So who's MVP?

[Jesus Shuttlesworth #20]

2011 NBA MVP Race Rankings:

1) P Double
2) Jesus Shuttlesworth
3) The Big Ticket
4) Rondeezy
5) The Perkalator

[PaulPierce34G]

Right now, I say LeBron...still putting up very good, all around quality numbers along with D. Wade & Bosh.  I think a lot of people expected his numbers to dip, most specifically his ppg a la the Celtics' Big 3, from having to really spread the stats around with two guys who would be the #1 options on the vast majority of teams in the league.  LeBron is still doing it stat-wise, the Heat are playing well, he's meshing well with Wade & Bosh...He gets my vote for MVP at this current point in the season.  Rose is definitely a close second, having to lead the Bulls without having Noah & Boozer consistently for the bulk of the season, but still bringing them to a very respectable record.  The award is LeBron's to lose if the Heat somehow hit a skid at some point before the regular season concludes or his current regular season play really diminishes, which I doubt it will.

[screwedupmaniac]

This decision is very easy for me to make: all it takes is one initial glance at the Hornets' starting 5, a look at how surprisingly well they're doing this year, and who the leader of that group of no-names is. CP3 for MVP.

[Tayo]

probably LeBron James

 ...then after that maybe Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, Amare Stoudamire, Dirk Nowizki, The 'Big Three' (Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen or Paul Pierce), Steve Nash etc.

I think the espn analysts are right about the 'LeBron James Hype' this season...

[jr_3421]

1. Rose
2. CP3
3. LeBron
4. Amare
5. Dirk

[GreenFaith1819]

Right now? I'd say Amar'e Stoudemire, no doubt. The man has made NY relevant again.

His defense? I don't think Amar'e has EVER averaged more than 2 blocks a game, which he is doing so far. One of his biggest knocks during his career has been defense, and he's doing it so far.

The last Knick to average that many blocks? Correct me if I'm wrong, but the last Knick to average this many blocks (and pts and rebs)was none other than Patrick Ewing.

Amar'e is getting it done in NY. Raymond Felton deserves a lot of praise for this, too - but Amar'e would get my vote hands down for MVP.

[Boris Badenov]

His defense? I don't think Amar'e has EVER averaged more than 2 blocks a game, which he is doing so far. One of his biggest knocks during his career has been defense, and he's doing it so far.

The last Knick to average that many blocks? Correct me if I'm wrong, but the last Knick to average this many blocks (and pts and rebs)was none other than Patrick Ewing.

It does look like Ewing was the last Knick to average 2.0+ blocks per game, in 1998-99.

The news is even worse for the Celtics - McHale in 1990-91!

[nyceltsfan]

1. Rose
2. Durant
3. CP3
4. Dirk
5. Dwight Howard

[barefacedmonk]

1. Rajon Rondo
2. Ray Allen
3. Paul Pierce
4. Kevin Garnett
5. Kendrick Perkins
6. Glen Davis
7. Shaq

Honourable mention: Nate Robinson, Marquis Daniels, Von Wafer, Delonte West, Semih Erden, Luke Harangody, Jermaine O'Neal, Avery Bradley.

[soap07]

Right now? I'd say Amar'e Stoudemire, no doubt. The man has made NY relevant again.

His defense? I don't think Amar'e has EVER averaged more than 2 blocks a game, which he is doing so far. One of his biggest knocks during his career has been defense, and he's doing it so far.

The last Knick to average that many blocks? Correct me if I'm wrong, but the last Knick to average this many blocks (and pts and rebs)was none other than Patrick Ewing.

Amar'e is getting it done in NY. Raymond Felton deserves a lot of praise for this, too - but Amar'e would get my vote hands down for MVP.

What in the world? A guy who's the best player on a  team that's two games over .500 in the Eastern Conference? He hasn't been good defensively.

[GreenFaith1819]

His defense? I don't think Amar'e has EVER averaged more than 2 blocks a game, which he is doing so far. One of his biggest knocks during his career has been defense, and he's doing it so far.

The last Knick to average that many blocks? Correct me if I'm wrong, but the last Knick to average this many blocks (and pts and rebs)was none other than Patrick Ewing.

It does look like Ewing was the last Knick to average 2.0+ blocks per game, in 1998-99.

The news is even worse for the Celtics - McHale in 1990-91!

But see - that is the beauty of This Celtics Defense. I was thinking about that as well.

At best we've had Perk avg 1.5 blocks, KG with his almost 1 block per gm, and Paul with his 0.6.

Throw in JO, Semih and Shaq? We've been doing quite well as a team.

Celtics will be scary indeed by playoff time.

[GreenFaith1819]

Right now? I'd say Amar'e Stoudemire, no doubt. The man has made NY relevant again.

His defense? I don't think Amar'e has EVER averaged more than 2 blocks a game, which he is doing so far. One of his biggest knocks during his career has been defense, and he's doing it so far.

The last Knick to average that many blocks? Correct me if I'm wrong, but the last Knick to average this many blocks (and pts and rebs)was none other than Patrick Ewing.

Amar'e is getting it done in NY. Raymond Felton deserves a lot of praise for this, too - but Amar'e would get my vote hands down for MVP.

What in the world? A guy who's the best player on a  team that's two games over .500 in the Eastern Conference? He hasn't been good defensively.

I have to disagree.

Between his steals, blocks, and rebs? His willingness to play Center and bang with the centers of the NBA? The way he almost single-handedly torched Boston in NY?

Amar'e has stepped it up defensively and overall, I'd say. And he's done it with a coach that - while I think of as one of the best coaches in the NBA - D'Antoni is not known for pushing defense.

The result? Yes, you are right - the Knicks are only 1 or 2 games above 500.

