Kia MVP Ladder mailbag: This award chase is far from over

Kia MVP Ladder mailbag: This
award chase is far from over
Fielding queries on Chris Paul, LeBron vs. Giannis,
Russell Westbrook and more
LeBron James took a big step forward in the Kia MVP chase with a pair of wins over
the weekend.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kawhi Leonard are both
human. And LeBron James is o cially the Benjamin
Button of the NBA.
(/mvp-ladder)
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And yes, the chase for the Kia MVP this season is most
de nitely not over.
Did we learn anything else from the wild weekend
tournament at Staples Center?
LeBron and his Lakers faced down a couple of demons
that has led to a distinct change in the MVP conversation
and the championship debate
(https://www.nba.com/article/2020/03/08/kuzma-crowns-
lebron-will-lakers-wear-real-one). If there was any
uncertainty about LeBron and the Lakers being worthy of
rst mention on both fronts, that doubt vanished in a
matter of eight dominating quarters from the Lakers.
Has LeBron James raised his pro le in the chase for Kia MVP?
They hadn’t beaten the Bucks or the Clippers before this
weekend, so there is no denying the signi cance of those
triumphs in Lakerland.
How these developments transform the Kia Race to the
MVP Ladder will come into better focus in next Friday’s
edition of the Ladder. And that’s after things were already
tighter than you might think
(https://www.nba.com/article/2020/03/06/kia-mvp-ladder-
march-6-edition) at the top.

• Player(s) of the week:
(https://www.nba.com/article/2020/03/09/nba-players-
week-20-lebron-james-norman-powell) LeBron’s
monster weekend (he outplayed Antetokounmpo and
Leonard in back-to-back games) led the reigning Player of
the Month to the Player of the Week podium for the
Western Conference. Toronto’s Norman Powell, who has
been on a tear of his own, is the Eastern Conference
recipient. Don’t forget about the Raptors come playoff
time. The reigning NBA champs could very well play
spoiler in the postseason, at least in the East.
* * *
Now, let’s get to your emails about the Kia MVP
Ladder. (https://www.nba.com/article/2020/03/06/kia-
mvp-ladder-march-6-edition)
(Editor's note: Portions of select questions have been
condensed and edited).
* * *
Where’s CP3?
Chris Paul continues to deliver big performances in big games for OKC.
From: Jerry White
March 9, 2020 | 6:35 a.m.

I have always thought the MVP award leaned heavily on a
team's success and a player's contribution to that
success. If this is true,where is Chris Paul?
OKC has had the 3rd best record in the league since the
end of November and Paul is clearly the the only star on
OKC. The Thunder are doing better this year than last even
though they traded away Russell Westbrook -- who is
currently No. 10 in the MVP race this year -- and Paul
George (who nished third in the 2018-19 MVP voting). In
effect, Paul has made up for both of their losses.
How are the following players ahead of Paul? Both
Westbrook and Harden are on a team that is fading. Luka
Doncic's team has a poorer record than OKC and he has a
better sidekick in Kristaps Porzingis. Neither Anthony
Davis nor Khris Middleton has shown the ability to carry
his team in their star's absence. Damian Lillard's team
likely won't make the playoffs (and he has a good
sidekick). Jayson Tatum is probably the Celtics' top player,
but they need Kemba Walker and Gordon Hayward for the
team to run smoothly.
Rudy Gobert has a better teammate than Paul, but the Jazz
do not look as good as OKC. Jimmy Butler has done a lot,
but the Heat are not the team the Thunder are. And Nikola
Jokic and Denver were expected to be a contender --
nobody thought OKC would be doing as well as they are.
My MVP rankings:
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo: He is both so good and makes
his team so much better.
2. Kawhi Leonard: He's had to carry the Clips for most of
the year because George is just starting to regain his form.
3. Chris Paul: He has probably done more for his team than
anybody but Giannis has done for theirs.
4. Jimmy Butler: Possibly rated too high, but Miami would

