The NBA Playoffs are one of the most exciting times of the year for me because I am an absolute basketball junkie and the NBA playoffs pit the best basketball players in the world against each other in do-or-die situations. Here are some of my thoughts as the Conference Finals progress.
How good are the Miami Heat?
This is not a question where I'm asking for an actual measurement of how good the Heat are, but instead an exclamation like, "WOW. How good are the Miami Heat?!?"
When people asked me before the playoffs about who I thought would represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals, I answered the Miami Heat. It was hard for me to say this because there are still certainly questions regarding their team chemistry and playoff experience together, but I kept telling people that it was impossible for me to bet against Dwyane Wade and Lebron James. Each of these players had already carried teams to the Finals singlehandedly. If each of them can do it by themselves, it was difficult to grasp what they could do together. Thus far, the results have been pretty impressive. In their series against Boston, it simply seemed unfair at times. During the series, it seemed like Wade and James had planned out the game like prize fighters. Wade would come out with a point-scoring, play-making barrage in the first half to soften up the champs, while James would be pulling a rope-a-dope in the corner. After halftime, the roles would reverse with James hitting jumper after jumper and driving to the rim delivering power punches to knock out the champs.
I'm not saying their path to the Finals is not going to be difficult because that would just be ignorant. The Bulls are the best team in the league and have the best defense in the league that will test the Heat night in and night out. With that being said though, it is still impossible for me to bet against two of the five best players in the league.
(Sidenote: I was discussing this with one of my friends the other day. Even though, I absolutely love seeing the Lakers lose, I really wish they hadn't. With the Lakers and Spurs both being knocked out, the playoffs have been set up for doubters to create excuses for why the Heat were able to "sneak through the playoffs" and win a championship. When doubters take a look at the Heat's postseason run, they will be able to make these claims.
Skeptical fan: "The Heat really didn't even win the championship. In the first round, they beat the Sixers, who honestly didn't even belong in the playoffs. Then they beat the Celtics, who were too old and past their prime. In the Eastern Conference Finals, they beat the Bulls. This was the first season that the Bulls made a deep postseason run and Derrick Rose is still learning how to take over playoff games. In the Finals, they didn't even have to beat the Lakers. Instead they faced Dirk, who doesn't have a clutch bone in his body. He's never been able to lead the Mavs to victory in the playoffs. **OR** The Thunder? Their best player is barely old enough to buy beer. Their two best players don't even get along. Of course, the Heat beat them. Their entire postseason run was easy. They played very beatable teams in every single game."
If the Heat win the NBA Finals, I know a ton of people that will definitely make this argument. If the Heat actually do end up winning, I will be unbelievably annoyed having to listen to these ignorant statements.)
Are there any valid complaints with Russell Westbrook's play?
Throughout the postseason, there have been questions regarding Westbrook's play. In the first two rounds, many people questioned Westbrook's decision making and ability to facilitate to other players on the Thunder specifically Kevin Durant. At times in their first two playoff series, the Thunder were unable to get Durant touches in the fourth quarter during end of the game situations. Since Westbrook is the point guard of the team, much of the blame was placed on him for the Thunder's inability to get Durant shots. Though there were certainly times Westbrook could have done better, it would be irresponsible to place all of the blame on him. Getting Durant touches is dictated by the plays that are called and Durant's ability to move off of the ball. Though Durant is certainly very good at this, the Grizzlies were able to throw two defenders (Battier and Allen) at him that could push him around and frustrate him while chasing him around screens. Memphis's team defense did a great job of making it difficult on Durant while he attempted to get open.
Though there are others to blame, the criticism of Westbrook is not completely undeserved. When taking a look at Westbrook's game, it is simple to see why he has received so much criticism. Westbrook is a great scorer and attacks the rim like few other players in the league can, but when attacking Westbrook looks to score first and pass second. I'm not going to say this is a bad thing because Westbrook's ability to score makes him one of the most dynamic guards in the league, but his preference to score can become a hindrance when it comes to creating for other teammates. In my opinion, the Thunder's offense flows best when James Harden is facilitating the action. With Harden as the creator, both Durant and Westbrook are able to work off of the ball, which puts even more pressure on the defense because help defenders have to be aware of where both of them are as well as the ballhandler.
