I really think it could have went either way between Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul.  I personally probably would have voted for Chris but I can justify Kobe too.  I am not the biggest fan of Kobe but I do respect his game.  Actually he is nasty, plus dude can play some D something LeBron James needs to do.  And about going out to get Paul Gasol........you act like he is comparable to Shaq in his prime or Dwight Howard...he is not all that actually I think he is kind of soft.  The guy needed someone else to help.  They thought they had that with Kwami Brown but that is not the case.  Cut the guy some slack, he is the best and most consistant player since Michael Jordan and has never one an MVP, he deserves it! 

I completely agree with you, sir.  This is an excellent post.  To back up your arguement against Kobe this year, I want to paste a portion of my anaylsis on the MVP award for this season:

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I strongly dislike the fact that some people feel THIS YEAR’S MVP should be given to someone who has “paid his dues”, “put up MVP type numbers the last 3 to 4 years”, or has an “edge because of his time in the league”.  The 2007-2008 MVP should be based off who performed the best THIS year in basketball.  You can never assume a young gun has plenty more years in the league to earn the award, due to possible injuries (look at ) or team circumstances.  If a player is the MOST VALUABLE in any given year, they should earn the award and not be edged out because it is close and a veteran has a better track record…

That being said, I’ll discuss who I feel should be considered this year.  However, we all need to take into account that there is no clear formula for deciding who receives the award.  What makes up the “most valuable” player in the league?  Statistics have to be considered, but how much should they weight during the selection process?  Team success has to be considered, but how much should that weigh considering the best player could possibly play on the worst team with no help…?  Character, leadership, work ethic, defensive ability, scoring ability, what categories should weigh the heaviest? 

is the most talented, complete individual in the league right now.  The numbers prove it.  People try to take away from his accomplishments because he plays in the Eastern Conference and is only the fourth seed.  However, I look at the team around him and see a bunch of schmucks.  He’s carrying that team, regardless of what you think Big Z, Big Ben, Gibson, West, Wally, Sasha, or Varejao are capable of.  I’ve heard people trying to justify over LeBron, and I just don’t buy it at all…  To say LeBron isn’t clutch like Kobe, what are you talking about?  Who has the ball in their hands when the game is tied for both LA and Cleveland at the end of the game?  LeBron and Kobe, of course, but the difference is LeBron attacks the basket for the last bucket while Kobe will rely on his jumper.  I don’t think either one can say they’re more clutch than the other, as I’ve seen LeBron win just as many games in his short career as I’ve seen Kobe do it over the past few years.  If you want to look at stats:

LJ23- 40.5 Mpg;  30.37 Ppg;  48.4 FG%;  72.0 FT%;  7.26 Apg;  7.96 Rpg;  1.84 Spg;  1.06 Bpg

KB24- 39.1 Mpg;  28.62 Ppg;  46.0 FG%;  84.1 FT%;  5.39 Apg;  6.39 Rpg;  1.87 Spg;  0.47 Bpg

Kobe fans love to point to free throw percentage, so allow me to point to every other stat except the three tenths of a percent Kobe has in the steals category.  Seems to me if you judge the best player based off stats, LeBron is the unrivaled winner.  However, there’s more than being the most valuable than just stats…

Next we have to look at .  If you want to talk about someone paying their dues, putting up consistent numbers every season, let’s look at KG.  Kevin Garnett is a class act, phenomenal leader, a great role model, and has an amazing work ethic.  He is the definition of a team leader.  You can claim the are loaded, and they would probably make the playoffs in the East without KG, but imagine sticking Boston in the WEST without him??  No, I definitely don’t see the number one team in the league, and a playoff berth would be greatly in doubt.  KG has brought an incredible winning attitude to Boston, and as Peirce said, he has changed the culture surrounding that franchise.  His numbers aren’t the best in the league by any means, but they are impressive and consistent, and he is another guy who can drop thirty any given night.  If you talk about leadership and team success, you can’t shun KG.  If we’re going off of paying their dues and time spent in the league, even though Garnett has one MVP award, he deserves it again this year for doing all that is necessary to transform the Celtics into the best team in the league.  However, KG doesn’t want the award, he just wants a title… That also attests to his attitude and character.  I hope he receives votes, regardless of if he wins.  His accomplishments this season can’t be denied.

The last guy I would support in this topic is .  Similar to that of KG’s task this year, CP3 took a team with a losing record last year and turned it into the best team in their conference this season.  New Orleans is currently number one out West, and the primary reason is Chris Paul’s elevated level of play.  Similar to what did his two MVP seasons, Chris Paul is LEADING THE LEAGUE IN ASSISTS while averaging over twenty points a game.  CP3 is putting up monster numbers while serving as an amazing team leader.  If you want to look at stats, note Chris Paul’s 21.56 Ppg, 11.45 Apg, 2.66 Spg, and 49.2 FG%....  All of those stats other than points are better than LeBron’s and Kobe’s while he’s averaging less minutes per game…  Team success, check.  Monster numbers, check.

I feel Kobe was definitely an MVP candidate the last couple years, but the award went to guys from teams with more success.  This year, Kobe can’t claim to be the “Stat God” or “Scoring God” that he once was, as LeBron continues to get better each season has finally dethroned the former scoring champion.  Kobe Bryant is an amazing and talented basketball player, but I don’t think this is the year he should get the MVP award.  His attitude and the fact that he needed Gasol to reach this elite level say something about him…  I know it is ONLY two games, but without Bynum and Gasol, the lost to Memphis and Charlotte at home… Unfortunately those are two of the few games we have to judge how Kobe can handle playing without Gasol since they received him in the trade.  I respect Kobe the basketball player, but this season he cannot claim MVP, as other guys have done MORE for their teams than #24…

If you want it broken down in the simplest way possible, there are three ways to look at selecting the MVP.  This greatly depends on what makes up the definition of “Most Valuable Player”, as it is clearly not an award meant for the best pure basketball player. And so, he’s the simple breakdown… If you base the decision off of:

Statistics- LeBron James for MVP

Team Success- Kevin Garnett for MVP

Combination of Both- Chris Paul for MVP

I’m sure many people will agree with this analysis, but this is my opinion.  I would be happy to debate anything I have said… 
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I still can't believe how people disregard what Kobe, err.. excuse me, KoMe did this off-season.  The fickle, wishy-washy attitude and outburts of not wanting to play for the Lakers was rediculous.  People try to cover his selfishness and piss-poor character with a "competitive spirit".  That is rediculous.  He is a GREAT basketball player, or maybe I should say a great INDIVIDUAL player...  However, he did not have the ability to carry his team and whined throughout the off-season for help.  He has Pau Gasol now, and suddenly Laker fans point to Kobe calling him the greatest thing ever, disregarding how important Pau Gasol is to this equation.

I really hope Kevin Garnett or Chris Paul get it.  The Defensive Player of the Year led his team to the best record in the league... Does that account for anything?

Thanks for reading... Go Suns!