Lets talk NBA

[NAMushrooms]

cleveland has already clinched. I think they were more worried about getting Gibson and Sasha healthy for the postseason. It was a good game though.

[RattleHead1323]

Lakers beat Dallas. what a great game, Odom was killin.

[NAMushrooms]

dang I went to bed when Dallas was up double digits. I dont think Dallas will make the playoffs unless Golden State implodes as well. I think the Nuggets will make it this year.

[Phat-Toi]

Hell yeah. that was mean game last night. Loving the comeback by the Lakers and Odom going nuts.

[Johnny Blazed]

hat movie did Al Pacino win Best Actor for?


(a) "Scarface"
(b) "Dog Day Afternoon"
(c) "The Godfather"
(d) "The Godfather: Part II"
(e) None of the above, because Academy Award voters are stupid
Pacino, a seven-time Oscar nominee, finally won Best Actor in 1992 for "Scent of a Woman." To date, it's Pacino's only Oscar, and any Pacino fan will tell you that seeing him win for "Scent of a Woman" was like seeing Ice Cube for the first time without his jheri curl. It just wasn't right. It didn't make sense. And you felt cheated.
Sadly, the NBA MVP race has become just as warped and backwards as the Academy Awards. The definition of MVP seems to change every year, and all too often players are rewarded for sentimental reasons and discredited using other ludicrous rationales.



It's no different this season, which somehow universally came to be known as "Kobe's year," even if the Lakers don't finish with the top seed in the Western Conference.


I'm sorry, but that's absurd. No question, Kobe has put up some unbelievable numbers this season. But if New Orleans finishes first in the West and Chris Paul doesn't win the MVP, this award officially can't be taken seriously.
It would be criminal to overlook one of the most brilliant seasons a point guard has ever had. Paul averaged 24 points, 13 assists and nearly 3 steals per game in March. In fact, he's on the verge of becoming the first point guard since John Stockton to lead the league in both assists and steals in the same season. Nobody expected anything from the Hornets, and they're poised to win perhaps the most competitive conference we've ever seen in the NBA.



That's the very definition of MVP -- individual brilliance coinciding with team success. I'm a Kobe supporter, and I still stand by my assertion that Kobe is a more skilled player than Michael Jordan was. But giving Kobe the MVP just because "it's his time" or "he's learned to be a team player" is a disservice.


This is what has become most frustrating about the evolution of the MVP race. Over time, merit has become less of a factor.
In the 1996-97 season, the MVP was thrown in Karl Malone's lap strictly because voters seemed sick of giving it to Michael Jordan, who won the MVP five times. Before that, the benefactor of ABJ (Anybody But Jordan) was Charles Barkley, who was named the MVP for the 1992-93 season even though Jordan averaged 32 points, 6.7 assists and 5.5 rebounds.



LeBron James probably didn't get the consideration he deserved last season because of the "he has plenty of time to win an MVP" argument.


Two-time MVP winner Tim Duncan should have gotten stronger consideration last season, too. But Duncan is the NBA's version of Russell Crowe. After Crowe won Best Actor for "Gladiator," the Academy overlooked him for both "The Insider" and "A "Beautiful Mind." Crowe won't win another one because he's too consistently good. Same goes for Duncan. And only in the NBA could Shaq, the most dominant center of all time, have one MVP while Steve Nash, who has never gotten his team to the NBA Finals, has two.



That's why it's difficult to argue against Kobe, knowing he was cheated out of at least one MVP -- the one Dirk Nowitzki shamelessly won last season.


But while Kobe's renewed commitment to team ball makes for a cute catchphrase, it's a misnomer. Obviously Kobe has matured, but he's a better teammate primarily because he's got a fellow All-Star in Pau Gasol, a deeper, more skilled bench, and an emerging star in Andrew Bynum. Teamwork becomes much easier when your teammates can actually do something with the ball.


Which brings me to another frustrating element of the MVP race. Why are good players considered stronger MVP candidates when they have more help? (See: Kevin Garnett, the 2003-04 MVP.) Isn't the concept of "value" based on doing more with less?