But where were they at last year at this time?

[soap07]

Right now? I'd say Amar'e Stoudemire, no doubt. The man has made NY relevant again.

His defense? I don't think Amar'e has EVER averaged more than 2 blocks a game, which he is doing so far. One of his biggest knocks during his career has been defense, and he's doing it so far.

The last Knick to average that many blocks? Correct me if I'm wrong, but the last Knick to average this many blocks (and pts and rebs)was none other than Patrick Ewing.

Amar'e is getting it done in NY. Raymond Felton deserves a lot of praise for this, too - but Amar'e would get my vote hands down for MVP.

What in the world? A guy who's the best player on a  team that's two games over .500 in the Eastern Conference? He hasn't been good defensively.

I have to disagree.

Between his steals, blocks, and rebs? His willingness to play Center and bang with the centers of the NBA? The way he almost single-handedly torched Boston in NY?

Amar'e has stepped it up defensively and overall, I'd say. And he's done it with a coach that - while I think of as one of the best coaches in the NBA - D'Antoni is not known for pushing defense.

The result? Yes, you are right - the Knicks are only 1 or 2 games above 500.

But where were they at last year at this time?

What rebounds? He's averaging 8.6 a game. That's not very many for a guy his size playing on a team that plays as fast as his does. And the Knicks didn't just add Amar'e this offseason. There was also Felton, a healthy Galinari, the emergence of Wilson Chandler...and...the team is still only two games above .500. Amar'e is shooting his lowest FG% (51%) since 2003, his second year in the league.

Speaking of stepping it up rebounding, he's actually rebounding less than his career average.

Amar'e shouldn't even be in the top 10 in MVP voting.

[GreenFaith1819]

Right now? I'd say Amar'e Stoudemire, no doubt. The man has made NY relevant again.

His defense? I don't think Amar'e has EVER averaged more than 2 blocks a game, which he is doing so far. One of his biggest knocks during his career has been defense, and he's doing it so far.

The last Knick to average that many blocks? Correct me if I'm wrong, but the last Knick to average this many blocks (and pts and rebs)was none other than Patrick Ewing.

Amar'e is getting it done in NY. Raymond Felton deserves a lot of praise for this, too - but Amar'e would get my vote hands down for MVP.

What in the world? A guy who's the best player on a  team that's two games over .500 in the Eastern Conference? He hasn't been good defensively.

I have to disagree.

Between his steals, blocks, and rebs? His willingness to play Center and bang with the centers of the NBA? The way he almost single-handedly torched Boston in NY?

Amar'e has stepped it up defensively and overall, I'd say. And he's done it with a coach that - while I think of as one of the best coaches in the NBA - D'Antoni is not known for pushing defense.

The result? Yes, you are right - the Knicks are only 1 or 2 games above 500.

But where were they at last year at this time?

What rebounds? He's averaging 8.6 a game. That's not very many for a guy his size playing on a team that plays as fast as his does. And the Knicks didn't just add Amar'e this offseason. There was also Felton, a healthy Galinari, the emergence of Wilson Chandler...and...the team is still only two games above .500. Amar'e is shooting his lowest FG% (51%) since 2003, his second year in the league.

Speaking of stepping it up rebounding, he's actually rebounding less than his career average.

Amar'e shouldn't even be in the top 10 in MVP voting.

You're obviously trying to bait me with that comment.

"Amar'e shouldn't even be in the top 10 in MVP voting."

Even YOU don't believe that.

[soap07]

Right now? I'd say Amar'e Stoudemire, no doubt. The man has made NY relevant again.

His defense? I don't think Amar'e has EVER averaged more than 2 blocks a game, which he is doing so far. One of his biggest knocks during his career has been defense, and he's doing it so far.

The last Knick to average that many blocks? Correct me if I'm wrong, but the last Knick to average this many blocks (and pts and rebs)was none other than Patrick Ewing.

Amar'e is getting it done in NY. Raymond Felton deserves a lot of praise for this, too - but Amar'e would get my vote hands down for MVP.

What in the world? A guy who's the best player on a  team that's two games over .500 in the Eastern Conference? He hasn't been good defensively.

I have to disagree.

Between his steals, blocks, and rebs? His willingness to play Center and bang with the centers of the NBA? The way he almost single-handedly torched Boston in NY?

Amar'e has stepped it up defensively and overall, I'd say. And he's done it with a coach that - while I think of as one of the best coaches in the NBA - D'Antoni is not known for pushing defense.

The result? Yes, you are right - the Knicks are only 1 or 2 games above 500.

But where were they at last year at this time?

What rebounds? He's averaging 8.6 a game. That's not very many for a guy his size playing on a team that plays as fast as his does. And the Knicks didn't just add Amar'e this offseason. There was also Felton, a healthy Galinari, the emergence of Wilson Chandler...and...the team is still only two games above .500. Amar'e is shooting his lowest FG% (51%) since 2003, his second year in the league.

Speaking of stepping it up rebounding, he's actually rebounding less than his career average.

Amar'e shouldn't even be in the top 10 in MVP voting.

You're obviously trying to bait me with that comment.

"Amar'e shouldn't even be in the top 10 in MVP voting."

Even YOU don't believe that.

Off the top of my head:

LeBron, Rose, Dirk, CP3, Kobe, Manu, Rondo, Dwight Howard, Wade, Durant, Westbrook, Deron Williams, Carmelo. LaMarcus Aldrige...


All of those players have better MVP cases than Amar'e. All of them. I can think of more players if needed but sufficient to say, Amar'e should only be at the MVP press conference as a spectator. Again, his team is only two games above .500 in the East and he's not even having close to his best year.