Bill Simmons says rondo will be MVP runner up

[Rondo2287]

On Kia MBA shoot around Simmons says rondo will be the MVP runner up.  I think he has a pretty solid shot!

[Kane3387]

Agreed.

[billysan]

Runner up to who? LeKing?

[Rondo2287]

Runner up to who? LeKing?

He didnt say but I would assume so

[sofutomygaha]

I enjoy Simmons a lot. He is completely crazy this year.

I think Rondo will have a great year, but it's really hard to imagine anyone else even breaking into the top 5 of James, Howard, Love, Durant, and Paul.

[JoT]

It would good if he's runner up for MVP, but I would rather see him win Finals MVP.

[LarBrd33]

Runner up MVP on the Celtics behind Kevin Garnett, probably.

[BballTim]

Runner up MVP on the Celtics behind Kevin Garnett, probably.

  Hope so. If KG plays better than Rondo then we're in good shape for another banner.

[crimson_stallion]

I enjoy Simmons a lot. He is completely crazy this year.

I think Rondo will have a great year, but it's really hard to imagine anyone else even breaking into the top 5 of James, Howard, Love, Durant, and Paul.

Love certainly does not belong in that list...he's an Elite rebounder and that's about it.

1. H's never played in a playoff game. 

2. His offensive game is really not that great. He's a reasonable shooter and a mediocre post player.  It's much easier to put up titanic numbers when you're the number one (and two and three) option on a bad team, but aside from above-the-break threes his shooting percentages from everywhere on the floor are mediocre for a big.

3. He is utterly hopeless on defense.

If Love played on a stacked team like the Heat, Lakers, Thunder, Spurs or Celtics he's be averaging closer to 18 PPG (if that) and probably closer to 9-10 RPG.

The numbers he's putting up right now are far off what Chris Bosh was putting up in Toronto - he was up around 24 PPG & 12 RPG as a Rpator, but those numbers dropped instantly to 18 and 9 when he came over to Miami. Most would agree that Bosh is an All-Star calibre (but not MVP calibre) player.  That's despite the fact that Bosh is a MUCH better defender than Love is and a better offensive player as well.

Howard is also not a guarantee for that list IMHO.

He doesn't have the offensive skill or the emotional control to be a leader on a team - he's more Robin then Batman.  He needs a number one scorer on his team to draw attention so he can slip the offense for easy dunks.  You cannot run an offense through him in the post as a consistent strategy because he has a limited post game, he's not a great passer, and other teams are happy to hack him and let him brick free throws. Howard-led teams will consistently make the playoffs, but they will never win a title without a proper leader (like Pierce, Kobe) there with him. The Orlando experiments have proven this - the one time they made the finals LA destroyed them.

Lebron, Durant and Paul (assuming they stay healthy) are guaranteed to be on the list, and IF the Celtics dominate this season there is no reason why Rondo couldn't be right up there with them. 

At least that is my opinion anyway

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

I enjoy Simmons a lot. He is completely crazy this year.

I think Rondo will have a great year, but it's really hard to imagine anyone else even breaking into the top 5 of James, Howard, Love, Durant, and Paul.

Love certainly does not belong in that list...he's an Elite rebounder and that's about it.

1. H's never played in a playoff game. 

2. His offensive game is really not that great. He's a reasonable shooter and a mediocre post player.  It's much easier to put up titanic numbers when you're the number one (and two and three) option on a bad team, but aside from above-the-break threes his shooting percentages from everywhere on the floor are mediocre for a big.

3. He is utterly hopeless on defense.

If Love played on a stacked team like the Heat, Lakers, Thunder, Spurs or Celtics he's be averaging closer to 18 PPG (if that) and probably closer to 9-10 RPG.

The numbers he's putting up right now are far off what Chris Bosh was putting up in Toronto - he was up around 24 PPG & 12 RPG as a Rpator, but those numbers dropped instantly to 18 and 9 when he came over to Miami. Most would agree that Bosh is an All-Star calibre (but not MVP calibre) player.  That's despite the fact that Bosh is a MUCH better defender than Love is and a better offensive player as well.

Howard is also not a guarantee for that list IMHO.

