- 1,136
- 10
[h3]Pin-pointed.
2009-10 Predictions: Most Valuable Player[/h3]
[th=""]RANK[/th] [th=""]PLAYER[/th] [th=""]VOTES[/th] [h3]The skinny[/h3]
LeBron James
LBJ was finally crowned king of the regular season, winning the MVP vote after finishing ninth, sixth, second, fifth and fourth in his first five years.Cleveland broke through with 66 wins, and might need an encore to get LBJ his second Podoloff Trophy. And overall the stakes are higher than ever, given lastMay's disappointment, the Cavs' Shaquisition and LeBron's looming free agency. Still, more than half of our experts consider King James likely tocontinue his MVP reign.
[h4]NBA OFFSEASON BUZZ[/h4]
Who's poised for a big season? Who could be on the decline? We're taking a look at all 30 rosters. Insider
Kobe Bryant
The 2008 MVP finished second in last season's race, leading the Lakers to 65 wins despite his numbers being down slightly. In June, however, he proved heis still the top dog in the league by winning his fourth NBA ring and the Finals MVP award. Although Kobe faces a new set of challenges with teams now gunningfor the Lakers and Ron Artest now in the mix, nine of ourvoters think the Dobermamba will seize his second regular-season MVP trophy.
Dwyane Wade
Despite the Heat winning only 43 games last season, Wade finished third in the MVP vote. That's how impressive he was in leading a young squad to theplayoffs. Can he take the Heat to higher heights this season? It'll be tough with Miami's roster basically the same, and with its second-best player,Michael Beasley, struggling with off-the-court issues.But with Wade able to do more with less, six voters say he'll be deserving.
[h3]The voters[/h3]
Henry Abbott (ESPN.com TrueHoop senior writer), J.A. Adande (ESPN.com senior writer), Kevin Arnovitz (ESPN.com TrueHoop Network editor), Andrew Ayres(ESPN.com NBA editor), Jon Barry (ESPN NBA analyst), Bruce Bernstein (ESPN NBA Studio Production), Alfredo Berrios (ESPN Deportes editor), Dwayne Bray (ESPNStudio Production), Jordan Brenner (ESPN Insider editor), Lisa Brooks (ESPN Stats & Information), Maurice Brooks (ESPN.com NBA editor), Chris Broussard(ESPN The Magazine senior writer), Ric Bucher (ESPN The Magazine senior writer), Michael Bucklin (ESPN Interactive Games), Kevin Calabro (ESPN NBAbroadcaster), Kevin Conlon (ESPN Stats & Information), Jay Corbin (ESPN The Magazine editor), Chad Ford (ESPN Insider senior writer), LZ Granderson (ESPNThe Magazine senior writer), John Hollinger (ESPN Insider senior writer), Jade Hoye (ESPN Multimedia), Michael Jackson (ESPN Stats & Information), ScoopJackson (ESPN Page 2 columnist), Avery Johnson (ESPN NBA analyst), Eric Karabell (ESPN.com senior writer), Rob King (ESPN.com editor-in-chief), Seth Landman(ESPN Fantasy basketball writer), Tim Legler (ESPN NBA analyst), Nancy Lieberman (ESPN NBA analyst), Keith Lipscomb (ESPN Fantasy basketball analyst), PatriciaLowry (ESPN Studio Production), Mike Lynch (ESPN Stats & Information), Eric Neel (ESPN.com senior writer), Pete Newmann (ESPN Stats & Information),Chris Palmer (ESPN The Magazine NBA writer), Greg Pike (ESPN NBA Studio Production), Chris Ramsay (ESPN.com NBA coordinator), Dr. Jack Ramsay (ESPN NBAanalyst), Adam Reisinger (ESPN DB editor), Jalen Rose (ESPN NBA analyst), Bob Salmi (ESPN NBA analyst), Chris Sheridan (ESPN Insider senior writer), Marc Stein(ESPN.com NBA senior writer), Patrick Stiegman (ESPN.com VP/Executive editor), Otto Strong (ESPN The Magazine NBA editor), Mark Summer (ESPN NBA StudioProduction), David Thorpe (ESPN Insider NBA analyst), Justin Verrier (ESPN.com NBA editor), Bill Walton (ESPN NBA analyst), Royce Webb (ESPN.com NBA editor),Josh Whitling (ESPN Fantasy Basketball writer), Matt Winer (ESPN NBA anchor) and Matt Wong (ESPN.com NBA editor).
