Kobe's. If Kobe chokes again, this series is over.

Nash had career highs in 4 categories after winning the MVP last year, his team won 52 games with 1 good player and 3 scrubs, and nobody is as all around good as Nash.

Try this on for size: Nash almost shot just as good from 3pt range (.439) as Kobe (.450) and Lebron (.458). All while leading the NBA in assists per game (next closest was Baron Davis @1.5 behind him lol). Let's not even get into FT% for Nash (.921) to Kobe (.850) or Lebron (.740). Who do you want on the line at the end of game? Won't even get into FG%, rofl. It's a wrap, the best man won.

I think you meant to compare Nash's 3 pt % to Bryant's and James' FG %

 

[SP33Demon]

Originally posted by: interchange

Originally posted by: SP33Demon
Try this on for size: Nash almost shot just as good from 3pt range (.439) as Kobe (.450) and Lebron (.458). All while leading the NBA in assists per game (next closest was Baron Davis @1.5 behind him lol). Let's not even get into FT% for Nash (.921) to Kobe (.850) or Lebron (.740). Who do you want on the line at the end of game? Won't even get into FG%, rofl. It's a wrap, the best man won.

Uhh Kobe shot .348 and Lebron shot .335 from deep. The stats you listed were their overall field goal percentage.

Yeah, you guys are right. Let me edit that, was in a hurry to get to lunch so didn't proofread it.

 

[Amplifier]

Finally they are rewarding smart play!

 

[cheezy321]

I think nash deserves it just as much as anyone else.

The eastern division is so weak this year. Its no wonder the Cavs got third in the division. Besides Detroit, what good teams are there in the east?

The suns lost most of their key players this year. After losing their key players, they STILL won their division with steve nash at the lead. They are even still in contention for winning it all.

Suns rock. I am gonna be at the Suns / Lakers playoff game tonight, woot!

 

[cHeeZeFacTory]

Originally posted by: SP33Demon

Originally posted by: interchange

Originally posted by: SP33Demon
Try this on for size: Nash almost shot just as good from 3pt range (.439) as Kobe (.450) and Lebron (.458). All while leading the NBA in assists per game (next closest was Baron Davis @1.5 behind him lol). Let's not even get into FT% for Nash (.921) to Kobe (.850) or Lebron (.740). Who do you want on the line at the end of game? Won't even get into FG%, rofl. It's a wrap, the best man won.

Uhh Kobe shot .348 and Lebron shot .335 from deep. The stats you listed were their overall field goal percentage.

Yeah, you guys are right. Let me edit that, was in a hurry to get to lunch so didn't proofread it.

if it's purely #'s, Lebron should be winning the mvp. 31, 7 & 6. If i'm down 1 and need a shot to win, I'm going for lebron or kobe, nash is probably not even in my top 5. Usually guys with MVP's have the ability to lead his team to the finals, I seriously doubt the Suns can even beat the Clippers in a 7 game series.

 

[RichardE]

One of the bigger reasons Kobe and Lebron were so favored was hype.

Lebron supposedly the next Jordan, and Kobe going for the title without Shaq. Those two were always in the spotlight (sometimes for the wrong reasaon) so you always heard about them. Just good to know hype=!Mvp

 

[czech09]

Originally posted by: OrByte
Sorry that is a dumb selection.

As much as I dislike Kobe, he deserved it this year. I don't think anyone can have a better season (save Lebron...but he get his in a few years) than Kobe had this year.

It's MVP not MBP. Kobe was arguably the best player but definetly not the most valuable in the league. Look what Nash had to work with - half his team injured, Amare is out, shall I even continue?

To the person who threw out Nowitzki - he had no chance this year. He's solid but defense alone won't get you a MVP award.

To the person who said Nash is bad on defense - yes he's not amazing but they have others on the Suns that are there for that (Kurt Thomas).

Overall look at how he's influenced other players around him - Raja Bell, Boris Diaw, Shawn Marion, James Jones, Leandro Barbosa, and even Eddie House - all these guys had the best regular season in their careers this year. I think that's one key aspect of a MVP candidate - influencing others and making them better.

Who did Kobe make better - oh yeah Odom = one player. Nowitzki?

I think that award is in the right hands as for him having no rings/finals apperances well isn't that what the Playoff/Finals MVP award is for? Yeah...

 

[XMan]

MVP is not about who the best player in the league is. It's about who did the most for his team. From that standpoint, I don't see how you can argue Kobe. He scored in bunches, but did he make his team better? I do think LeBron made Cleveland better because of everything he is capable of.

If Nash weren't on the Suns, they would have been in the draft lottery - like they were the year before he showed up. Guys like Boris Diaw (who blew chow in Atlanta) turn into decent role players when they play with Nash.

 

[SP33Demon]

Originally posted by: OrByte
Sorry that is a dumb selection.

As much as I dislike Kobe, he deserved it this year. I don't think anyone can have a better season (save Lebron...but he get his in a few years) than Kobe had this year.

I still don't see how you can get around the much higher FG and 3pt% of Nash over Kobe. PPG don't mean anything if you take 50 shots a game but only hit 45% of them, and that goes for 3's as well. Last I checked 52% of 50 shots vs 45% is an average of 3.5 shots made. Hell, one shot can be the deciding factor in any game let alone 3.5. Nash's significantly better %'s show that he has better shot selection than Kobe (i.e. smart). Nash has better court vision than anyone in the league (assists), much better than Kobe if you saw Game 1.

Not to beat a dead horse (and I know it's only one game), but in Game 1 Kobe was asked to pass the ball and get more teammates involved in the first half. He finished with 5 assists. Nash finished with 10 assists, and put the dagger in the heart of LA with a trey at the 1:07 mark (followed by 2 FT's on the next possession to seal it). Nash plays instinctive, he wasn't even supposed to take that shot but he didn't look a gift horse in the mouth (wide open) nor listen to his coach: "We really struggled through the game so when I saw that ball coming from Boris, I knew I would get a great look and I wasn't going to pass it up," Nash said. "I wasn't going to pass it up and pull it out and see what we were going to get later. I was going to take it. I know coach was yelling not to take it, but I didn't hear him and wouldn't have listened to him anyway."

"He about gave me a heart attack," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We were having a hard time getting shots and he was wide open, plus he is one of the best 3-point shooters in the league. That shot kind of put a dagger right in them."

Now, can better defense and more PPG make up for significantly lower shooting %'s in all categories, significantly less assists, and overall a worse team record when both teams have one good player and 3 scrubs? Not IMO.