be unlikely to reach the playoffs without him -- let alone
have a top four seed.
5. Luka Doncic: A key player, but the Mavs are about where
they should be with Porzingis as a potent sidekick.
6. Nikola Jokic: The top player for the third-place team in
the West.
7. Anthony Davis: He looks better than this, but his oor
time without LeBron says he may be too high.
8. James Harden: His stats have always been better than
Houston's results. In the two previous years, his
plus/minus rating was always lower than Paul's was.
9. Jayson Tatum: Will be a top MVP contender with a little
more experience.
10. Rudy Gobert: He's the Jazz's top player.
11. Pascal Siakam: He and Lowry, since Gasol is injured,
are the top two for the East's No. 2 team.
12. Khris Middleton: The No. 2 player on the league's best
team is a vital part of the Bucks' success.
13. Kemba Walker: He replaced an All-Star and made all
the other players in Boston so much better.
14. Russell Westbrook: Plays extremely hard and would be
ranked higher except his lack of outside shooting hurts the
offense.
* * *
My response: This is extremely thorough and impressive
work from you, Jerry. Your explanation for Paul at No. 4 on
your list is valid. Outside of a handful of players, he’s been
as impactful as one player could be in terms of changing
the bottom line for his team. Whether or not that makes
him any more or less valuable than some of the other
superstars on the list is subject to interpretation. There is
no doubt he belongs on the list, it’s a matter of where that
is up for debate.


‘Old man James’
Sekou Smith digs into the reasoning behind his selections in the latest Kia
MVP Ladder.
From: Jeremiah Dowd
March 9, 2020 | 12:22 a.m.
I have a question about one 35-year-old, 17-year NBA
veteran and current No. 2 on your latest Ladder. After
watching LeBron James lead his team past the Bucks and
Clippers, what more does he need to do to be considered
the MVP? I understand that Giannis Antetokounmpo is
doing amazing things, but I believe that LeBron’s impact
has been great in ways that I could’ve never imagined.
The plus-minus of when LeBron is on the oor versus
when he is off is astonishing. On top of that, I’m not sure
anybody expected LeBron to be the monster he has been
this season after last season’s disaster. And with an all
new team and coaching staff, I’m not sure anybody
expected the Lakers to be so successful as quickly as they
have been. So, for holding everything together (and
excelling) in the face of lack of continuity, “old age”, and
doubt from the outside, I believe that LeBron deserves to
be the MVP.
* * *

My response: If you watched that 35-year-old, 17-year
NBA veteran over the weekend, you saw exactly what he
needed to do. Not every voter will be swayed by one
monstrous weekend, but I suspect there will be some who
point to those events as the turning point in the race. I’m
not saying it’s right or wrong, just pointing out that each
voter brings their own values to the voting process. What
resonates for some might not for others (and vice versa).
But remember that weekend double in a few weeks when
the ballots are due. I guarantee you plenty of voters will.

No narrative needed
LeBron was dominant in the Lakers win against the Clippers on Sunday.
From: Dennis
March 3, 2020 | 8:43 p.m.
That (last MVP Ladder) was hard to read, Sekou. I always
thought there was too much narrative for LeBron, but this
year he doesn't need a narrative. He gives the Lakers just
what they need night in and night out .As good as
Davis has been throughout his career, it was Rondo who
got him into the playoffs (in New Orleans). I could never
see him leading a team and being an MVP of the league.
* * *

My response: I’ve been saying it all season, Dennis. The
narratives tend to take care of themselves over the course
of an 82-game season. If a player operates at that
consistently elite level and his team rides the wave with
him, entry into the Kia MVP conversation usually follows.

Harden’s skill advantage
James Harden did all he could to try and get the Rockets past the Hornets.
From: Charles Blalock
March 3, 2020 | 5:09 p.m.
What about "The Beard?" He is the best one-on-one player
of all time and perhaps the best offensive player in history.
Now he's with Westbrook, who has been crazy ever since
the the small-ball lineup started. Giannis is good because
of his length, speed and athleticism, but Harden is more
skilled.
* * *
My response: I get the argument, Charles. Harden is an
offensive machine, no doubt about it. There’s another side
to the game that requires plenty of skill and effort as well.
But we don’t seem to use that in calculating the MVP
worthiness of some, which I think is a half-baked

argument. There’s a scoring title for the man who scores
the most points. That doesn’t make said player an
automatic for MVP.

