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It is about time to vote for the NBA MVP, and there are really 3 legitamate candidates. Those three, as I see it, are:

Dwayne Wade - The best player from his draft class has been playing stellar ball since the All-Star break, and his quickness is unparalelled. He also plays with Shaq on one of the best teams in the East.

Steve Nash - The glue and creator of the Phoenix Suns, he makes them tick and makes every player around him so much better. He has also been working short-handed, missing 3 starters from last year.

Kobe Bryant - My personal pick, nobody does more for his team than Kobe. Nobody is more competative; nobody since MJ has had that kind of fire. And he has the trump card up his sleave; he scored 81 points in a game, the highest total in 50 years and absolutely amazing considering how competative the game was and that his total was in the context of the game. That also follows his 62 point game, in which he sat out the entire 4th quarter vs. the Mavs because the game WASN'T competative.

ESPN.com has run an article here with the opinion of a bunch of their columnists' views on the MVP. While each give valid arguments, I took issue with one, written by Tom Hollinger. Here is what he had to say:

"This year's MVP is Dwyane Wade. Why? Let's take it from the top: He's been the best player in the league statistically. That doesn't necessarily make him the MVP, but it does put the burden of proof on the other candidates to show why it should be somebody else.

I don't think anyone else can do that. In addition to the gaudy stats, Wade has played solid defense, been a prince in the locker room and has one of the biggest on-court/off-court differentials in the league. He's kept the Heat among the East's elite amidst Shaquille O'Neal's decline, and he's only gotten better as the year has gone on.

So while you could make a case for several other candidates, they ultimately fall short in any head-to-head comparison against Wade.

Nobody has done as much to contribute to his team's success"


Wrong, because Wade hasn't had to CARRY his team the way Kobe has. Sure, Shaq isn't playing the way he has previously, but come on; he's still putting up 20 and 9 this year, far better than anyone Kobe has to play with. AND Kobe still managed to hang 62 and 81(!) against two different teams, almost single-handedly beating them. Kobe has had to throw that team on his back all year, much more so than Flash has had to, and while I believe Wade is a candidate, he isn't the best one. Nobody is more valuable to their team that Kobe, and nobody is a better 2-way player; remember, Kobe is not only the leading scorer in the league, but has also been 1st or 2nd All-Defensive Team for the last 8 years. Nobody has to do more each game for his team to win, and he never fails to step up. That is why HE is the MVP this year.