Kobe Selected as 2008 MVP

[elprez98]

Quote: Originally Posted by minoba82

Ummm...the Hornets were a good team last year. They have pretty much the same team as last year. The main difference is that, this year their main guys didn't have injury problems. Peja missed 69 games last year and West missed 30. Look at how they played this year with those guys healthy. It's pretty clear that they were a GOOD team last year, but they were just struck with the injury bug. If those guys missed that amount of games this year, they would've missed the playoffs this year too. No, I'm not saying that Chris Paul didn't elevate his play. Obviously, he did. I'm just pointing out to you that the Hornets WERE a GOOD team last year, they just had some serious injury problems.

There is no such thing as a "good but" team. Either you are good or you are not. Period. Injuries happen. Look at the Rockets, they lost Yao Ming and still made the playoffs. Hell they won 20+ straight. I really like the Hornets, honestly. 39-43 is not good.

[Cebby]

Quote: Originally Posted by elprez98

There is no such thing as a "good but" team. Either you are good or you are not. Period. Injuries happen.

That's just not true. What about the Wizards last year? They were the #1 seed in the East, then had their 3 best players get injured. What if one of the great teams lost Magic/Kareem, Jordan and Pippen, or Shaq and Kobe? Would those teams suddenly be bad teams?

The Rockets starters this year missed a total of about 53-60 games.

The Hornets starters last year missed 133 games. Their 3 best players missed 117 games.

So the Hornets improved by 17 games. Their starters missed a total of 33 games, and their 3 best players missed 13 games.

Obviously Paul improved a lot and has easily separated from the pack of point guards, but the turnaround isn't quite as amazing as it is made out to be. Without injuries, it probably would have been a 5ish game improvement.

[Dynasty4Kobe]

Kobe winning this MVP based on past merits IS a BS excuse to give him the award. But that being said, based on this season, and this season alone . . . can you really say Kobe is not deserving of this MVP award?

Chris Paul is a great player, an amazing player, and he too had an MVP season, but I can't say that he got robbed because Kobe was just as, if not more, deserving.

Chris Paul put up incredible stats, but Kobe also put up a strong stat-line himself. Chris Paul brought the 39-43 Hornets all the way to the 2nd seed in the West, but don't forget, Kobe brought the 42-40 Lakers all the way to 1st. Both teams made similar jumps. Sure Kobe got Pau Gasol, but it's not like he had him for the full season, Gasol only played in 27 games. That still is a big addition to the team, but like others have said, the Hornets have also had the liberty of having Peja and David West play for a full season this year, that is a big addition to their team as well.

Of course Paul has made his teammates much better, and you can credit West's and Chandler's and his teammates play to that, but you can't forget that the strong play of the Lakers players should also be credited to Kobe. It's no coincidence that damn near the whole team is having a career year and that it took Pau Gasol little to no time to integrate himself into this offense. Kobe made it happen.

[elprez98]

Quote: Originally Posted by The Soldier

Would those teams suddenly be bad teams?

If their record reflects a sub-.500 team winning percentage, yes they become a bad team. A lot of teams lose star players and succeed, i.e. Yao or Arenas. You can't base a team's performance on what they "could be." Its "what is" that counts. Ask Avery Johnson.

The Hornets weren't a good team last year, whether its poor play or injury, you don't get a pass because somebody got hurt. When Shaq or D-Wade got hurt, the Heat weren't "good but" they sucked *** too.

[Bornindamecca]

Quote: Originally Posted by elprez98

If their record reflects a sub-.500 team winning percentage, yes they become a bad team. A lot of teams lose star players and succeed, i.e. Yao or Arenas. You can't base a team's performance on what they "could be." Its "what is" that counts. Ask Avery Johnson. The Hornets weren't a good team last year, whether its poor play or injury, you don't get a pass because somebody got hurt. When Shaq or D-Wade got hurt, the Heat weren't "good but" they sucked *** too.

In terms of a bottom line, you're right, but that only counts in regards to coaching jobs, and making the playoffs. If you're evaluating the talent of a team, you have to take into account varying circumstances, like health for instance. It's not accurate to say that the Hornets were a good team last year, but they were injured, because they weren't winning. But there is a difference between an untalented losing team that needs new parts and a talented that could be better than its record with a few minor changes.

The Hornets were the latter, of course, and most people could see it, because when they were healthy they were making a run at the playoffs. I think it's pretty reasonable to say that you can't simply judge a team's talent by its record. You can judge their performance, but not their potential to perform. With the potential to perform, you absolutely have to factor in whether or not said team was put in position to win. Obviously, if a team has many of its starters out of the lineup, it's not in the best position to win, and thusly its record can be very misleading.

All that said, Kobe leads his team in points, assists, steals, 3pters made, FTs made(second in pct) and defense, and say he doesn't deserve MVP, particularly when his team has the best record in the West, and overcame injuries to do so.

[HMcCoy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Brankles

Definitely a lifetime achievement award. A bunch of years coming in 2nd and 3rd place in voting (even now, Chris Paul deserved it more this year imo), but the guy is without a doubt a top player in the league.

Top player in the league, on the top squad in the most competitive conference in NBA history...and he still didn't flat-out earn it? It's still just a lifetime acheivement award?

LOL.

[Brandon13]

Quote: Originally Posted by HMcCoy

Top player in the league, on the top squad in the most competitive conference in NBA history...and he still didn't flat-out earn it? It's still just a lifetime acheivement award? LOL.

Lol, when you put it that way it does sound kinda funny.

[TheMatrix31]

Whether he deserved it this year or not is not (or should not) be debated.

But, a lot of writers/analysts say "Hey, he won, this is great. It was his time, he's earned it, he's paid his dues over the years" etc. Those types of comments make us believe that it was given to him as a lifetime achievment award and not because he legitimately deserved it THIS YEAR, which he did.

[23]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheMatrix31

Whether he deserved it this year or not is not (or should not) be debated. But, a lot of writers/analysts say "Hey, he won, this is great. It was his time, he's earned it, he's paid his dues over the years" etc. Those types of comments make us believe that it was given to him as a lifetime achievment award and not because he legitimately deserved it THIS YEAR, which he did.

Right. The voting could've gone either way to CP or Kobe but the reasoning they gave was what was garbage, and alot of them were saying they based the award on that last game between the two teams which was also a farce.

[Brandon13]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheMatrix31

Whether he deserved it this year or not is not (or should not) be debated. But, a lot of writers/analysts say "Hey, he won, this is great. It was his time, he's earned it, he's paid his dues over the years" etc. Those types of comments make us believe that it was given to him as a lifetime achievment award and not because he legitimately deserved it THIS YEAR, which he did.

Do you have a link for any of the voter's basically saying they gave it to him as a life time achievement award?