Le Basketbawl

There were legitimate choices last season in the Association for NBA MVP. Although I backed Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star forward LeBron James for the honor, cases could easily be made for the two men who finished in front of him in the final vote count. Last season’s NBA MVP  Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant and runner up New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul both were extraordinary all year long. However I still would have given the award to the “Chosen One“  for this reason; the Cavaliers do not make the Post Season without him on their team.

Although the self proclaimed “Black Mamba” and CP-3 have both again this year been magical on the hardwood, neither player deserves the award in my opinion. The toughest words for any man to write are “I was wrong.“  If they happen to be media members who cover sports as their career, degree of difficulty writing those words increase one thousand fold! When Kobe Bryant rejected to have surgery on his ailing digit before the season, I predicted he would end up missing time in December or January to have the procedure. You proved me wrong Black Mamba, you are tougher than I gave you credit for! However I do not believe that Kobe is the reason the Lakers are having an even better season than they did last year.

It has taken me quite a while to come to terms with the following conclusion because on the surface it defies logic. My good bud Don from With Malice  is on record with disagreeing with this, and he is THE authority on the Lakers. However after much soul searching I have come to the conclusion that Los Angeles is a better tema without Andrew Bynum than with him. Bynum is not the problem, it is Pau Gasol. Gasol is far more effective in the pivot with Lamar Odom at power forward than with Gasol at the four spot.

Chris Paul has shown this year that he is a once in a generation pure point guard, who averages a double-double almost every night. A player who you build a winning team around, and that is what the New Orleans Hornets have done. Most likely they will not win their Division this season, but CP-3 and company will be at the top of the mix for a long time to come.

There are two other names that have to be brought up in any legitimate talk of this year’s MVP of the Association. The first is the most dominant player in the pivot in 2009 Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard. Superman is a throw-back  a classic pure center cut from the same stone that Wilt, Moses, Russ, and Kareem were made from. A man among boys in the modern NBA.

However the true difference maker for the Magic this season will not play another game before the next campaign. Orlando’s true difference maker this year was Jameer Nelson, before the point guard was lost due to injury he had showed that he had matured into what the Magic needed to quarterback their team.

The list would not be complete without the player who has taken the Association by storm over the last month or so Miami Heat All-Star guard Dwyane Wade. D-Wade has taken the Heat on his back all year long, and now has them in the thick of the playoff hunt. Jermaine O’Neal has been a god-send, to the heart and soul of the Miami Heat Machine Wade who knows how best to utilize his skill set. Along with fellow former Raptor Jamario Moon the Heat have brought back NBA fever to Miami. Wade has suddenly become the hot choice for Association MVP. 

However Wade reminds me very much of what Tracy McGrady did last year during the Houston Rockets winning streak. For a while T-Mac was the best player last year in the Association, but it was a comet like arc; he burned hot and bright but far too briefly to get serious consideration for the award. Wade is in a very similar situation this season.

It is no secret that I have openly campaigned for the Cavaliers All-Star to be given this season’s MVP. Last month I wrote the following “Could we all just declare right now before February comes to a close, that Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star forward LeBron James can be named this season’s MVP? I am not advocating pushing up the start of the NBA Playoffs, or suspending the playoff chase. However, as well as Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, and D-Wade have played this season “The Chosen One” has already clinched the award in this longtime NBA observers opinion.”

Last week I took it a step further after James collected his third straight triple-double  “The USA is facing a myriad of problems as we near the end of the first quarter of 2009. Our economy is in a shambles; people are facing unemployment as well as possible eviction from their homes. Wall Street is looking for a way to bounce back from some of the most desolate numbers in decades. We are in the midst of wars; we are looking for answers in health care, energy, and education.

Our leaders have plenty on their plates at the present time. Normally I am adamantly against Congressional involvement in Professional Sports; however if for some insane reason Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star forward LeBron James is not awarded this season’s NBA MVP I am calling for a Congressional Investigation!  

The “Chosen One” had his third straight triple-double Thursday night as Cleveland continued their best season in franchise history with a 119-111 victory over the injury depleted Phoenix Suns. It was the first win in the city of Phoenix for a Cavaliers team since March 10, 1999. Cleveland now has also set their team high for road victories as they got win number 23 on opponent’s home floors.”

James has led his team to unprecedented heights, and he is not through yet! He has taken the Cavaliers and brought them to the next level this season. For that in this reporter’s opinion there is only one answer; LeBron James is the 2009 NBA regular season MVP.