NBA - Sports Rumors

Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:40 am EDT

Kobe, Paul race for MVP, too close to call

By Joe Zedalis

Kobe Bryant

Getty Images

Over the weekend, Mark Heisler of the Los Angeles Times asked 21 NBA writers from 19 cities and two websites for their first, second and third MVP picks for this season, and the result was ... Too close to call.

The Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant, named by all 21, had 10 first-place votes, eight seconds and three thirds. New Orleans Hornets' Chris Paul, named by all 21, had 8-9-4. Boston's Kevin Garnett was a distant third, named on 15 ballots with 2-3-10. Only four players were named, the last being LeBron James of Cleveland, who made six ballots and got 1-1-4.

The MVP race will go right down to the league's deadline for submitting ballots, after the NBA regular season ends April 16. Two voters who had Bryant first and Paul second joked about changing their mind hourly. Both said they'll go with Paul if his Hornets finish No. 1 in the Western Conference.

Source: Los Angeles TimesNew Window

digg delicious
more

462 Comments

Post a Comment
  1. A Yahoo! User
    1. Posted by A Yahoo! User Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:47 am EDT

    Report Abuse

    kobe should win this time due to his longevity and contribution to the game.
  2. Jerome C
    2. Posted by Jerome C Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:15 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    its not about lonngevity but what the player has done for the season.
    Paul should win...!!
    GO CP3!
    BOSTON-LAKERS in the FINALS!
    Lakers will win the finals... VUJACIC MVP! hahahahaha...:) kidding
  3. noogienae22
    3. Posted by noogienae22 Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:40 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    I think paul should out beat kobe that's what I would love 2 see
  4. gAd
    4. Posted by gAd Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:58 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    i think kobe will win against chris paul because for some reasons..
    1. paul is short.
    2. paul dont know how to handle ball in all crucial situation and kobe does.
    3. he is so young to get that trophe.
    4. he doesnt know how to handle his team.
    5. he doesnt know how to play offense.
    kobe will win this time and for how many years, he deserved it..! no one will disagree of that..
  5. KB24 Sucks
    5. Posted by KB24 Sucks Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:57 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Yes, his contributions to the game...if you want to call it that.
    (complaining, bashing teammates, demanding trades, whining on every call, and his contributions in Denver)
  6. Ramblin25
    6. Posted by Ramblin25 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:27 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    chris paul deserves it
  7. Ramblin25
    7. Posted by Ramblin25 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:27 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    it does not matter how tall you are.chris paul is a player and should win the mvp easy.kobe would not be in the race if they had not traded for pau gasol.
  8. Oliver
    8. Posted by Oliver Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:23 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    kobe deserves to win the MVP awards because he's way better than chris paul.. kobe knows how to handle his team.. kobe must be MVP! =)
  9. not telling
    9. Posted by not telling Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:13 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Lets think about this for a second, who thought that N.O. would be in 1st place in the west this year? So to take his team to first place in the west, where we all know it is a power house is something special at such a young age. Paul is everything you want in a young star and a point guard. He will make mistakes but they all do, Paul equals MVP.
  10. LAL
    10. Posted by LAL Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:05 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Ok no one expected the Lakers to be contending for 1st place in the west either. This race is too close to call, I think if NO ends up in first, then Paul deserves it. If LA ends up in first, then Kobe should get it.
  11. hcdouglass
    11. Posted by hcdouglass Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:17 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Kobe will win. Given the turnaround of New Orleans, CP3 deserves it.
  12. Tzar
    12. Posted by Tzar Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:29 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Kobe should get it because he has brought his team from the ashes to glory, and the only reason his team is not first in the West is because of the crucial injuries that New Orleans does not suffer from. If LA was injury-free, there would be no stopping us.
  13. A Yahoo! User
    13. Posted by A Yahoo! User Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:41 am EDT