That should be the only criteria. And if it is, Paul is the MVP over Kobe, LeBron and KG. LeBron has had a fine season, and he certainly ranks high in the value department, but Cleveland's team success isn't significant enough to warrant LeBron winning. KG's presence transformed the Celtics, but it certainly helps that he has All-Star security blankets Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.


But, if recent MVP races are any indication, politics will win again.

So congrats, Kobe.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2...t&lid=tab6pos2

[NAMushrooms]

That is your opinion of the award. It has been debated and many people interpret it differently.

some say its the best player on the best team. some say its the best player in the league. If it was the best player in the NBA it would be between Kobe and LeBron. If its the best player on the best team its between Kobe, Paul, andd Garnett

["Unknown One"]

Wait how is Kobe even neer being Jordan...Jordan shot over 50% almost every season...and kobe usuall shoot 42-46%...Jordan=6 chips...Jordan=6finals mvp awards...hes always had a better career than kobe...the reason why kobe gets so much attention is that hes in the media capital of the world...LOL even bynum gets attention in L.A....And kobe never had the number lebron has...lebrons averages 30.0ppg, 8.0rpg, 8.0apg...and shoots a higher field goal percentage than kobe...hes had tripple double games this year like crazy...lebron has a higher vertical leap than kobe and lebrons much quicker and can drive any time he wants...hes more stronger...and lebron was the quickest to 10,000 points...he has put up numbers that have compared to oscar robinson and michael jordan...kobe has never had lebron type stats

["Unknown One"]

Paul makes that team great...not chandler not west...but paul...he makes everybody better

[Phat-Toi]

I'll still take Kobe. Lebron is mad good, no doubt about it but 81pts? Thats not impressive? But yo i know mad ppl love the L Train! haha

Now imagine chandler going down halfway in the season and somewhere along West misses 6 weeks, think CP3 can still keep the hornets on top?

Oh and Kobe has a FUCKED UP FINGER WHICH REQUIRES SURGERY but is still BEASTING! but im sure alot of ppl forgot about that by now.

["Unknown One"]

81 points was 2 years past...the only reason why kobe and his poor field goal percentage is even rewarded is that he plays in l.a. the media capitol of the world he gets the most exposure...compare kobes field goal percentage and points and rebounts and assists and blocks and efficientcy to lebron and you will realise who is the better more athletic player in the nba...Lebron in almost every category has better stats than kobe...more rewards for the kids age...but you know espn another biased program

["Unknown One"]

who else in HISTORY has had jordan and "O" numbers.................LEBRON not kobe

[Phat-Toi]

guess u win then GO L TRAIN! naw

Ill still take kobe. Lebron is mad good though. There both on top of the pyramid.

We play hornets tonight, all i can do is smoke one for the W. CP3 is looking real nice right now.

[Invictis]

Originally Posted by "Unknown One"

Wait how is Kobe even neer being Jordan...Jordan shot over 50% almost every season...and kobe usuall shoot 42-46%...Jordan=6 chips...Jordan=6finals mvp awards...hes always had a better career than kobe...the reason why kobe gets so much attention is that hes in the media capital of the world...LOL even bynum gets attention in L.A....And kobe never had the number lebron has...lebrons averages 30.0ppg, 8.0rpg, 8.0apg...and shoots a higher field goal percentage than kobe...hes had tripple double games this year like crazy...lebron has a higher vertical leap than kobe and lebrons much quicker and can drive any time he wants...hes more stronger...and lebron was the quickest to 10,000 points...he has put up numbers that have compared to oscar robinson and michael jordan...kobe has never had lebron type stats

In my opinion, back when Jordan play the league wasn't nearly as competitive as it is today, scoring back then was easier. I'm not saying that Kobe is better than Jordan, there's no way he is, but still. And the lebron/kobe argument, Lebron plays in the fucking east you have got to be kidding me, the east is a fucking joke. I think Lebron will definately surpass Kobe, but the reason his stats are so good is because he plays in the garbage east.

[NAMushrooms]

Please stop this the East is garbage bullshit. It makes you look stupid.

The East teams play hard nose defense. The western teams, with the exception of the Spurs dont play any defense. Teams out west run the floor putting up 100+ points just about every game.

That being said, I do think Kobe is the best player in the league right now. But stop with this the West is sooo superior bullshit.

[RattleHead1323]

Lakers beat Hornets. what a great game.