Ultimately, when looking at Westbrook, I think it is necessary to understand that he is still a young player learning how to be a point guard and leader. To be the explosive player he has become, he will likely have some turnovers and make some poor decisions. For Westbrook, it could just be, as some have suggested, a matter of maturing and getting more experience as a point guard. It could also be that he just may never be a great point guard. He is already a great player and scorer, but being a great point guard is something that can be difficult to learn. Great point guards are typically born, not made. This is what I believe the case is with Westbrook. It's impossible to teach someone how to get others involved and lead a team. Playing the point guard position well is just an innate skill that can not be taught. You either have it or you don't and I just don't think Westbrook has it.
Is Memphis better without Rudy Gay?
(Even though the Grizzlies have already said that they are going to bring him back, I still want to explore it.)
I know this seems like a silly question, but I really am curious if the Grizzlies are better without their leading scorer and supposed best player. After spending the summer on Team USA at the 2010 FIBA World Championships, Gay developed into a much more complete player and was putting up great numbers until he got injured in the middle of February. With their best player out, many assumed Memphis would fall out of contention for the last playoff spot in the West and settle for a lottery pick. Much to everyone's surprise, they made a few savvy moves at the trade deadline (trading for Shane Battier and signing Leon Powe) and turned themselves to a playoff team.
With Gay out of the lineup, they took on a completely new persona and became a scrappy team centered around team defense and inside strength. While many other teams in the league are going small, they went big with Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. With Gay no longer in the lineup taking 15-20 shots a night, Memphis was able to completely embrace this new identity and begin to rely on their post play. This transformation led them to the playoffs and helped players like O.J. Mayo and Mike Conley develop into more than just role players. Having to take on a heavier load led to these players taking bigger leadership roles on the team and a feeling of greater importance. When Gay returns next year, it could be difficult for the Grizzlies to reinvent themselves again. It might not be the worst idea to trade him this offseason, but a Gay-less Grizzlies team seems unlikely with the comments from their GM and owner.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Who's the NBA MVP?
I haven't wrote a blog post in a very, very long time and it's the day before Finals begin. I have five papers due in the next week and yet I decide to write a blog post about the NBA MVP race. I think this might be my single most impressive piece of procrastination ever.
With school ending in the next week, I will have considerably more free time and should be able to get back to writing consistently. So with that being said, I am Back! You know it!
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To help you understand my rationale, I have attempted to place my MVP candidates into different groups that help categorize and classify them. Enjoy.
"Without me, this team would win 20 games." - Chris Paul, Dirk Nowitzki
With school ending in the next week, I will have considerably more free time and should be able to get back to writing consistently. So with that being said, I am Back! You know it!
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To help you understand my rationale, I have attempted to place my MVP candidates into different groups that help categorize and classify them. Enjoy.
"Without me, this team would win 20 games." - Chris Paul, Dirk Nowitzki
Without Paul and Nowitzki neither the Hornets or Mavericks would be anywhere near the playoffs. The fact that both teams have made the playoffs is a testament to these two superstars. Both of them have very distinct skills, but are definitely among the best players in the league.
Chris Paul defines the point guard position. He makes the players around him significantly better and that is the number one trait you want your point guard to have. Without him, some of the guys on the Hornets might not be in the league. I mean Paul has turned Aaron Gray into a functional NBA player. (Yeah, this guy.) Gray's best talent is being tall and I'm not even sure he's good at that. And Gray isn't the only one. The starters along with Paul for the Hornets' series against the Lakers were Trevor Ariza, Carl Landry, Emeka Okafor, and Marco Bellinelli with Jarrett Jack, Aaron Gray, and Jason Smith all contributing at least ten minutes off of the bench. I know that each one of these players have redeeming qualities, but none of them are legitimate running mates for Paul. He makes each one of these players effective simply because of how talented he is.
(On a related sidenote, I am VERY interested to see how good David West will be if he leaves the Hornets. West is certainly a good rebounder and one could imagine he will be able to average a double-double somewhere else, but I don't see many situations in which he will put up the numbers that he has while in New Orleans.)
