MVP Race

[KingSpeed]

Here's how I see the Top 5 if season ended now:

1. James Harden
2. LeBron James
3. DeMar DeRozen
4. Anthony Davis
5. Damian Lillard

Other possible candidates: Curry, Durant, Kyrie, Embiid

IN MY OPINION

 

[BonesJones]

Here's how I see the Top 5 if season ended now:

1. James Harden
2. LeBron James
3. DeMar DeRozen
4. Anthony Davis
5. Damian Lillard

Other possible candidates: Curry, Durant, Kyrie, Embiid

IN MY OPINION

I was actually gonna post another MVP Ladder tonight.

 

[Nhawz]

Durant has to be in top 5

 

[Nhawz]

Other than that looks good

 

[BonesJones]

Derozen doesn't deserve to be that high

 

[KingSpeed]

Derozen doesn't deserve to be that high

Best player on best team in East. Maybe not 3 but should be top 5.

 

[BonesJones]

Best player on best team in East. Maybe not 3 but should be top 5.

Nah..
Doesn't quite work like that imo.

 

[Strenuus]

1. Harden (sucks, but can't deny it)
2. James
3. Davis (record be damned, dude's a beast)
4. Durant
5. Dame

 

[BonesJones]

 

[Orion Bailey]

1. Harden (sucks, but can't deny it)
2. James
3. Davis (record be damned, dude's a beast)
4. Durant
5. Dame

This right here. And id say dame has a chance at moving up to four.
Durant is a perenial mvp no doubt. But the supporting cast he aNd derozen have make thier games much easier.
THIS year i believe Dame has done more with less than either of those guys.

 

[BrianFromWA]

Going in a different direction:

Dame's supporting cast...ok, I'll give you CJ...who is:

Our starting C (and #3 of "big 3") was sent to us with a first round pick attached. AKA, the difference of how much better Plumlee was considered vs. Nurk was a mid-round 1st.
Our starting SF was given to us for a Top-55 protected 2nd.
Our starting PF was a FA who was barely in consideration for an MLE until we overpaid him.
Our first two off the bench were a below-MLE big who the L*kers didn't want to offer and a 2nd-round pick who played PF in college and SG in the NBA
Our next two were a guy who couldn't start on his college team last year and a guy who was acquired for "cash considerations".

Yeah, I think Dame wins the "my team wasn't expected to do much" award.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Kyrie above Dame. Better stats, better team, lost an all star teammate first game of the year and has a rookie and a 2nd year player starting, and is still right there with the 1 seed. He's being overlooked.

 

[handiman]

Our starting C (and #3 of "big 3") was sent to us with a first round pick attached. AKA, the difference of how much better Plumlee was considered vs. Nurk was a mid-round 1st.
Our starting SF was given to us for a Top-55 protected 2nd.
Our starting PF was a FA who was barely in consideration for an MLE until we overpaid him.
Our first two off the bench were a below-MLE big who the L*kers didn't want to offer and a 2nd-round pick who played PF in college and SG in the NBA
Our next two were a guy who couldn't start on his college team last year and a guy who was acquired for "cash considerations".

When you say it like that...we have the lowest payroll in the league, right? Right??

 

[THE HCP]

Going in a different direction:

Dame's supporting cast...ok, I'll give you CJ...who is:

Our starting C (and #3 of "big 3") was sent to us with a first round pick attached. AKA, the difference of how much better Plumlee was considered vs. Nurk was a mid-round 1st.
Our starting SF was given to us for a Top-55 protected 2nd.
Our starting PF was a FA who was barely in consideration for an MLE until we overpaid him.
Our first two off the bench were a below-MLE big who the L*kers didn't want to offer and a 2nd-round pick who played PF in college and SG in the NBA
Our next two were a guy who couldn't start on his college team last year and a guy who was acquired for "cash considerations".

Yeah, I think Dame wins the "my team wasn't expected to do much" award.

Which is why I laughed at people who claimed we’d get HCA! With this talent, 40 wins seems about right. I told Dolla’ my prediction, musta pissed him off!

 

[e_blazer]

Which is why I laughed at people who claimed we’d get HCA! With this talent, 40 wins seems about right. I told Dolla’ my prediction, musta pissed him off!

I bet you’re a name brand guy. Can’t be good if it doesn’t have the right label.

I thought it was funny the other day when, I think it was Baron Davis, said he couldn’t understand how the Blazers kept winning when he couldn’t name a player on the roster other than Dame. I assume that if someone had jogged a few of his underused brain cells he might have added CJ to his list. This Blazers team is built on those two guys, sure, but it’s exceeding expectations because other players are maturing into contributors above what their limited reputations would lead one to predict. Aminu has become a deadly threat from 3. Harkless has reinvented himself as a staunch defender who can also score. Nurk is beginning to show glimpses of the guy who excite heck out of us last spring. Ed has quietly become one of the best bigs off the bench in the NBA. Napier is contributing like a starting level PG. Even Pat and Collins have been solid. This team has a bunch of blue collar dudes who play hard and mesh well. Screw brand names. Win now.

 

[THE HCP]

Then what do you say to Brian’s analyses a few posts above?

 

[THE HCP]

I bet you’re a name brand guy. Can’t be good if it doesn’t have the right label.

I thought it was funny the other day when, I think it was Barron Davis, said he couldn’t understand how the Blazers kept winning when he couldn’t name a player on the roster other than Dame. I assume that if someone had jogged a few of his underused brain cells he might have added CJ to his list. This Blazers team is built on those two guys, sure, but it’s exceeding expectations because other players are maturing into contributors above what their limited reputations would lead one to predict. Aminu has become a deadly threat from 3. Harkless has reinvented himself as a staunch defender who can also score. Nurk is beginning to show glimpses of the guy who excite heck out of us last spring. Ed has quietly become one of the best bigs off the bench in the NBA. Napier is contributing like a starting level PG. Even Pat and Collins have been solid. This team has a bunch of blue collar dudes who play hard and mesh well. Screw brand names. Win now.

