Lakerhead Daily Fully Endorses LeBron James As MVP
Those who know me know I don’t just bleed purple and gold. I bleed Kobe & Bryant. Me and Kobe go way back. I watched a high school kid come into the NBA and lay fire to it. After watching the singular force known as Michael Jordan play so ruthlessly and so elegantly, I dreamed a wild dream of having a player like that here in Los Angeles.
At 30 Years Old, Kobe is Still Unstoppable
Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine a player as good as Kobe play for the Lakers in my lifetime. He’s Jordan minus the insane defense (there’s first team all-NBA defense like Kobe, and then there is Jordan’s once-in-a-lifetime defense) and ridiculous smarts (smarts to get the 15-foot fade-away no matter what the defense tries). But he’s also Jordan with better shooting range and even more ridiculous footwork.
So believe me when I say it does not come lightly when I say this: The Lakerhead Daily fully endorses LeBron James as the 2008-2009 regular season MVP. Simply put, this writing team of one respects the game of basketball too much to not give it to the most deserving player.
But before I shower LeBron with praise (and coming from a die-hard Laker fan, this is about as fun as a prison shower), let me clear the air on a few Kobe-related issues:
LeBron Delivers on his Intense Pre-Game Chalk in the Sky, Every Single Game
A) Kobe is my 2nd choice for MVP. Let’s not discount how much of an honor it should be to get that close. Not only has he been playing with that torn pinkie that has needed surgery since last season, but he has embraced the team concept even more, and played some of the most solid defense I have ever seen him play in his career.
His legs have shown really little lift this year, partly due to the age of 30, and partly due to playing in the Olympics over the summer, but he has still managed to shoot from the field better than he ever has at 46.6% (other than the 1999-2000 season when he shot 46.8%).
Kobe has led a team that has had to battle playing 32 games without Andrew Bynum to a mid-60 win season (currently 64 wins as I just finished watching the Lakers wax the Grizzlies, 92-75). He has led with defense, with team play, and with never taking a night off.
Some would say because of all this, and because he has only 1 MVP and is reaching a fragile age of playing at such an elite level, we should award him with an MVP this year.
B) I say we shouldn’t correct the past by making mistakes in the present. Yes, it was a crime that Kobe did not win an MVP in the 2005-2006 season, where he averaged 35.4 points a game (only the 4th player in history to average at least 35 points a game in a season) and led a team that gave heavy minutes to “Smush” Parker, Chris Mihm, and Kwame Brown to a 45-37 record.
LeBron Has Shown he is a Bigger Monster than the Cetics' 3-Headed Variety
History will judge Kobe, however, as one of the best players to ever play the game of basketball (we here think he’s in the top 10 all-time already), and he doesn’t need any more MVPs to validate himself. Above all, someone was more deserving this year.
That player is LeBron James. We have all witnessed the greatest season anyone has had in the 2008-2009 campaign. The strange part is, as scary as James’ numbers have been (28.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.7 steals, 1.1 blocks a game), watching him play the game of basketball is what convinces me he is the MVP.
The Cavs without LeBron are a decent team with an all-star in Mo Williams and solid role players in Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Delonte West, Daniel Gibson, Anderson Varejao, Ben Wallace, and Sasha Pavlovic. But LeBron James directly turns them into a monster. Open shots for everybody. Increased defensive intensity due to leading by example. Team unity. There is nothing you can ask for in an MVP that James doesn’t deliver in spades.
This Woman is Right, At Least the MVP Part
He shoots better from the field than Kobe by using his strength and speed to get easier shots. He rebounds and assists more than Kobe. His team will finish with the better record. Ladies and gentlemen, I have always thought that LeBron’s nickname was premature, as he received it when he first came into the league. But now we can all be proud to call him King James, the Lakerhead nominee for 2008-2009 MVP.
I will now go wear my Kobe jersey and hope Mr. Bryant shows once again he is a champion. It’s playoff time. Go Lakers.
I recognize this sentiment because I have it myself. I hate James and the Cavs, but love watching them play because they never let up and bring everything they got to every game. So for the sake of not making the mistake made in earlier years by the Nash-crazy media, James is definitely the MVP this year, due to being more Kobe than even Kobe over the course of the season.
Happydaze
Overall D-Wade deserves more than both. I love the lakers more than any team in pro sports but come on Wade led a horrible team in the Heat to playoff contension, that’s crazy! He puts that team on his shoulders night in and night out. I got Kobe tied with Wade this year too because without Kobe the lakers wouldn’t EVEN be the team they are with Kobe. For LeBron, I think he can just get hit by a bus. He is too freakishly large and strong to be that coordinated and gifted someone please give him a drug test.
Kobe Bryant doesn’t need championships. But for his legacy, I think he needs one more ring. I’m pretty sure that’s all that matters to him right now.
The thing that blows me away about Lebron is he doesnt have a solid spin move, bank shot or even a behind the back dribble on the break!! dude just goes straight and is killin the best players in the world off a God sculpted body, great eyes plus a good jumper but what happens when he becomes a 90% free throw shooter or a 40% 3 point shooter?!? even worst, what if Lebron gets an extremly great role player like Gasol on his squad?!? Lebron will tell you that Kobe is the best in the league but Lebron is the most blessed no doubt, dude is just amazin and he’s only going to get better … in the good name of Dr James Naismith, Lebron was born in 1984!! last year would’ve barely been his 5 year high school reunion … dude is amazin
sorry Lakerhead for being so vulgar with my remark. i understand everyone has their opinions in regards to who should be MVP and i never take offense to people who believe that kobe or d.wade should be the MVP. its just that ty’s comment on lebron should be hit by a bus, and claiming he takes drugs was clearly one of the most childish things i’ve ever heard.
“not making the mistake made in earlier years by the Nash-crazy media”
Nash deserved both his MVPs…. he made that team what it was. He deserved the 3rd MVP as well… the “crazy media” said only MJs and Larry Birds do that. He doesn’t win the third through default?
“Wade led a horrible team in the Heat to playoff contension” very true. But so has Chris Paul, and so has LBJ. (that cavs team sucks without him… 7-8th seed in the east at best) Lebron not only makes that team a playoff contender… he makes them (has made them) a championship contender every year simply by being there.
It is unfortunate that Kobe hasn’t won more MVPs… but they are overrated anyways. There are always numerous players deserving of them. It would be nice if they atleast split the MVP into Western and Eastern conference trophies. So many deserve one (or more)… but do not get them.
big up for being a lakers blog and admitting this.
Jajaja Mr. Bryant shows once again he is a champion.
4th