In a time when it is popular to crown Derrick Rose the best point guard in the league after he dunks it on someone's head or Rajon Rondo after he puts up 25 assists in a game, it's unfortunate that people forget to give Paul the recognition he deserves because of his unbelievable consistency. Paul has been in the Top 10 in assists per game since his rookie season. He is currently the active leader in assists per game at 9.9 APG. If that's not enough, he is also consistently near the top of the league in steals. Almost forgot to mention that he also averages 16 points per game and is one of the most efficient players in the league.
The most amazing thing is that no matter how many different stats I throw at you, you still don't comprehend just how good Paul is until you see him play in person. Paul is a floor general and controls every aspect of the game. He helps get each of his teammates involved in the first half and closes out games with a killer instinct that only the best in the league possess.
I know that it would be ignorant to attempt to argue for Chris Paul to be this year's MVP because he hasn't had a transcendent statistical season or led his team to a historic record, but there is no way I can pass him up when taking a look at the league's most VALUABLE players. Much of the same argument can be used to make a case for Dirk Nowitzki.
Though it may be hard to comprehend or except Dirk Nowitzki has put together an amazing career and will likely be a Hall of Famer when he decides to hang it up. I know Bill Simmons has argued it before, but as time goes by it would be very possible to argue that Dirk Nowitzki is actually better than Bird if you just look at statistics and as he so elequently describes it, "throw out MVPs, titles, and overall impact". I would never say that Dirk is better than Larry Legend, but he has certainly put together quite a resume over the years. (Check out the full statistical comparison here.)
Much like Paul, Dirk has carried the Mavericks this entire season. I know they have some big name players in Jason Terry, Jason Kidd, and Shawn Marion, but this isn't the early 2000s anymore. Shawn Marion isn't the player he used to be, Jason Kidd doesn't have hair, and the JET might be running out of fuel.** These players are not the guys they used to be. Without Dirk this season, they were 2-7. Without Dirk, this team struggles to score points because no one else on the team can create for themselves or command a double team. With Dirk, though, they are the third best team in the Western Conference and a contender to win the NBA Finals. Once again, it would be nearly impossible to give Dirk the MVP, but he does deserve some credit for dragging a team that has no business in the playoffs into the playoffs.
**A sidenote on the JET nickname: I feel like the JET has to be a self-coined moniker. Anytime the nickname gets brought up during a broadcast, the announcer goes on and on about how those are his initials and it is so ironic that those are his initials. How does everyone know his middle initial? He had to purposely tell everyone about this. My middle initial is T. I didn't tell everyone that my name was Eric T. Nehm and then tell people that I wanted to be called E.T. because my passing skills are not human. Or my vision was out of this world. Give me a break.
**A sidenote on the JET nickname: I feel like the JET has to be a self-coined moniker. Anytime the nickname gets brought up during a broadcast, the announcer goes on and on about how those are his initials and it is so ironic that those are his initials. How does everyone know his middle initial? He had to purposely tell everyone about this. My middle initial is T. I didn't tell everyone that my name was Eric T. Nehm and then tell people that I wanted to be called E.T. because my passing skills are not human. Or my vision was out of this world. Give me a break.
"I get the trophy Monday through Wednesday, You get it Thursday through Saturday. We can share it on Sundays" - Dwyane Wade/Lebron James, Russell Westbrook/Kevin Durant
At various points in the season I have heard people argue that each of these players deserve the MVP award, but there is no way that you can allow one of these four to win the award. I love Lebron James. I will be the first to admit. I love him a little bit less after the Decision, but I still enjoy watching him play more than any other player in the league (except maybe Matt Bonner). His stat line was not as impressive as it has been in years past, but was still very good: 26.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 7.0 APG. Not quite up to par with his past few years, but still very Jamesian. (Yeah, that's a new word.)
