Nash to be Named MVP

[King]

Nash third point guard in 40-plus years to win MVP

Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash will be awarded the NBA's Most Valuable Player on Sunday.

Nash has edged Miami center Shaquille O'Neal to become just the third point guard in 40-plus years to win the league's highest individual honor, according to sources familiar with the results. The others are Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson.

The official announcement will come at halftime of ABC's 3 p.m. ET playoff game.

O'Neal, three times an NBA Finals MVP, has won the regular-season MVP trophy just once in his 13 seasons. Apparently tipping this vote in Nash's favor was the Suns' 33-game improvement -- from 29 wins to a league-leading 62 wins -- after signing Nash away from the Dallas Mavericks in the offseason.

Nash's previous best MVP showing was 14th place in 2002.

With Nash flanked by the athletic finishing of fellow All-Stars Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion, Phoenix became just the second team in NBA annals to win at least 60 games after a 50-loss season. The first? The Boston Celtics in Larry Bird's rookie season of 1979-80.

But Nash is defying history to beat out O'Neal, and not simply because he had only one scholarship offer from a Division I university -- Santa Clara -- as a slight Canadian teen-ager in British Columbia.

Allen Iverson, the NBA's 2001 MVP as a shooting guard, is the only player shorter than 6-foot-6 in the past four decades to win the award. Nash also becomes the first MVP since Portland's Bill Walton in 1978 to average less than 20 points per game. His 15.5-point scoring average for the Suns is the third-lowest all-time for an MVP, ahead of only Washington's Wes Unseld (13.8 ppg in 1969) and Boston's Bill Russell (14.1 ppg in 1965).

Nash, though, did lead the league in assists (11.5 apg) by a wide margin for a Suns team that averaged a league-leading 110 points per game.

Congrats to Nash, but :thumbdown That was Shaq's award imo.

 

[natedagg]

nash is certainly a worthy selection (for this year). But when it comes down to it, who would u rather have on your team, Nash or Shaq?

The Big Aristotle, nuff said.

 

[West Remy]

I would have voted for Shaq as well. It's a shame he only has 1 MVP credited to his name.

 

[King]

I mean, Nash is a great player and he had a spectacular season. But I just dont see him as MVP caliber. Looking at the list of MVP's for all the previous years, Nash looks like he may be one of the worst players to recieve the award in a while. O well, Nash did deserve some recognition for what he did in Phoenix.

 

[_CavsFan23_]

Its a very good selection... And it was really either Nash or Shaq.. Nash changed a 29 win team to a 62 winning team, in one year, which is amazing...


Also, to average 11.5 asts is amazing, give Nash his props

 

[Glen Infante]

The award should have been Shaq's im sorry. The Suns have alot more talent than the Miami Heat and that is why their record is what it is. Shaq came to Miami and they became instant contenders, it's a no brainer to me.

 

[Danboone2006]

I think Shaq should have won the award too, but I remember seeing a stat that the Suns record was horrible when Nash was hurt with the hip injury, but when Shaq was down the Heat did worse, but not nearly as bad of a drop off as when Nash went down.

That has to be the biggest forehead to ever win the MVP

 

[Mac]

Another crap award given out...his stats werent amazing, and their turnaround had a lot to do with the progression of Amare and Joe Johnson, along with getting Q and the matrix being solid as usual.

This team is stacked with talent, where as the Heat have Wade and that's it. Shaq made Wade a great player this year...

 

[The Disector]

There is no doubt that Shaq is the most dominate player in the league and without question to me should have been the MVP.

Just ask the Lakers how valuable Shaq is.
You think Kobe would rather have Shaq and be in the playoffs playing for a contender or staying at home and watch the playoffs like he is now.

Ask the Heat Role Players how valuable Shaq is.
Eddie Jones, Damon Jones, Rasual Butler, and Keyon Dooling are feasting off the Shaq double teams for open jumpshots and 3 pointers.

I'm not knocking Steve Nash but look what Shaq has and look What Nash has and try reversing there roles.

What would Phoenix be like if they had Shaq and no Nash--No doubt a contender and probable championship favorite!

How about the other way around--Put Nash in Miami minus Shaq- are they still a contender--I don't think so--A playoff team in the East but Championship contender--NO WAY.

Ask anyone in the leauge who would they rather play against in a playoff series-Nash or Shaq.

I'll bet you can't find one that would pick Shaq!

That is why Shaq should have been and to me is the MVP of the league!