Early MIP Candidates

What about Marcus Camby?

David West.

No, something to nothing is what Eddie Griffin did this year, Smush and David went from nothing to something.

Arg. Typos like that make me feel like a complete retard.

Larry Brown not being there has something to do with this. Faster paced offense, the PG has more reign and their are less restrictions on what the PG can do, no more leash. Look at how Marbury is down about 4 PPG and 2 APG this season under LB. Chauncey was this good before, he just wasn't allowed to show it.

i know, but this is how Steve Nash won MVP last season. Nash was the same guy as in Dallas, it's just that the system in Phx suited him perfectly.

..and it's also how Billups could win MVP this year, but not MIP, Nash was not even in the running for MIP from what I remember.

Larry Brown not being there has something to do with this. Faster paced offense, the PG has more reign and their are less restrictions on what the PG can do, no more leash. Look at how Marbury is down about 4 PPG and 2 APG this season under LB. Chauncey was this good before, he just wasn't allowed to show it.

i know, but this is how Steve Nash won MVP last season. Nash was the same guy as in Dallas, it's just that the system in Phx suited him perfectly.

Nash was also shooting 50% from the field last year... that probably had a lot to do with winning MVP.

I bet Phoenix record had a lot more to do with him winning the MVP

Brevin Knight for MIP!

Larry Brown not being there has something to do with this. Faster paced offense, the PG has more reign and their are less restrictions on what the PG can do, no more leash. Look at how Marbury is down about 4 PPG and 2 APG this season under LB. Chauncey was this good before, he just wasn't allowed to show it.

i know, but this is how Steve Nash won MVP last season. Nash was the same guy as in Dallas, it's just that the system in Phx suited him perfectly.

Nash was also shooting 50% from the field last year... that probably had a lot to do with winning MVP.

I don't think that was a big deciding factor by any means, not even a small factor, Jason Terry shot 50% too. The main reasons were the surprise factor he gave with him being the main addition on the team and then having them improve a lot from the previous season, and secondly how the team played the first time he got injured. The second time he got injured they didn't really suffer, but the first time is what sticks in people's heads. Also the whole underdog part helps in it too.

They're all deserving but i doubt Gasol, Camby, or Bosh will get the award because it has a tendency to not go to high draft picks, and all 3 guys were top 5 drafts, similar to how LBJ didn't win it despite impressive statisical improvement last few years. Bobby Simmons otoh, was the 42nd draft pick, which really sold his case as MIP.

My early pick is Okur is over West. Okur is pretty impressive for a 38th draft pick.

They're all deserving but i doubt Gasol, Camby, or Bosh will get the award because it has a tendency to not go to high draft picks, and all 3 guys were top 5 drafts, similar to how LBJ didn't win it despite impressive statisical improvement last few years. Bobby Simmons otoh, was the 42nd draft pick, which really sold his case as MIP.

My early pick is Okur is over West. Okur is pretty impressive for a 38th draft pick.

It was only LeBrons 3rd year though and he was expected to improve, as are most players that start out in the NBA straight form high school.

2nd year even, he went from 20-5-5 and low percentages to 27-7-7 and high percentage, and like he said, players are expected to improve. Simmons went from role player off bench with no shot to 16-5-3 and a very nice mid-range jumper.

and like he said, players are expected to improve.

Yeah that's my main point and why West *may* not get MIP...he was supposed to be a good player. He barely missed being a lottery pick.

Another contender, i doubt he'll get it but worth mentioning is Bonzi:

04-05 --- 10.4 ppg --- 3.3 rpg --- 1.2 apg --- 1.23 spg --- 44% FG
05-06 --- 15.1 ppg --- 7.6 rpg --- 3.2 apg --- 1.76 spg --- 48% FG

Smush has been a surprise for the Lakers this year (Sasha Vujacic would be starting if Smush wasn't here because Aaron McKie is injured), he's been inconsistent lately though.

and like he said, players are expected to improve.

Yeah that's my main point and why West *may* not get MIP...he was supposed to be a good player. He barely missed being a lottery pick.

Another contender, i doubt he'll get it but worth mentioning is Bonzi:

04-05 --- 10.4 ppg --- 3.3 rpg --- 1.2 apg --- 1.23 spg --- 44% FG
05-06 --- 15.1 ppg --- 7.6 rpg --- 3.2 apg --- 1.76 spg --- 48% FG

Bonzi averaged 17-6-3 before. I don't think the award is just an improvement from year to year award. Getting less minutes one year, and just going back to your normal production is not improvement. It's normally given, actually about always given to guys who's improvement coincides with them "breaking out" as a player.

Right now, I can really see Boris Diaw winning it, though David West is right behind.