Though he was very good, it is impossible to deny the fact that he played along Dwyane Wade, who was very impressive as well this season. Wade averaged 25.5 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 4.6 APG. These two side-by-side would be unfair for the rest of the league if it wasn't for the fact that they don't actually have real teammates, but instead Chris Bosh and two lucky fans that the Heat randomly select each night. (Wait. They don't do that? They actually play Juwan Howard and Joel Anthony every night. Oooh.) Even though they play 3-on-5 each night, the Heat were still able to get the second seed in the East because of the ridiculous skill of Wade and James.
(Sidenote: This may be only a comparison that a few of my readers get, but instead of calling the Heat the Big Three or the Heatles, I think that the Heat should be called the Fantasy Factor3. This is in reference to one of my favorite shows, Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory, but only in comparison to this year's cast.
For me, Lebron is Rob Dyrdek. Rob has always been a showman, but in the first few years of Fantasy Factory, he was forced to carry the entire load just like Lebron early in his career in Cleveland. He had to be the comic relief, he had to do the crazy stuff, and he needed to get everything possible out of a cast wasn't all that good. Last season, he got a little bit too off the wall and at times it seemed like the crazy stuff he was doing was a bit of a stretch, just like some of the photo op pregame stuff the Cavaliers did.
Drama is Chris Bosh. Drama was never really very cool or funny on Rob and Big, but on a franchise that wasn't as good (Fantasy Factory), he needed to step up and point up some points. This was just like Bosh in Toronto. Drama was never really that talented, but he was a great player for a bad team. He became a major character because he needed to. Someone on Fantasy Factory needed to put up some stats and Drama was the guy that filled the role.
Wade is Big Black. Big Black is a star. On Rob and Big, he was a go-to-guy. At times, when Rob couldn't carry the load, Big Black could come in and carry a whole show. He could come through in the clutch. Rob and Big was a proven winner, much like Wade was on the 2006 Heat. The addition of Big Black this season is just like putting together Wade and James. Big Black is just trying to get his footing and figure out how to fit in and when he can take over an episode. Eventually, they will figure out their chemistry and Fantasy Factory will be the best show on television. (Okay, maybe that part was a stretch.)
I hope my ten readers that watch Fantasy Factory actually liked the reference and those of you who didn't get it, start watching Fantasy Factory.)
It is nearly impossible to separate Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant because they are such a dynamic duo, but when you do they are very impressive. Westbrook's first two seasons in the NBA were good, but were highlighted by small glimmers of greatness. This season Westbrook finally put it all together and had a truly great season. As the point guard of one of the youngest teams in the league, Westbrook was able to average 21.9 PPG, 8.2 APG, and 4.6 RPG. It was great to see Westbrook put it all together and finally become a very good young point guard. Though Derrick Rose has gotten nearly all the attention for his great season, Westbrook has been very similar in many statistical aspects. (Here is the full statistical comparison. Win Share is the big difference between them, which obviously gives Rose the edge. The PPG, APG, and RPG are very similar though.)
Durant is a just about unstoppable scorer. At 6'9" with long arms, Durant is a difficult mismatch for anyone in the league. The Thunder do a great job of running Durant off of screens and getting the ball in his hands, which makes it nearly impossible for an opposing forward to attempt to stop Durant. This is evident in Durant leading the league in scoring for the second year in a row. Once Durant can become more of a playmaker rather than just a scorer he might be able to legitimately get himself into the MVP contention, but until that day I think the Thunder will be just fine with Westbrook as their playmaker and Durant as their scorer.
"You could give it to me every year, but no one really likes me" - Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant has been one of the best players in the league for the last ten years. As much as everyone would likely not believe what I am about to say, I feel bad for Kobe. Much like Chris Paul, Kobe is so consistently great that no one ever wants to give him an MVP award because it's not really anything new or different. Though I feel bad for Kobe, I don't feel that bad for him because the same thing happened to Michael Jordan who only won five MVP trophies when he really deserved seven or eight.
As he has been for the last at least five years, Kobe is still the best closer in the league. There isn't a person in the league you would rather have take the last shot than Kobe. He simply has a knack for hitting the big shot and that is absolutely something you want in your best player. Kobe was more efficient this season in fewer minutes per game (decreased from 38 to 33 per game) and allowed his teammates to carry a heavier load earlier in games**. This was a very good development in the progression of Kobe into a more Jordanesque veteran player.
