Kobe Bryant is making a push to challenge Derrick Rose’s MVP candidacy
The Chicago Bulls Derrick Rose has been running rampant through the league in MVP form. The Bulls are the best team in the Eastern Conference and he is the only player in the top 10 in points and rebounds in the NBA. This seems to be a sturdy MVP resume, but we can’t forget about one player who is shooting for greatness.
Everyone in the NBA world knows the Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant is aiming to be one of the best players to ever play in the NBA. In many people’s eyes, he already is in the top 10. On the other hand, all of the players considered the best have multiple MVP awards while Kobe only has one.
The Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash has back to back MVP awards and he has never made it to the NBA Finals. The Dallas Mavericks Dirk Nowitzki won the MVP award and has only been to the finals once and lost. Many players during Kobe’s career have won the award, but then fall on their face in the playoffs.
Kobe has been to the Finals seven times and has won five championships. I realize the award is given to the player with the best regular season, not the playoffs, but Kobe has never been a let down during any of his 15 regular seasons and has been in the running for MVP in all of his last eight. The man is pushing for his sixth championship ring to be in the luxurious company of Michael Jordan, wouldn’t he want to have more than one MVP trophy?
Yes, he would, which means, Kobe is going to fight his way for at least one more. His 32-years old legs are worn down more than many 70-year old men’s legs, which gives him a short timetable. In reality, this could be one of his last years to be in the MVP hunt.
I’m not saying Rose isn’t the MVP because I think he is. He is putting up great numbers and leading a team, no one thought would do anything, into the playoffs as a favorite to win the NBA crown.
But, Kobe can not be underestimated. Everyone is forgetting about the superstar because of the Rose show, the Heatles in Miami and Melo-Drama in New York, except for the people who give away the award. The Orlando Magic’s coach Stan Van Gundy said the media, the voters for the award, have already given the award to Rose, but no one officially knows that. Plus, Van Gundy runs his mouth just to hear himself talk.
The Lakers have a 53-20 record and are only a half game behind the 53-19 Bulls for the second best record in the NBA. Stats wise, Bryant is fifth in the league with 25.2 points per game while Rose is seventh with 24.9. Rose is shooting better from the three-point and free-throw lines while Bryant has a better field goal percentage. When I say better, the biggest difference between the percentages is .21 and it’s from the free-throw line.
All of their stats are similar, except for Rose averaging 7.9 assists a game while Bryant only dishes out 4.8 a contest.
The Bulls and Lakers have similar records and Rose and Bryant have almost identical stats. I’m not saying the media is anti-young guy when voting for a MVP, but they all know what the legend of Kobe is in the NBA. Plus, no one can deny the greatness both the Lakers and Bryant have shown since the All-Star break. The Lakers have a 15-1 record since the break and Bryant has been unstoppable, including his 42-point performance against the Suns in triple overtime on Tuesday.
Bryant has been overlooked before because people are accustomed to his year in and year out dominance, could the voters make up for previously forgetting Kobe by robbing D-Rose this season?
