Kobe Bryant Wins NBA 2007-08 MVP

He was straight robbed in 2005-2006 when the voters made Steve Nash the worst 2 time MVP of all time, but this year he couldn't be denied. Kobe Bryant is the NBA's 2007-2008 Most Valuable Player and deservedly so. While the media and public at large were fawning over a young center who only played 35 games this year (what if they had Jason Kidd right now instead?) and complaining about the lopsided Pau Gasol trade (Gasol missed 10 games as a Laker), Kobe was bringing it and leading his team to the #1 seed in the West.

almost 4 years ago Atma Brother ONE 8 comments 0 recs |

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BARF

I give him props for winning MVP, but his press conference made me so sick. Calling his teammates his “brothers” and saying he’d love to be a Laker forever. Yeah, the same guy who put the whole organization down and demanded to be traded. Since the team is better than he thought, he wants to be a Laker “forever.” Stupid Jackass.

by Golden Boy on May 7, 2008 10:39 AM PDT reply actions

Kobe won the MVP for doing more or less exactly what he’s done in year’s past. Whether or not that makes him worthy is up for debate, but the

The media was right to fawn over the young center and to note the lopsided Gasol trade. Without either of those guys, the Lakers did not improve.

The CW was that Kobe finally made his teammates better. Actual data doesn’t really support that. With Bynum, the Lakers were 24-11. With Gasol, the Lakers improved to 22-5. In games without either, the Lakers were 11-9. That’s still a reasonably good winning percentage. It wouldn’t have made the playoffs though and doesn’t really reflect Kobe “making the team better” though. It reflects that with a very good post presence, the Lakers are a very good team and without one, they’re the borderline playoff team they’ve been for the last several years.

My take is that Kobe won because the Lakers were better and as a borderline playoff team, he’d have been frozen out again. Since the improved record seems to coincide with the games with Bynum and Gasol but doesn’t seem to have much if anything to do with the games manned largely by the cast that was there last year, I’m at a loss as to how Kobe gets credit for the team improving.

by jae on May 7, 2008 11:02 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

What is...

“The CW?” is that short for “Cool Waves?” or “Can’t win?”

by Tony.psd on May 7, 2008 11:39 AM PDT up reply actions

I think

It represents the partnership between CBS & Warner Bros. =)

Well said, jae. If they really want to talk about a player making their team better, it should have gone to Chris Paul. I think the real reason why Kobe won was because they finished first in the West. If they’re going to go by record though, what about KG? The voting the last few years have been inconsistent.

by disguy on May 7, 2008 11:47 AM PDT up reply actions

My best guess

CW = conventional wisdom

by IQofaWarrior on May 7, 2008 12:39 PM PDT up reply actions

correct. I used it for conventional wisdom.

by jae on May 7, 2008 9:53 PM PDT up reply actions

Kobe is MVP... by way of Gasol.

Kobe was his same selfish self until Gasol came along. Then he all of the sudden became a team player. I honestly respect Kobe’s game, he’s definitely a baller but that is where it ends. I’ve been a Kobe disliker (not hater) ever since he started walking, talking, and pretending he was another player by the name of Jordan, you might have heard of him. I obviously can’t knock his skills but all his antics off the court are straight bogus (there’s many on the court personality stuff that erks me too). That whole Denver case where he through Shaq’s name to the police was bery snitcheriffic. But what really boosted my dislike for this guy was what he did prior and into this season. This was the same dude who wanted to be traded and was certain that he did not want to be a Laker. But after he realized that he had a chance to go somewhere with this team, now he’s a Laker for life?!? C’mon now, like I said, I respect the man’s game but i don’t respect the man. I wanted CP3 to get it anyway.

copy & paste: geocities.com/nellieballtee

by JonDoe on May 7, 2008 2:35 PM PDT reply actions

robbed?! the crime committed

was in Colorado, not previous NBA MVP selections – slap in Nash’s face …

Kobe’s lucky not to be in jail, doubly so to have been in an organization that didn’t kow-tow to his petulant act last summer, and triply so that Gasol came to LA gift wrapped

Kobe makes me wretch

by hardcore on May 7, 2008 6:17 PM PDT reply actions