He doesn't have the offensive skill or the emotional control to be a leader on a team - he's more Robin then Batman.  He needs a number one scorer on his team to draw attention so he can slip the offense for easy dunks.  You cannot run an offense through him in the post as a consistent strategy because he has a limited post game, he's not a great passer, and other teams are happy to hack him and let him brick free throws. Howard-led teams will consistently make the playoffs, but they will never win a title without a proper leader (like Pierce, Kobe) there with him. The Orlando experiments have proven this - the one time they made the finals LA destroyed them.

Lebron, Durant and Paul (assuming they stay healthy) are guaranteed to be on the list, and IF the Celtics dominate this season there is no reason why Rondo couldn't be right up there with them. 

At least that is my opinion anyway

None of those teams those players were on were dominate(well in the regular season Durant's team was #1 so they kinda were), why does RR's team have to, for him to be on the list? Doesn't make sense to me. We need to be good but not dominate.

[crimson_stallion]

None of those teams those players were on were dominate(well in the regular season Durant's team was #1 so they kinda were), why does RR's team have to, for him to be on the list? Doesn't make sense to me. We need to be good but not dominate.

Generally I think the deeper a team is, the harder it is for a player to get an MVP award playing on that team.

When you are Jordan on the classic Bulls team, the only other star player you have is Pippen so you are carrying a LOT of the load. Easy enough to claim MVP.

For Orlando they had a pretty strong regular season record, and after Howard their 2 or 3 next best players were all pretty unspectacular.

Chris Paul joined a Clippers team that couldn't win games and led them beyond the first round of the playoffs - his impact is clear.

For Rondo he is on a team with two future hall of famers (who you could argue are still All-Star calibre players).  On top of that he has a guy (Terry) who has been a 6MOTY contender just about every season for the last decade. He has arguably the deepest bench in the entire league coming in to back the stars up.  A team with that much talent has high expectations, and if the Celtics can barely hold a 6th seed I don't expect Rondo will get much MVP love.  I think they will need to be at least a top 4 team in the East for him to get in to that discussion.

Same can be said for the Spurs.  They are so deep that unless they are finishing top 3 or 4 in the West neither Parker, Ginobilli or Duncan will have much shot of an MVP vote.

Derek Rose won MVP (IMO undeservedly) on a stacked Chicago team, but they had the best record in the NBA. Lebron won it last year, but Miami also had a top 2 or 3 record.

I think that's just how it works sadly!  Hopefully the guys in green will give it all they've got so that Rondo has a chance

[ianboyextreme]

None of those teams those players were on were dominate(well in the regular season Durant's team was #1 so they kinda were), why does RR's team have to, for him to be on the list? Doesn't make sense to me. We need to be good but not dominate.

Generally I think the deeper a team is, the harder it is for a player to get an MVP award playing on that team.

When you are Jordan on the classic Bulls team, the only other star player you have is Pippen so you are carrying a LOT of the load. Easy enough to claim MVP.

For Orlando they had a pretty strong regular season record, and after Howard their 2 or 3 next best players were all pretty unspectacular.

Chris Paul joined a Clippers team that couldn't win games and led them beyond the first round of the playoffs - his impact is clear.

For Rondo he is on a team with two future hall of famers (who you could argue are still All-Star calibre players).  On top of that he has a guy (Terry) who has been a 6MOTY contender just about every season for the last decade. He has arguably the deepest bench in the entire league coming in to back the stars up.  A team with that much talent has high expectations, and if the Celtics can barely hold a 6th seed I don't expect Rondo will get much MVP love.  I think they will need to be at least a top 4 team in the East for him to get in to that discussion.

Same can be said for the Spurs.  They are so deep that unless they are finishing top 3 or 4 in the West neither Parker, Ginobilli or Duncan will have much shot of an MVP vote.

Derek Rose won MVP (IMO undeservedly) on a stacked Chicago team, but they had the best record in the NBA. Lebron won it last year, but Miami also had a top 2 or 3 record.

I think that's just how it works sadly!  Hopefully the guys in green will give it all they've got so that Rondo has a chance

who on earth says we can only hold a sixth seed?

[scaryjerry]

I enjoy Simmons a lot. He is completely crazy this year.

I think Rondo will have a great year, but it's really hard to imagine anyone else even breaking into the top 5 of James, Howard, Love, Durant, and Paul.

Love and Paul?
 
Yawn

[Donoghus]

I'd be thrilled but I don't think it's happening. Long shot.

[AshyLarry]

Maybe after KG and Paul retire.