Chris Paul Day May 6, 2008
Posted by Sportsattitude in Basketball, NBA, Sports.trackback
Maurice Podoloff was the first commissioner of the National Basketball Association. In his honor, the NBA’s regular-season Most Valuable Player Award carries his name.
One day, Chris Paul will joyfully hold the Podoloff trophy aloft before the photogs and celebrate his being named the league’s MVP. Maybe not this season. But he will, and likely more than once.
That is, if the award reverts to what I believe its original intent was…to honor the player who was the most valuable to his team over the course of the season.
My belief is, in the years since it was taken away from the players and become more of an “Oscar” competition, the award’s criteria is now:
1. Which player is judged by the voters to be the best player on their perceived best team…or…
2. Which player the voters feel owns a long, distinguished resume and has yet to win the award (”is due”)…or…
3. Which player is personally liked by the most voters…
The New Orleans Hornets rarely come up in conversations as the best team in the NBA…Chris Paul is barely removed from his college days at Wake Forest…but one thing he does have for him in the here-and-now is he’s well-liked by most folks, voters or otherwise.
In 80 games played this season, he logged over 3,000 minutes, shot 49% from the floor, made 85% of his free throws, dished out over 900 assists, made over a couple hundred steals, averaged 21 points per game…and lifted guys named West, Stojakovic, Chandler, Wells, Pargo and Peterson to within a hair of winning one of the most competitive conference races in NBA history.
There may be better players in the National Basketball Association, but if Mr. Podoloff was handing out the MVP award himself for this season I’m betting he would give it to Chris Paul. So would I.
Chris Paul turns 23 on May 6th. In his honor, many fellow bloggers are posting their thoughts on his talent. Please take a few minutes and read their efforts, honoring a man for all seasons…especially this one.
[...] Attitude kicks off the festivities with the first Chris Paul post of CP3 day, not only talking about Chris’ accomplishments, but [...]
Ticked off about Kobe receiving the award? I see. And I agree — to a certain extent. Many people speculate that Kobe had a better season last year than this year. But if you look at the stats, he took three less shots per game and scored three less points per game because the team improved drastically. Giving Kobe credit for the Lakers vast improvement has been way overblown, as has the comments that CP3 is the sole reason for the Hornets performance. As I’ve mentioned before, West and Peja being healthy and playing a lot mroe games than last year are HUGE reasons for the team’s improvement (not to mention Chandler’s confidence took a big boost when he played for the U.S. team).
The best numbers out of anyone IMO is LeBron, who accomplished what only two other players in the history of the game have done, averaging 30.9 rebounds per game (OK, 7.9) and 7 assists per game on 48.4% shooting. CP and Kobe are getting the benefit of the doubt because their teams were tops in the West, but as even Jordan has proven, you don’t go to the top of the standings on your performance alone — it takes having good, solid teammates and at least one who is an all-star (West, Gasol). LeBron has nothing but junk on the Cavs IMO and he’s the most valuable player to his team. Eh, Kobe gets a lifetime achievement award the year the Lakers step up in the standings, based on the way MVP voting has gone in the last decade. Is it a surprise?
Well written article…
Troy - I keep thinking about the summertime, when Bryant was a stain on the Lakers’ franchise and he continued his hit-and-run attitude/comments about how the team had to show him a commitment to winning (i.e. the players we have aren’t good enough). If anything, the MVP award should be cut up and given to all those teammates who continued to play hard alongside him early in the year when some of them knew in their hearts he didn’t think they were worthy. The Lakers had a lot of talent before this season even began and, had Bryant missed a lot of time, they wouldn’t have made the playoffs but they would have been competitive. I don’t think the same thing would have happened if Chris Paul was MIA, and therefore he’s more valuable. But I’ve beaten that to death…as for James, I have no issue he hasn’t been given enough chat in all of this. But here I go again…you’re so right when you say this is Bryant’s “lifetime achievement award.”
Lakers Blog - thank you for visiting and your comment. I do enjoy watching Kobe and Company play - just wish the Company got more credit and Paul got the MVP. Good luck the rest of the way!
Duuude… I wrote about sports and I mentioned that I met an NBA player the other day. I so thought you would’ve left me a comment. I am now sad. *sniff*
Pammy - I sooooo do leave you many comments. I can’t believe you played the “sniff” card! Nicely done. I feel shame.
