2008 NBA MVP Race

Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul Front-Runners for Most Valuable Player Award

Apr 18, 2008

A breakdown of the top NBA MVP candidates.

There's a tight race for the 2008 NBA MVP race. Most consider Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets, Kobe Bryant of the LA Lakers, Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics and LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers to be the top candidates. Here's a break down of those four players as well as arguments for and against them as to why they should win the award.

Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets: Nobody suspected that the Hornets would be as good as they were this season. They had the second best record in the league this year, which doesn't happen without Chris Paul. He led the league in steals (2.7 per game) and assists (11.6 per game), while committing just 2.5 topg. He scored 21.1 ppg, while shooting 49% from the field and 85% from the line, and he was the team's leader at both ends of the court.
Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers: Kobe has made quite a case for the MVP award this season. He led the Lakers to the best record in the competitive Western Conference. Keep in mind that even though the Lakers landed Pau Gasol late in the season, they were near the top even before that trade occurred. Bryant's done a great job getting his teammates involved this season. Aside from his 28.3 ppg scoring average, Bryant's averaged 6.3 rbpg, 5.4 apg, 1.8 spg, and shot 46% from the field and 84% from the line.
Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics: Garnett may not have had the same kind of statistical season as the other players mentioned on this list, but he was just as effective. He was the anchor and leader of the league's best defense, and was the emotional leader in the locker room as well. Plus, his 18.8 ppg, 9.2 rbpg and 54% field goal shooting is nothing to sneeze at. The big knock against him is that Boston was 9-2 in games that he didn't play.
LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron is a beast and might be the most versatile player in the league. His 30.0 ppg, 7.9 rbpg and 7.2 apg average is without compare in the league. Yet, his team may not be good enough to help him get the award.

PredictionsThe race is really against Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul. Bryant will likely end up winning it, but Paul may be just as deserving. Both players have led their prospective teams to surprising seasons, and it may come down to a photo finish.

The copyright of the article 2008 NBA MVP Race in NBA is owned by Phil Partington. Permission to republish 2008 NBA MVP Race must be granted by the author in writing.

Comments

Apr 19, 2008 8:42 PM

Kyle West :

Great Article...However I believe Chris Paul will win the MVP. Let me tell what will cause him not to first. If Kobe Bryant takes it because hes Kobe Bryant. Don't get me wrong he is the best player, and he did have a great season. But his team is full of solid veterns that have a lot of experience. He doesn't have to be the all out leader. Thats what Chris Paul is to the Hornets. He took the pieces and formed the puzzle. He used his strenths to bring out his teammates strengths. That his how the Hornets went from a sub par team to one of the best in the toughest interconference play the NBA has seen for years,

Apr 22, 2008 8:14 AM

Phil Partington :

I have no arguments against Paul winning MVP. I actually prefer Paul to Kobe as a fan, and I don't think you're wrong in suggesting that Bryant might win it based on past-performance. Sadly, I think bias does slip in at times (notice how Chauncey Billups never made an All Star team until he won finals MVP?). Paul's definitely had an MVP season and I'd even consider him the number one point guard in the NBA - even over Steve Nash. I still say Nash gets much of his numbers because he's in the ideal system for that, even though he's the one who makes it work. Yet, Paul plays at both ends of the floor and doesn't turn the ball over nearly as often as Nash.

Still, I still think Kobe's just as deserving if not more deserving than Paul. It's a toss-up. The objective side of me actually leans toward Kobe, because he led that team to the top of the standings even before they acquired Pau Gasol, and he's quietly made players around him better, like Ronny Turiaf, Jordan Farmar and others.

But you're right. Paul's very deserving, too. I don't think there's been a tighter race for MVP in a long, long time and it'll be interesting to see what happens. I wouldn't even mind seeing a co-MVP, though I think the fans would be pissed :).

Apr 22, 2008 8:14 AM

Phil Partington :

I should mention, though in the article I believe I talked about Bryant, Paul, KG and LeBron, Dwight Howard should also get some mention as an outside candidate.

Apr 25, 2008 12:53 PM

Guest :

for me kobe is the best player in the world. he can fly, he can dribblle, he can he jump shot and he can score basket if he want.

Apr 25, 2008 8:39 PM

Guest :

for me it is kobe bryant,,the very best player now in nba,,,,,,,,,,

Apr 27, 2008 6:00 AM

Guest :

yah! kobe is the best! Kobe 4 MVP!

Apr 27, 2008 11:15 AM

Guest :

kobe is the man because he is the boss of the all nba

Apr 28, 2008 3:26 AM

Guest :

Kobe should have won the MVP years ago and didn't because of the whole rape thing. Now that it has been forgotten the league will award him the award seeing he is one of the greatest players ever to play the game and it would be a shame for him not to have won the award. Also seeing that his time in the NBA as the top player is slowly winding down while Chris Paul is just starting out as one of the top players.

Kobe and Chris both deserve it and you could argue both ways, but because of history and politic Kobe will win it. You can bet your house on it.

Apr 28, 2008 7:11 AM

Guest :

Congrats to Chris Paul for having a tremendous season leading his team to the second seed in the Wild West,BUT,there is a fenomenal and spectacullar player known as KOBE BRYANT who knock everybody in the league with his young team. Heis the real MVP. Period.

Apr 28, 2008 7:15 AM

Phil Partington :

Regarding Bryant not winning MVP a few years ago because of the "rape things", I don't think that had much to do with it. Fact is, it's rare to see a player win MVP when his team doesn't have one of the league's top three-to-five records...and Kobe's didn't. I don't agree with that ideology, but that's the reality of it.

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