**Though there were times this season when Kobe accepted his role as a leader and allowed some of his teammates to take control of games, there were times when he would be in "straight jack" mode as well. It was always frustrating for me because I want players to maximize their potential and become the best player they can be and when I would see a game where he allowed Pau to dominate, I would start to have hope. And then the next game I would see him take 30 shots and immediately be disappointed. To Kobe's credit though, he has gotten considerably better at this over the years.
"I dunk the ball all the time. I block a ton of shots out of bounds. And I do it all with a smile on my face. Give me the award." - Dwight Howard
Since Dwight Howard has entered the league, fans have waited for Dwight Howard to take "The Next Step". "The Next Step" has been different for Howard throughout his career. In his first two seasons, "The Next Step" was figuring out how to use his massive body to become an effective offensive player. Howard figured out how to do that and has become much more effective offensively in the last few seasons. After figuring out his offensive game, "The Next Step" for Howard was figuring out how to affect the game on the defensive end of the floor. Howard has been able to do that as well managing to win the last three Defensive Player of the Year awards. With a relatively complete game, "The Next Step" for Howard is becoming a leader and helping his team win games.
This season certainly seemed like a step in the right direction, but I'm not quite sure Dwight is there yet. I know that he has been the Defensive Player of the Year, but I feel like there is more Dwight can do defensively. Michael Wilbon has echoed this point for years and I have to agree with his sentiment: Dwight Howard could be a much more effective defensive player if he was willing to stop worrying about the highlight block and start keeping his blocks in play. Bill Russell was one of the best shot blockers of all-time, but rarely would you see him block shots out of bounds. No one in the history of basketball was better at blocking a shot to himself or to a teammate to start a fast break than Bill Russell.
Offensively, I know that Howard has made improvements by leaps and bounds, but I'm still waiting for him to become a bit more effective offensively. Howard is improving in passing out of double teams, but I still think there is a ton of room for improvement. Through his first seven seasons, Howard's highest total for assists per game in a season is 1.9 APG. In Shaquille O'Neal's first seven seasons, O'Neals lowest total was 1.9 APG and that came in his rookie season. I understand that Shaq was still only averaging around 2.5 APG in his first seven seasons, but compared to Howard's 1.5 APG in his first seven seasons it can become a big deal.
I hope that someday Howard can become the player his potential suggests he can become, but until that day I will be disappointed. I understand that, to this point, this has been Howard's absolute best season, but I still don't think he deserves the MVP award. He simply doesn't do enough as a big man to win the award. I am particularly bothered by the fact that the Hawks refused to double team him or even help their post players defend Howard and the Magic still lost. I know that guards affect the game in a much different way than big men, but if teams would allow any of the players on this list to do whatever they want their teams would not have lost in the first round.
"I'm supposed to be mad Lebron didn't come here? Nah. I'll just take his award." - Derrick Rose
Two storylines have driven interest in the NBA this past season: Lebron James deciding to become a member of the Miami Heat and the effect the 2010 FIBA World Championships had on a number of young players. It was impossible to watch ESPN without hearing about Miami's Big Three or The Heatles or The Fantasy Factor3 (see how I used it there). Every game they played was dissected and we heard about what they could do better or why they are struggling. Any other time spent discussing the NBA revolved around the development of many young players into borderline superstars. Derrick Rose was the convergence of these two storylines.
All the time leading up to "The Decision" revolved around where Lebron should go and which team he would have fit best with. I still contend that it was the Clippers, but there were compelling cases made for Chicago, New York, New Jersey, and Miami. Everyone believed that adding James would turn the Bulls into instant contenders, but after they failed to lure him to Chicago few believed the Bulls had what it took to win the Eastern Conference. Many people believed they would win the Central Division, but even that wasn't a consensus opinion. Little did they know the effect "The Decision" would have on Derrick Rose.