    Report Abuse

    the kid has entire career to worry crap about that let him prove himself to be an mvp kobe already has and then some he deserves it now more than ever.
  14. jimmy o
    14. Posted by jimmy o Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:35 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    chris paul should win this...i am still in disbelief that this late in the season his team is first overall in the west, nice job cp3
  15. ej j
    15. Posted by ej j Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:58 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Kobe is the Best in the world he deserves this hand down, can play offence, defence, pass, shoot, dribble, he is an allaround player no one in the the NBA can do that as good as hime Kobe Gaint the best in the world, if he does not win the NBA is a joke, Elvis The bahamas.
  16. The Mamba
    16. Posted by The Mamba Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:26 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Kobe definitely deserves it, given that the Lakers have had so many injuries this season, many of which are long and are to their key players (Bynum, Gasol, Ariza) and yet he can still bring the Lakers to third place in such a tight conference.
  17. LAKERSFAKERS4ever
    17. Posted by LAKERSFAKERS4ever Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:32 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    i still don't believed that the lakers will win a ring this year...there are other teams that can beat them anytime....so they better not too confident about this team, they are the most fakers team the west...holllywoo baby...like kobe, odom, gasol and the rest....especially this guy vujacic, he is crazy especially when he hit on etree point, he thinks he is the star of the team...this the crazy lakers team...
  18. Scot
    18. Posted by Scot Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:56 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    What people don't realize is that the Hornets are doing so well because they have been healthy all year. They haven't had one major injury. The Lakers have had a good 3 or so and kobe and fish are playing hurt, yet the lakers are still only a game and a half back of 1st. If the lakers were as healthy as NO, they'd probably have at least 60 wins
  19. forti
    19. Posted by forti Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:03 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    CP3 has a worse team to play with than Kobe, with him they're #1 in the west. Without him, they'd be worse off than the Lakers with no Kobe. Even if the Lakers had an 80 win season, and Kobe averaged 50-10-10 Stern would not give it to him cause he wants MVP to be a role model, not some whinny adulterer.
  20. thegr8one
    20. Posted by thegr8one Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:55 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Winning the MVP just because of seniority is so lame! I hope whoever wins the MVP wins it because he deserves it.
  21. Hooch
    21. Posted by Hooch Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:10 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    I think Kobe will get it for seniority, however I can live with either of them getting it.
    They both led their teams to unexpected heights. These guys don't choke they
    perform and lead under pressure.
  22. hcdouglass
    22. Posted by hcdouglass Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:17 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    #5 gAd~ LMAO I needed that laugh. Thank you.
  23. V-I-KING
    23. Posted by V-I-KING Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:40 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    I agree #24. It sounds like some people are trying to make the MVP race into a popularity contest. In recent years the MVP has gone to the best player on the best team(which is why Dirk and Nash won theirs and Kobe still doesn't have one). This year should be no different. Even though Paul and Kobe play in the west, Boston has the best record and KG should win the MVP. Boston would be very good in the west as well(as their 25-5 record against the west states). It's a very tough decision because either one of the three are very deserving of the award.
  24. SHAWN G (LA WHERE CHAMPIONSHIPS HAPPEN)
    24. Posted by SHAWN G (LA WHERE CHAMPIONSHIPS HAPPEN) Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:18 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    25 good post tom,and i agree..the thing i like about kobe through all the injuries he's kept them in the running...as for chris paul he turned the hornets around,the question is did he do it single handlely...i dont think no one gives the rest of the hornets credit it all goes to paul,which i disagree with...samething happends in clevland...im not calling lebron or paul a ball hog or saying anything bad towards them ..what im saying the media only focuses on them, so no one else gets any of the credit.
  25. Brian T
    25. Posted by Brian T Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:30 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Kobe has deserved it the past two years. Yeah he didn't pass all the time, but thats because he had to shoot, he had nobody. Now he has a dominate team that he can play with and he is still scoring unbelievably, while passing the ball a lot.
    Kobe deserves it hands down.

Sports Rumors

Add to My Yahoo! RSS

More Rumors

Featured NBA Video

More Videos »

Teams

Customize to follow news and rumors on your favorite teams. [ Sign in ]