Paul Pierce for MVP!

It's true: Rose is impressive, particularly his scoring - he's all but unstoppable. But Paul is even more impressive because he's playing the best all-around game that's been seen in the league since the Hick from French Lick hung up his sneakers.

Last game, Paul made a pass that was a leaping, twisting, over the shoulder, behind the ear, floating into the hands kind of pass. It was the kind of thing only Cousy and Bird, among Celtics, have done on the parquet. It was poetry in motion, a big man's ballet. So that's one of the changes: Paul isn't awkward anymore, he's smooth.

He's added things to his game this year, mainly, running the floor, getting out on the break. In other years he would take the ball up the floor himself; this year he dumps it right off to Rondo and, as Paul heads up the floor without the ball, you can see him looking around at what everyone else is doing. Another change is that he doesn't argue calls anymore. It was a distraction and he finally shucked it.

He's been doing it under the radar all season, because he's been doing all the little things, all the unselfish things, but the times when you can't help noticing, at the end of close games, that's when he more than sensational.

Paul vs. Rose. It's a two man race. Paul's team has more wins.

Doubtful that sportwriters have enough savvy to give Paul MVP for the season, but when it comes to the Finals, he may not be denied. Unless Kevin, Rajon, or Ray are extraordinary too.

Rick,

I'm not a Lebron fan by any means but numbers wise I'd put Lebron at the top.

PPG: Lebron=26.2 Rose=24.6 Pierce=19.1

Assists Per Game: Lebron=7.1 Rose=8.1 Pierce=3.2

Rebounds Per Game: Lebron=7.5 Rose=4.3 Pierce=5.2

To me the rebounds put Lebron over Rose. I know it shouldn't be only about the statistics but the truth is that is how the voters vote, unless the team has a horrible record which the Heat do not. Currently Rose is getting all the hype for the MVP but things shift constantly in the NBA as we all know. I'm not saying Rose won't win it just that currently I'd vote for Lebron over Rose.

Having said all that Pierce will end up winning the MVP. Finals MVP that is .

EDIT: See that Worcester beat me to the finals MVP punch

spike/ricky

Pierce really has been unbelievable this year as has Ray, but gotta love the physicality that Pierce also brings every night.Its amazing how well both have lasted and excelled at a time so many players that they came in with are shot or out of the league. Remember the great Tracy McGrady? Michael Redd, Jerry Stackhouse, Vince Carter, Cory Magette.....know I'm missing a few, but amazing how great Paul and Ray are playing.

cow

The 1998 NBA draft - Paul was #10, Raef was picked ahead of him at #3. Look how few remain:

Draft#:1
Michael Olowokandi
Ht/Wt:n/a
Position:
Drafted From:Pacific

Draft#:2
Mike Bibby
Ht/Wt:n/a
Position:
Drafted From:Arizona

Draft#:3
Raef LaFrentz
Ht/Wt:n/a
Position:
Drafted From:Kansas

Draft#:4
Antawn Jamison
Ht/Wt:n/a
Position:
Drafted From:North Carolina

Draft#:5
Vince Carter
Ht/Wt:n/a
Position:
Drafted From:North Carolina

Draft#:6
Robert Traylor
Ht/Wt:n/a
Position:
Drafted From:Michigan

Draft#:7
Jason Williams
Ht/Wt:n/a
Position:
Drafted From:Florida

Draft#:8
Larry Hughes
Ht/Wt:n/a
Position:
Drafted From:Saint Louis

Draft#:9
Dirk Nowitzki
Ht/Wt:n/a
Position:
Drafted From:Germany

Draft#:10
Paul Pierce
Ht/Wt:n/a
Position:
Drafted From:Kansas

Draft#:11
Bonzi Wells
Ht/Wt:n/a
Position:
Drafted From:Ball State

Draft#:12
Michael Doleac
Ht/Wt:n/a
Position:
Drafted From:Utah

Draft#:13
Keon Clark
Ht/Wt:n/a
Position:
Drafted From:UNLV

Draft#:14
Michael Dickerson
Ht/Wt:n/a
Position:
Drafted From:Arizona

Draft#:15
Matt Harpring
Ht/Wt:n/a
Position:
Drafted From:Georgia Tech

Draft#:16
Bryce Drew
Ht/Wt:n/a
Position:
Drafted From:Valparaiso

Draft#:17
Radoslav Nesterovic
Ht/Wt:n/a
Position:
Drafted From:Italy

Draft#:18
Mirsad Turckan
Ht/Wt:n/a
Position:
Drafted From:Turkey

Draft#:19
Pat Garrity
Ht/Wt:n/a
Position:
Drafted From:Notre Dame

Draft#:20
Roshown McLeod
Ht/Wt:n/a
Position:
Drafted From:Duke

Of all the major sports MVP awards the NBA's is the most subjective. Even though baseball is the sport we place the most emphasis on "numbers" basketball is the one where the numbers (and reputation) can alter perceptions. This year is a great case in point, Lebron's numbers are mvp worthy but he has looked nothing like an mvp or a team leader. Rose has put up great numbers and has been the leader of his team and I do believe he is probably the frontrunner in the race. Now this is where I veer of course and name 2 guys who should get serious mvp consideration but probably won't. Amar'e Stoudamire has put up numbers and arguably has done the most to change the fortunes of his team than any other player. His impact on the knicks reminds me a bit of KG's on Boston his first year, both on the court (winning) and off the court (relevancy). Of course KG did not win MVP that year because as I said earlier the award is to much of a numbers game. Because the Knicks will finish around 500 record wise there is no way he will win it but I can't think of many players who have been more "valuable" to their teams than him, much like KG in 07-08. The other guy who should get consideration but won't is Kevin Love. He has impressive numbers but of course the terrible team he plays on coupled with his lack of "reputation" will doom any chances he may have. I can see why these two, especially Love, won't have a chance but to me at least it once again goes to show the sometimes arbitrary way those awards are handed out. To get back to the title of the thread, I think Pierce does deserve consideration but of course he won't even finish in the top 5. Don't take this wrong, I don't mean it in a career comparison but in a season by season sense, Paul this season is kind of like Derek Jeter. Will never put up the "numbers" (that word again) for the voters to drool over but where would their teams be without them. Paul, especially this year, has done all things big and small to lead his team to where they are. Much like Jeter, he has done things day in and day out to put his team in championship contention. And much like Jeter the more shallow of voters will overlook those things and will yet cream all over the so called 'intangibles" that the poster boys (A-ROD, Lebron) bring to the team to bolster their sycophantic man crushes on those players when in reality those intangibles are what guys like Jeter and Pierce are all about.