Lebron choosing to take his talents to South Beach instead of the Windy City is probably the best thing that could have happened to Rose. After "The Decision" Derrick Rose lead on that he wasn't happy that Lebron chose Miami instead of Chicago, but it wasn't a childish temper tantrum. It seemed more like a fire Rose used to fuel him to push his game to new levels this entire season. With Lebron in Chicago, Rose would not have been able to dominate the offense the way he has this season. Instead of being relied on for most of their offensive production, Rose would have been forced to play a supporting role to Lebron and would have been unable to develop into the dynamic offensive force he is today.
Rose's season has been particularly impressive because of the team that is around him. The Bulls are a very well constructed team, but there are only a few players in the league that could be as productive as Rose has been because the Bulls do not have another player on the team that can get to the basket. Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer are both very good players, but neither of them attack the rim. The same can be said for all of their perimeter players (Deng, Korver, Bogans, Gibson, Watson). This means that their offensive productivity relies completely on Rose and his ability to penetrate and make plays. And you know what? Every single team in the league knows this and can't do anything about it. Rose is just too quick and strong. He does a great job creating and using his athletic ability to get to the basket.
Rose's experience at the FIBA World Championships helped him develop as a leader and scorer. With guys like Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, and Lebron James deciding to sit out for the World Championships this summer, players like Rose and Durant were forced to step into roles that they had never had as a member of USA Basketball. They were being asked to be the go-to guys on a team of great NBA players. Obviously, the FIBA World Championships aren't the same as an NBA Finals series, but they are extremely competitive and gave Rose experience in games that actually mattered. In these highly competitive games, Rose was forced to take games over at times and this helped him handle the load for this entire season.
Rose's leadership and ability to make plays is what makes him so valuable to the Bulls. Without him, they would definitely struggle to score and win games. Rose's drive and tenacity have helped the Bulls transform themselves from a fringe playoff team to one of the league's best teams and make him this year's most valuable player.
At various points in the season I have heard people argue that each of these players deserve the MVP award, but there is no way that you can allow one of these four to win the award. I love Lebron James. I will be the first to admit. I love him a little bit less after the Decision, but I still enjoy watching him play more than any other player in the league (except maybe Matt Bonner). His stat line was not as impressive as it has been in years past, but was still very good: 26.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 7.0 APG. Not quite up to par with his past few years, but still very Jamesian. (Yeah, that's a new word.)
Though he was very good, it is impossible to deny the fact that he played along Dwyane Wade, who was very impressive as well this season. Wade averaged 25.5 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 4.6 APG. These two side-by-side would be unfair for the rest of the league if it wasn't for the fact that they don't actually have real teammates, but instead Chris Bosh and two lucky fans that the Heat randomly select each night. (Wait. They don't do that? They actually play Juwan Howard and Joel Anthony every night. Oooh.) Even though they play 3-on-5 each night, the Heat were still able to get the second seed in the East because of the ridiculous skill of Wade and James.
(Sidenote: This may be only a comparison that a few of my readers get, but instead of calling the Heat the Big Three or the Heatles, I think that the Heat should be called the Fantasy Factor3. This is in reference to one of my favorite shows, Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory, but only in comparison to this year's cast.
For me, Lebron is Rob Dyrdek. Rob has always been a showman, but in the first few years of Fantasy Factory, he was forced to carry the entire load just like Lebron early in his career in Cleveland. He had to be the comic relief, he had to do the crazy stuff, and he needed to get everything possible out of a cast wasn't all that good. Last season, he got a little bit too off the wall and at times it seemed like the crazy stuff he was doing was a bit of a stretch, just like some of the photo op pregame stuff the Cavaliers did.
Drama is Chris Bosh. Drama was never really very cool or funny on Rob and Big, but on a franchise that wasn't as good (Fantasy Factory), he needed to step up and point up some points. This was just like Bosh in Toronto. Drama was never really that talented, but he was a great player for a bad team. He became a major character because he needed to. Someone on Fantasy Factory needed to put up some stats and Drama was the guy that filled the role.
Wade is Big Black. Big Black is a star. On Rob and Big, he was a go-to-guy. At times, when Rob couldn't carry the load, Big Black could come in and carry a whole show. He could come through in the clutch. Rob and Big was a proven winner, much like Wade was on the 2006 Heat. The addition of Big Black this season is just like putting together Wade and James. Big Black is just trying to get his footing and figure out how to fit in and when he can take over an episode. Eventually, they will figure out their chemistry and Fantasy Factory will be the best show on television. (Okay, maybe that part was a stretch.)
