LBJ, CP2, KB24

As the season winds down, the race for the MVP award has never been more exciting. We are talking about a season where so many teams (mostly in the west) are contenders. The question is who is most deserving of the prestigious award? Is it Kobe, Lebron, or Chris Paul? Our experts break it down.

LBJ: 30.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block per game......Need I say more? The answer is yes. Just last year, Kobe averaged 31.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.4 assists, and brought a team with Kwame Brown as your big man threat to the playoffs and was still not awarded the MVP (Dirk holds that honor). That just shows you that numbers are not everything. James bring good leadership for a 23 year old, but what really bothers me about his campaign for MVP this year, is his team and their performance this year. They are 36-27 in the eastern conference sitting in the 4th seed. While this isn't terrible, it is not crazy to think that with a player of James' caliber a better record, at least, should be obtainable. So the positives are his great numbers and his ability to take over the game, but the negatives are his teams overall mediocre performance.


CP3: Where were the Hornets in the discussion of the best teams in the west before this season....probably no where. 21 points, 11 assists and 4 rebounds are the numbers for the young point guard. The numbers are impressive enough, but what really speaks loudly for Paul is the success of his team this year. They were the #1 team in the west for a while (currently at #5) and had the second best record in the league. Paul's ability to make everyone around him better is astonishing. Tyson Chandler has become a top 10 center in the league, Peja Stojakovic is shooting a career high from beyond the three point line, and David West come into his own as a perennial all-star. Paul has emerged as a top 3 point guard in the league (the best in my opinion) and has made the New Orleans Hornets as a contender in the western conference. The downfall to Paul, is only his competition. He is easily putting up the numbers and his team is having enough success for him to be considered the MVP. But when you have Lebron and Kobe to compete with, it makes it difficult to win yourself this award.


KOBE: His points are down this year to 28.1, but his rebounds are up to 6.1 and his assists at 5.3. Arguably, Kobe had a better season last year, and the year in which he had his breath-taking 81 point game against Toronto. The difference between this and the other years, it Kobe's teamwork. It is clear in watching him play, that he has become less selfish. He is shooting his highest percentage in nine years. His team is in the best position it has been to win a championship since Shaq left. They are currently the number one seed and seem as if they are the team to beat (although I feel as if the defending champs still are). Kobe is getting his team involved more and taking less shots than he has had to in the past. The downfall to Bryant is his supporting cast. While Paul has excellent players, Bryant has Gasol, Odom, and Bynum, who is still injured. When returns, the number one team in the west gets much stronger. His surrounding cast will weight against him in terms of winning this award.



Personally, I think this is the closest the race has been in years. Paul and James both have the ball in their hands 95% of the time to run their teams offense. On the other hand, Kobe works in a system with a triangle offense. Therefore, he is seeing less of the ball than the other 2, and is still putting up these numbers. Where Cleveland would be without James and where New Orleans would be without Paul is probable the cellar. Yet the MVP award isn't about what ifs and maybes. It is about what is going on in the league at the current time. And in my opinion, Kobe Bryant is leading his team to a great season, and a great shot at winning a championship. Paul and James have been nothing short of amazing for their teams, but Kobe has played with the usual MVP like qualities in his game, and despite the other talent around him finally, he is still managing to keep his numbers up, while being a true team player. His adjustment to the new additions in Gasol and the quick maturity of Bynum is very impressive and it shows that he has the ability to be a team player and not the ball-hog that everyone thought he was. He is always a NBA all defensive first team player (as is Paul).



Over all I would say that while it may not be his best season as a pro, it has been his most influential season, and he has played his best basketball. He has shows that he can lead a team and make everyone around him better. He is your MVP.



MVP- Kobe Bryant

2nd- Chris Paul

3rd- Lebron James