During a wonderfully entertaining NBA Finals, it is a bit of a challenge to exercise restraint, which, of course, doesn’t exist in TwitterWorld, anyway. After Game 3, it was obvious that no matter what happened the rest of the series, LeBron James would be the MVP. Even if the Cavs lost three straight and the series. James had been sufficiently brilliant – to borrow from the esteemed pundit Moses Malone, LeBron had taken four guys from Australia, Russia, Canada and the
Considering how spirited the discussion was for the Most Valuable Player Award, it turned out to be no contest with Stephen Curry winning by 262 points over James Harden. First place votes favored Curry 100-25. Although I thought Harden was more deserving, there is a larger issue. It does appear that we are in another period where greatness has becoming boring and we take it for granted. If you watch, listen and read about the NBA, any discussion of who the best
I was one of 25 voters who chose James Harden as the NBA’s MVP, and I feel as strongly about my decision today as I did back when I cast my ballot the day after the season ended. As I said then, it was the toughest MVP vote I’ve ever been a part of. What was interesting to me Monday when the ballots were released was the ledger of other voters who went for Harden over Curry. I imagine you have
Before making a few points on the MVP race, it should be noted the debate has been nothing short of fantastic. The methods used by a variety of writers to reach a conclusion have been wildly different, but whether voters rely on analytics, old school observation or something in between, the passion for the subject has been unsurpassed and a joy to read. The Players Association has announced that it will have its own set of awards after the season, and it
There is a reason why I always wait until the 82nd game of the season is in the books before deciding on my postseason awards choices. Three words: What’s the hurry? This is a lesson I learned way back in 1999 when I was covering a late regular-season game at the Alamodome during the lockout-shortened 50-game season. There were still three of four games left, and I was sitting alongside a veteran reporter from USA Today and asked him which way he
I am undecided. My MVP ballot is sitting in my inbox, still blank. Of course, it is always blank with three days left in the season, because the NBA allows me to wait until all 82 games are played before making up my mind with finality. But what’s different this year is that I truly do not know who I will be putting in the first slot and who I will be putting in the second. This is the toughest MVP race I
I write this column every year two days before the regular season ends, and I usually get right to the point. But this year I am going to start a little differently. So let me get one item off my chest and out of the way: Michele Roberts is way off base. The new executive director of the NBA Players Association tried to reinvent the wheel this week when it was reported that she is instituting the Players Choice Awards, which will
The weather app on my smartphone read 39 degrees this morning. It left me wondering: When is this going to change? This is the second straight year in New York that spring has been a rumor rather than a reality, and it can lead a person to convince oneself: This will never change. Which brings me to my mindset on the MVP award. For months, I have been telling myself that James Harden is going to win the MVP award. Every night,