The media has recently added the "what would this team look like without him" mentality. This year it is particularly relevant at least regarding where LeBron came from and the resulting aftermath at CLE. He certainly was CLE's most valuable player. The jury is still out on his contributions to MIA. Same with DRose. Clearly, this team would be in the middle of the pack at best without Rose, maybe a lottery team.

Don't think you can say that about PP and the Celtic system. The Celtics ever delicate way of placing all emphasis on team and not individual would show that if PP went down, we would maybe fall a notch or two, at least in the short run. But probably no more. Thus making him in the eyes of the media "less" valuable. But as captain, he certainly is one of our most valuable players by far. You can even throw arguments about KG and RR into the picture. But these guys are pieces of a puzzle and fit together that way, not the puzzle itself, as the MVP award is designed to show.

Strangely enough, we all know MIA would probably improve (or at least stay the same) if LBJ went down, given the talent level existing already and what was in place prior to his arrival and PR's merciless effort to cram a square peg into a round hole.

worcest, isn't funny how the only player I'd take over Paul in that draft is the guy who was drafted right before him in Dirk Nowitzki? Of course Vince could have been a better player, he was physically more talented but infinitely smaller in mental strength capacity. Such a waste he was.

shows what a crap shoot the draft can be.

CF

for entertainment you go to any draft and look at it. It truly is a crap shoot with very few no brainers.

Here is the entire history of the drafts, just click on year to the right. Remeber there were as many as 10 rounds years ago.

http://www.databasebasketball.com/draft/draftlist.htm

beat

beat on another site I frequent we did a series of poles with the title
"Vote for the best #1 pick in the last decade"
and each new pole was for each draft position 1-30 for the past decade. It was quite shocking to see how easy it was to pick one player for a lot of top spots because of how bad other players picked at the same draft position were in other years.

It seems like the #2 pick in the draft is the kiss of death this decade.

Outside

for every Tim Duncan there is a LaRue Martin. Both top picks, both big, one did well, the other sucked........guess which one?

I remember going to a game in Buffalo when LaRue played with Portland. He fouled out in about 6 minutes of playing time.

getting a low first round pick is a real crap shoot but I believe we have done better of late than most teams. And certainly better with our second rounders.

beat

Although Boston plays the team game, five men functioning as a single unit, it isn't out of the question for a Celtic to win the MVP. However, because the award has become a popularity contest, it's probably not in the cards for Paul this year. It's just that it's been so long siince a player has excelled at every phase of the game the way Paul has this year. His play reminds me so much of Bird that it's a wonder. I've been trying to come up with the right word: Birdlike, Birdesque, Birdian. What's more, sometimes Pierce will do something and I'll think, "Even Bird couldn't do that!"

As far as the pretenders are concerned: Lebron is an embarrassment to any sycophant who votes for him - all stats, no value - 'Where's the beef?": Jalen Rose is worthy and playing great, but point guards simply don't have as much value as forwards and centers.

The point guard is at the mercy of the big men who get him the ball. Magic Johnson may be the exception, but he was 6'9". Bob Cousy's 50-point game was an aberration because, after all the brawls, there weren't any big men left in that game. If you look at a point guard like Chris Paul, for all his skill and talent, how many games does he dominate in the closing minutes? Oscar Robertson was 6'4" and could do practically everything on the floor, except push Bill Russell out of the way and get that crucial rebound.

The point is that Rose isn't as valuable as Paul Pierce because he's a little guy and the games are won inside by the big guys.

beat wrote:Outside

for every Tim Duncan there is a LaRue Martin. Both top picks, both big, one did well, the other sucked........guess which one?

I remember going to a game in Buffalo when LaRue played with Portland. He fouled out in about 6 minutes of playing time.

getting a low first round pick is a real crap shoot but I believe we have done better of late than most teams. And certainly better with our second rounders.

beat

Beat,

Am I haunting your thoughts? I hadn't posted anything on this thread. Just checking.

Outside

outside

Shoulda looked before I leaped should have been for Celtic Fan!!

OOPS

beat

beat wrote:Outside

for every Tim Duncan there is a LaRue Martin. Both top picks, both big, one did well, the other sucked........guess which one?

I remember going to a game in Buffalo when LaRue played with Portland. He fouled out in about 6 minutes of playing time.

getting a low first round pick is a real crap shoot but I believe we have done better of late than most teams. And certainly better with our second rounders.

beat

a more up to date comparison would be Duncan and Michael Olowakandi

90% of #1 picks though do turn out to be pretty decent players though. Maybe not worthy of the #1 pick cough-Bargnani-cough but still decent pro's.

Martin and Olowakandi thought... YIKES

I'll give #1 picks like Oden and Pervis Ellison more a break as their issues were with health, not skill.

and of course Kwame Brown shoulda been a 2nd rounder but he's still somehow in the league :p