I treasure the comments you leave me… I really do. You’re incredibly supportive and encouraging. It’s just that I actually wrote about sports (2 references, even) and that’s something I’m not apt to do. Well, unless it’s to discuss players’ social lives, wives/girlfriends, or poor fashion choices.
Some stuff here needs to be addressed by an alternate viewpoint:
1. The Lakers had pretty much the same roster they had when they sucked last year, prior to Gasol’s arrival.
2. People whine like stuck pigs about Kobe being selfish, and call for him to be more a ‘team player’, he does exactly that, then we whine like stuck pigs about him not getting better stats. Kobe got awesome individual stats the past few years, and he doesn’t finish top 3… now you want to GIVE it to LeBron for exactly the same category? Talk about hypocritical… (add to that, LeBron didn’t have the amazing run of games Kobe did 2 years ago)
3. On that… what exactly are you asking for Kobe to do? He’s done everything that’s been expected of him, and then some. When he’s had a phenomenal statistical season, people say ‘can’t win the MVP on stats - make those around you better’. He does that, then you kill him for … stats?
4. This ‘Chris-Paul-doesn’t-have-anyone-around-him’ line of thought is BS, or spouted by those who have not watched the season unfold. David West is an All-Star talent, Tyson Chandler could be, and Peja/Bonzi are shooting the lights out. In the series vs San Antonio thus far, Paul hasn’t been the reason the Hornets are winning, it’s been West & Chandler’s ‘D’ on Timmy. The supporting cast of West/Chandler/Stojakovic/Wells (or Mo-Pete) is just as good as Gasol/Odom/Radmanovic/Fisher.
5. The only comment I’ll make on Chris Paul’s game play is that before declaring him the best player in the league, ask Deron Williams first.
6. The MVP award isn’t for being a ‘nice guy’, nor is it a ‘pre-season award’. It’s for the season. That said, Chris Paul had a very good season. Kobe had a better one. Those with opinions that actually count stated so.
Lastly, I’m not sure why we cannot appreciate the seasons all candidates have had. KG… LeBron… Chris Paul… and Kobe. Only one can be the MVP, and that’s Kobe. Why do we have to denigrate any of them? Demeans all involved.
Chris Paul has been nothing short of amazing. I would not have had a problem the MVP did go to him. But like you said, he will get one at some juncture in his career, it will be interesting to see if the voters ever try to make it up to Paul. Regardless, an outstanding player that is enormously entertaining to watch. I hope to see Paul and Kobe clash in the Western Finals….
the way i see it, the MVP race was a two-man race.. it was just about kobe bryant and chris paul.. you just can’t go wrong with the two of them considering what they contributed to their respective teams.. personally, i would have chosen chris paul, but kobe is also very deserving to get the MVP honors.
What an inane thing to say - so, it’s your assertion that in no way, shape or form Kobe Bryant deserved the MVP?
Spencer… c’mon man - be fair.
Having taken a trip over to your blog… I’d hazard a guess that the comment didn’t come out the way intended.
Fair ‘nough.
SA I believe you are absolutely right that Chris Paul deserved that award. New Orleans went from a lottery team last year to the two seed in the Western conference playoffs. In my opinion the second best turnaround in the NBA this season. And thats all thanks to CP3
I love the fact everyone is so passionate about this topic. I just wanted to “jump back in” to clarify that I in no way don’t think Kobe Bryant isn’t one of the greatest basketball players to ever play the game, nor don’t I think he didn’t have a hell of a year. I just happen to be in the camp Paul was a bit more valuable to his team than Bryant or anyone else was to theirs this season and the kind of year he had supports his being named the MVP. Not even saying he’s the best player in the league…Bryant gets my nod there. Just saying that in the literal sense of what I think the intent of the award was designed to be, Chris Paul gets the slight nod. The comments are all much appeciated and let’s hope these two meet up in the conference finals.
I have no problem with ‘opinions on who people thought the MVP should be’… but it’s the tearing down of Kobe that I don’t like.
Great discussion here guys. This year’s MVP was so exciting to unfold. Many people believe KG should have gotten a little more love. I disagree. Both Paul and Kobe were at the top of their games when they’re team needed them most. The biggest determinate to differentiate between the two was that the Lakers finished ahead of the Hornets in the standings, albeit by one game. The fact that LA finished #1 was probably the biggest reason why Kobe got the award ahead of Paul. They both were incredible. Paul’s 23, Howard is 22, and Amare is 25. The NBA is blossoming in front of our eyes and many superstars will be in contention for the MVP in the coming years.