Early in the year, Boston's Kevin Garnett had most of the media support for NBA Most Valuable Player. Then Boston faded a bit, and they started looking around for competition. Kobe Bryant's partisans started making noise, since he is (supposedly) the best player in the game yet has never won the MVP, and the Lakers were improved, despite Bryant's preseason wish to be traded. So the Lakers' General Manager, Mitch Kupchak, pulls off the trade of the year, stealing Paul Gasol from Memphis, and the Lakers promptly rose through the ranks of the incredibly tough West to the top team. As a result, MVP support solidified for Bryant. Now, in the past when players have switched teams they've received the lion's share of the credit if the team improves. Steve Nash's questionable first MVP award is an example. But I can't remember a candidate's MVP talk skyrocketing like this when someone else gets traded to his team and his team shoots to the top. If Kobe Bryant is the MVP, why did it take Paul Gasol to make it clear?
And now the Rockets have shot to the top, beating the Lakers today for their 22nd win in a row -- the second longest streak in league history -- despite losing star center Yao Ming ten games ago (and he's out for the year). Their other star, Tracy McGrady, is a game-dominating player like Bryant, and McGrady has led his team despite losing his best teammate. Yet no one talks about McGrady as an MVP candidate. Can someone explain this to me?
RJ Johnson
I'd love to, but you are asking me to explain the beat writers and TV talking heads and their thought processes.
Just can't do it.
Wait, I lie.
These guys want a story that is already has built in pontification value. KG is the player Bill russell loves to watch and has rejuvenated a legendary franchise. Kobe is the guy everyone loves to hate and yet he pumps in oodles of points.
McGrady is the player that always looks half-asleep, apparently isn't much of an interview and plays in Houston besides.
BTW I know how much you would loathe a Boston-LA final, so I am rooting that the Warriors or Phoenix comes out of the West. You can guess who I'm rooting for in the East.
Don Keller
I have heard some commentators now (Mike & Mike on ESPN2 for example) starting to say that, well, maybe when discussing the NBA MVP that McGrady ought to be (as the saying goes) "in the discussion." But there seems to be a feeling that, however well the Rockets are playing right now, they may not excel in the playoffs, and that will impact any possible MVP assessment.