2009-10 Predictions: Most Valuable Player[/h3]
1 |
LeBron James Small forward Cleveland Cavaliers | Last season 1st in MVP voting 28.4 ppg; 7.6 rpg; 7.2 apg | 35 |
2 | Kobe Bryant Shooting guard Los Angeles Lakers | Last season 2nd in MVP voting 26.8 ppg; 5.2 rpg; 4.9 apg | 9 |
3 | Dwyane Wade Shooting guard Miami Heat | Last season 3rd in MVP voting 30.2 ppg; 5.0 rpg; 7.5 apg | 6 |
Also receiving votes: Kevin Durant (1), Dwight Howard (1), Derrick Rose (1) |
LeBron James
LBJ was finally crowned king of the regular season, winning the MVP vote after finishing ninth, sixth, second, fifth and fourth in his first five years.Cleveland broke through with 66 wins, and might need an encore to get LBJ his second Podoloff Trophy. And overall the stakes are higher than ever, given lastMay's disappointment, the Cavs' Shaquisition and LeBron's looming free agency. Still, more than half of our experts consider King James likely tocontinue his MVP reign.
[h4]NBA OFFSEASON BUZZ[/h4]
Kobe Bryant
The 2008 MVP finished second in last season's race, leading the Lakers to 65 wins despite his numbers being down slightly. In June, however, he proved heis still the top dog in the league by winning his fourth NBA ring and the Finals MVP award. Although Kobe faces a new set of challenges with teams now gunningfor the Lakers and Ron Artest now in the mix, nine of ourvoters think the Dobermamba will seize his second regular-season MVP trophy.
Dwyane Wade
Despite the Heat winning only 43 games last season, Wade finished third in the MVP vote. That's how impressive he was in leading a young squad to theplayoffs. Can he take the Heat to higher heights this season? It'll be tough with Miami's roster basically the same, and with its second-best player,Michael Beasley, struggling with off-the-court issues.But with Wade able to do more with less, six voters say he'll be deserving.
[h3]The voters[/h3]
Henry Abbott (ESPN.com TrueHoop senior writer), J.A. Adande (ESPN.com senior writer), Kevin Arnovitz (ESPN.com TrueHoop Network editor), Andrew Ayres(ESPN.com NBA editor), Jon Barry (ESPN NBA analyst), Bruce Bernstein (ESPN NBA Studio Production), Alfredo Berrios (ESPN Deportes editor), Dwayne Bray (ESPNStudio Production), Jordan Brenner (ESPN Insider editor), Lisa Brooks (ESPN Stats & Information), Maurice Brooks (ESPN.com NBA editor), Chris Broussard(ESPN The Magazine senior writer), Ric Bucher (ESPN The Magazine senior writer), Michael Bucklin (ESPN Interactive Games), Kevin Calabro (ESPN NBAbroadcaster), Kevin Conlon (ESPN Stats & Information), Jay Corbin (ESPN The Magazine editor), Chad Ford (ESPN Insider senior writer), LZ Granderson (ESPNThe Magazine senior writer), John Hollinger (ESPN Insider senior writer), Jade Hoye (ESPN Multimedia), Michael Jackson (ESPN Stats & Information), ScoopJackson (ESPN Page 2 columnist), Avery Johnson (ESPN NBA analyst), Eric Karabell (ESPN.com senior writer), Rob King (ESPN.com editor-in-chief), Seth Landman(ESPN Fantasy basketball writer), Tim Legler (ESPN NBA analyst), Nancy Lieberman (ESPN NBA analyst), Keith Lipscomb (ESPN Fantasy basketball analyst), PatriciaLowry (ESPN Studio Production), Mike Lynch (ESPN Stats & Information), Eric Neel (ESPN.com senior writer), Pete Newmann (ESPN Stats & Information),Chris Palmer (ESPN The Magazine NBA writer), Greg Pike (ESPN NBA Studio Production), Chris Ramsay (ESPN.com NBA coordinator), Dr. Jack Ramsay (ESPN NBAanalyst), Adam Reisinger (ESPN DB editor), Jalen Rose (ESPN NBA analyst), Bob Salmi (ESPN NBA analyst), Chris Sheridan (ESPN Insider senior writer), Marc Stein(ESPN.com NBA senior writer), Patrick Stiegman (ESPN.com VP/Executive editor), Otto Strong (ESPN The Magazine NBA editor), Mark Summer (ESPN NBA StudioProduction), David Thorpe (ESPN Insider NBA analyst), Justin Verrier (ESPN.com NBA editor), Bill Walton (ESPN NBA analyst), Royce Webb (ESPN.com NBA editor),Josh Whitling (ESPN Fantasy Basketball writer), Matt Winer (ESPN NBA anchor) and Matt Wong (ESPN.com NBA editor).