I hope my ten readers that watch Fantasy Factory actually liked the reference and those of you who didn't get it, start watching Fantasy Factory.)
It is nearly impossible to separate Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant because they are such a dynamic duo, but when you do they are very impressive. Westbrook's first two seasons in the NBA were good, but were highlighted by small glimmers of greatness. This season Westbrook finally put it all together and had a truly great season. As the point guard of one of the youngest teams in the league, Westbrook was able to average 21.9 PPG, 8.2 APG, and 4.6 RPG. It was great to see Westbrook put it all together and finally become a very good young point guard. Though Derrick Rose has gotten nearly all the attention for his great season, Westbrook has been very similar in many statistical aspects. (Here is the full statistical comparison. Win Share is the big difference between them, which obviously gives Rose the edge. The PPG, APG, and RPG are very similar though.)
Durant is a just about unstoppable scorer. At 6'9" with long arms, Durant is a difficult mismatch for anyone in the league. The Thunder do a great job of running Durant off of screens and getting the ball in his hands, which makes it nearly impossible for an opposing forward to attempt to stop Durant. This is evident in Durant leading the league in scoring for the second year in a row. Once Durant can become more of a playmaker rather than just a scorer he might be able to legitimately get himself into the MVP contention, but until that day I think the Thunder will be just fine with Westbrook as their playmaker and Durant as their scorer.
"You could give it to me every year, but no one really likes me" - Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant has been one of the best players in the league for the last ten years. As much as everyone would likely not believe what I am about to say, I feel bad for Kobe. Much like Chris Paul, Kobe is so consistently great that no one ever wants to give him an MVP award because it's not really anything new or different. Though I feel bad for Kobe, I don't feel that bad for him because the same thing happened to Michael Jordan who only won five MVP trophies when he really deserved seven or eight.
As he has been for the last at least five years, Kobe is still the best closer in the league. There isn't a person in the league you would rather have take the last shot than Kobe. He simply has a knack for hitting the big shot and that is absolutely something you want in your best player. Kobe was more efficient this season in fewer minutes per game (decreased from 38 to 33 per game) and allowed his teammates to carry a heavier load earlier in games**. This was a very good development in the progression of Kobe into a more Jordanesque veteran player.
**Though there were times this season when Kobe accepted his role as a leader and allowed some of his teammates to take control of games, there were times when he would be in "straight jack" mode as well. It was always frustrating for me because I want players to maximize their potential and become the best player they can be and when I would see a game where he allowed Pau to dominate, I would start to have hope. And then the next game I would see him take 30 shots and immediately be disappointed. To Kobe's credit though, he has gotten considerably better at this over the years.
"I dunk the ball all the time. I block a ton of shots out of bounds. And I do it all with a smile on my face. Give me the award." - Dwight Howard
Since Dwight Howard has entered the league, fans have waited for Dwight Howard to take "The Next Step". "The Next Step" has been different for Howard throughout his career. In his first two seasons, "The Next Step" was figuring out how to use his massive body to become an effective offensive player. Howard figured out how to do that and has become much more effective offensively in the last few seasons. After figuring out his offensive game, "The Next Step" for Howard was figuring out how to affect the game on the defensive end of the floor. Howard has been able to do that as well managing to win the last three Defensive Player of the Year awards. With a relatively complete game, "The Next Step" for Howard is becoming a leader and helping his team win games.
This season certainly seemed like a step in the right direction, but I'm not quite sure Dwight is there yet. I know that he has been the Defensive Player of the Year, but I feel like there is more Dwight can do defensively. Michael Wilbon has echoed this point for years and I have to agree with his sentiment: Dwight Howard could be a much more effective defensive player if he was willing to stop worrying about the highlight block and start keeping his blocks in play. Bill Russell was one of the best shot blockers of all-time, but rarely would you see him block shots out of bounds. No one in the history of basketball was better at blocking a shot to himself or to a teammate to start a fast break than Bill Russell.