And good catch on the brand thing...... I’m very loyal to certain brands in all aspects of my life most definitely.

 

[Orion Bailey]

And good catch on the brand thing...... I’m very loyal to certain brands in all aspects of my life most definitely.

All things evolve and devolve though. Nothing is steadfast.
Sometimes that type of loyalty can lead to poor purchasing.

 

[e_blazer]

Then what do you say to Brian’s analyses a few posts above?

I’d say his post is a testament to Olshey’s ability to spot undervalued guys who have potential to develop into solid contributors. I also don’t deny that the supporting cast wouldn’t amount to much without Dame and CJ.

 

[BrianFromWA]

Kyrie above Dame. Better stats, better team, lost an all star teammate first game of the year and has a rookie and a 2nd year player starting, and is still right there with the 1 seed. He's being overlooked.

I see the argument, but if you wouldn't trade Brown and Tatum and Semi for Mo, Chief and Pat I don't know what to tell you.

 

[ripcityboy]

Wish Dame had more going for him but it's been Harden's award for a while and I just don't see that changing.

 

[e_blazer]

Wish Dame had more going for him but it's been Harden's award for a while and I just don't see that changing.

Agree. Zero chance of Dame getting any serious consideration for MVP this year, despite the fact that his stats compare favorably to what D. Rose had when he won the title. There's just no national attention being paid to the Blazers this year. I just watched this GameTime piece on who the surprise team might be in the West come playoff time, and not a single mention of the Blazers:

http://www.nba.com/video/2018/03/02/20180302-gametime-western-conference-heading-towards-playoffs#/

 

[Boob-No-More]

Kyrie above Dame. Better stats, better team, lost an all star teammate first game of the year and has a rookie and a 2nd year player starting, and is still right there with the 1 seed. He's being overlooked.

Disagree.

BOS was the No. 1 seed in the East last year, and could end up No. 2 this year. Has Kyrie really made them any better than they already were? He has a current (and 5 time) all star as a teammate, who I think is one of the most underrated - by the fans - players in the league, and two top 3 draft picks starting next to him. Aren't top 3 picks supposed to be impact players? Sure, they "lost" Hayward, but they were already the best team in the East without him. They were No. 1 in the East with IT and will be No. 1 or No. 2 with Kyrie. He has a much better roster, both starters and bench, than Dame, a better coach and a better system. And, he plays in a much weaker conference.

Dame has a lot less to work with and plays in the toughest division of the toughest conference.

BNM

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Disagree.

BOS was the No. 1 seed in the East last year, and could end up No. 2 this year. Has Kyrie really made them any better than they already were? He has a current (and 5 time) all star as a teammate, who I think is one of the most underrated - by the fans - players in the league, and two top 3 draft picks starting next to him. Aren't top 3 picks supposed to be impact players? Sure, they "lost" Hayward, but they were already the best team in the East without him. They were No. 1 in the East with IT and will be No. 1 or No. 2 with Kyrie. He has a much better roster, both starters and bench, than Dame, a better coach and a better system. And, he plays in a much weaker conference.

Dame has a lot less to work with and plays in the toughest division of the toughest conference.

BNM

They have 4 players held over from last year's team. To act like he was just added to a #1 seed is disingenuous.

 

[KingSpeed]

Nah..
Doesn't quite work like that imo.

Why do you think Thomas was 5th in MVP voting last year? Best player on best player in East. But that doesn't matter because I'm not predicting what will happen. I'm saying this is how I would vote right now.

 

[BonesJones]

Why do you think Thomas was 5th in MVP voting last year? Best player on best player in East. But that doesn't matter because I'm not predicting what will happen. I'm saying this is how I would vote right now.

Thomas was putting up a lot better numbers than Derozen is now.

The way I'd vote is also how I think it would happen.

 

[calvin natt]

Not including both Curry and KD on any top 5 list is ridiculous. Can’t take you seriously, like usual.

 

[KingSpeed]

Kyrie above Dame. Better stats, better team, lost an all star teammate first game of the year and has a rookie and a 2nd year player starting, and is still right there with the 1 seed. He's being overlooked.

Dame is averaging more points, rebounds, and assists than Kyrie.

 

[BonesJones]

Disagree.

BOS was the No. 1 seed in the East last year, and could end up No. 2 this year. Has Kyrie really made them any better than they already were? He has a current (and 5 time) all star as a teammate, who I think is one of the most underrated - by the fans - players in the league, and two top 3 draft picks starting next to him. Aren't top 3 picks supposed to be impact players? Sure, they "lost" Hayward, but they were already the best team in the East without him. They were No. 1 in the East with IT and will be No. 1 or No. 2 with Kyrie. He has a much better roster, both starters and bench, than Dame, a better coach and a better system. And, he plays in a much weaker conference.

Dame has a lot less to work with and plays in the toughest division of the toughest conference.

BNM

I'd say Boston is better now than they were last year, and better equipped for playoff success. Between and Tatum being as tong and they are, being the 3rd and 4th options on a playoff team with Horford being very good but not a great all-star, Kyrie has been great. Take him off that team and they're lucky to make the playoffs.

 

[Boob-No-More]

They have 4 players held over from last year's team. To act like he was just added to a #1 seed is disingenuous.

I never said that.

But, I did say he has better teammates, a better coach, and a better system. You can also add a better GM to that list. How many recent top 3 draft picks is Dame playing with? How many all star free agents have chosen Portland recently? And, he plays in a weaker conference.

To ignore all those advantages is disingenuous.

BNM