Offensively, I know that Howard has made improvements by leaps and bounds, but I'm still waiting for him to become a bit more effective offensively. Howard is improving in passing out of double teams, but I still think there is a ton of room for improvement. Through his first seven seasons, Howard's highest total for assists per game in a season is 1.9 APG. In Shaquille O'Neal's first seven seasons, O'Neals lowest total was 1.9 APG and that came in his rookie season. I understand that Shaq was still only averaging around 2.5 APG in his first seven seasons, but compared to Howard's 1.5 APG in his first seven seasons it can become a big deal.
I hope that someday Howard can become the player his potential suggests he can become, but until that day I will be disappointed. I understand that, to this point, this has been Howard's absolute best season, but I still don't think he deserves the MVP award. He simply doesn't do enough as a big man to win the award. I am particularly bothered by the fact that the Hawks refused to double team him or even help their post players defend Howard and the Magic still lost. I know that guards affect the game in a much different way than big men, but if teams would allow any of the players on this list to do whatever they want their teams would not have lost in the first round.
"I'm supposed to be mad Lebron didn't come here? Nah. I'll just take his award." - Derrick Rose
Two storylines have driven interest in the NBA this past season: Lebron James deciding to become a member of the Miami Heat and the effect the 2010 FIBA World Championships had on a number of young players. It was impossible to watch ESPN without hearing about Miami's Big Three or The Heatles or The Fantasy Factor3 (see how I used it there). Every game they played was dissected and we heard about what they could do better or why they are struggling. Any other time spent discussing the NBA revolved around the development of many young players into borderline superstars. Derrick Rose was the convergence of these two storylines.
All the time leading up to "The Decision" revolved around where Lebron should go and which team he would have fit best with. I still contend that it was the Clippers, but there were compelling cases made for Chicago, New York, New Jersey, and Miami. Everyone believed that adding James would turn the Bulls into instant contenders, but after they failed to lure him to Chicago few believed the Bulls had what it took to win the Eastern Conference. Many people believed they would win the Central Division, but even that wasn't a consensus opinion. Little did they know the effect "The Decision" would have on Derrick Rose.
Lebron choosing to take his talents to South Beach instead of the Windy City is probably the best thing that could have happened to Rose. After "The Decision" Derrick Rose lead on that he wasn't happy that Lebron chose Miami instead of Chicago, but it wasn't a childish temper tantrum. It seemed more like a fire Rose used to fuel him to push his game to new levels this entire season. With Lebron in Chicago, Rose would not have been able to dominate the offense the way he has this season. Instead of being relied on for most of their offensive production, Rose would have been forced to play a supporting role to Lebron and would have been unable to develop into the dynamic offensive force he is today.
Rose's season has been particularly impressive because of the team that is around him. The Bulls are a very well constructed team, but there are only a few players in the league that could be as productive as Rose has been because the Bulls do not have another player on the team that can get to the basket. Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer are both very good players, but neither of them attack the rim. The same can be said for all of their perimeter players (Deng, Korver, Bogans, Gibson, Watson). This means that their offensive productivity relies completely on Rose and his ability to penetrate and make plays. And you know what? Every single team in the league knows this and can't do anything about it. Rose is just too quick and strong. He does a great job creating and using his athletic ability to get to the basket.
Rose's experience at the FIBA World Championships helped him develop as a leader and scorer. With guys like Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, and Lebron James deciding to sit out for the World Championships this summer, players like Rose and Durant were forced to step into roles that they had never had as a member of USA Basketball. They were being asked to be the go-to guys on a team of great NBA players. Obviously, the FIBA World Championships aren't the same as an NBA Finals series, but they are extremely competitive and gave Rose experience in games that actually mattered. In these highly competitive games, Rose was forced to take games over at times and this helped him handle the load for this entire season.
Rose's leadership and ability to make plays is what makes him so valuable to the Bulls. Without him, they would definitely struggle to score and win games. Rose's drive and tenacity have helped the Bulls transform themselves from a fringe playoff team to one of the league's best teams and make him this year's most valuable player.
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