The time of this Bucks fan’s life
Giannis Antetokounmpo showed out in the Bucks' loss to the Lakers.
From: Jackson Straulin
March 3, 2020 | 3:48 p.m.
As a lifelong Bucks fan, I am of course having the time of
my life this season watching them play at such a high
caliber. Watching Giannis' dominance on both ends of the
oor and his growth throughout his career has been
astounding to be a part of. My argument for why he should
be over LeBron is multifaceted.
For starters, I believe that there is a little bit too much
weight put on LeBron being in his 17th season and I don't
think that should weigh in to this season's debate. Don't
get me wrong: I put LeBron second to Michael Jordan in
career comparisons. But, him doing this in his 17th season
has more to do with his amazing career and less to do with
the race to be the MVP to his team. I also agree that the
addition of Davis has helped the Lakers greatly this
season, as Khris Middleton has done for the Bucks (but
Middleton is no AD).

Yes, the Bucks still look like a top-tier team with Giannis
off the oor, but the energy and con dence having
Antetokounmpo on a team and what he has been able to
do the past two seasons has a lot to do with that. I think
Giannis has shown more dominance in nearly every facet
of his game than LeBron this season and, at this point in
the season, deserves the MVP more.
* * *
My response: Bury the lead next time, Jackson, and your
argument for Giannis telegraphed in a way that gives away
your point. You don’t have to be a Bucks fans to make a
case for Giannis. Just like you don’t have to be a fan of any
one team to recognize the guys who are having the most
outstanding seasons in the league. I do love the passion
for your team. Don’t get me wrong: I completely
understand it and know it has to be sweet to see your guy
come from such humble basketball beginnings to now be
talked about as one of the game’s greats. Whatever
happens with the rest of the season, it’s already been a
heck of a ride for the fans of "The Greek Freak".

Factoring in the weak East
What did we learn about the Lakers after their pair of weekend victories?

From: Vaughn Miller Jr
March 3, 2020 | 11:51 a.m.
Giannis and LeBron are very close in statistics so I think
other factors should decide MVP, not stats. LeBron doesn’t
average as many points or rebounds as Giannis because
he splits those stats with Anthony Davis. Giannis doesn’t
have anyone else take away touches or rebounds unless
he needs them to. LeBron has found a way to let AD eat,
get his own numbers, and lead the Lakers to the No. 1
seed in possibly the toughest conference in NBA history.
The Eastern Conference is so weak right now it’s not even
funny. LeBron has recorded 30-point triple-doubles Denver
and New Orleans and Giannis scores 40 and 20 in 35
minutes against Charlotte! New Orleans is not even a West
playoff team, but they would be No. 7 in the East! Giannis
plays bad teams twice as often as LeBron, and he gets to
grab every rebound and shoot every shot without having to
get anyone involved. The Lakers without LeBron would be
No. 10 in the West. The Bucks without Giannis are a No. 4
or 5 seed in the East. Therefore, LeBron James is the MVP
of the NBA.
* * *
My response: I don’t know, Vaughn. The East doesn’t
seem as weak as you (and many others) suggest. Six-deep
is rather stout and I’ll grant you No. 7-15 are a bit tender
right now. But this notion that which side of the league you
play on should be a determining factor in the MVP race
isn’t one I subscribe to. I should be able to make the case
for whomever I think the winner should be without using
that category.

Complaining to the wrong folks ...

LeBron James took home the NBA's Player of the Month honors for
February.
From: Anthony L
March 4, 2020 | 10:10 a.m.
I'm emailing to let you know that as a fan of the game of
basketball, I thought that it was completely unfair that
LeBron was given the February Player of the Month award
(https://www.nba.com/article/2020/03/03/kia-awards-
players-rookies-coaches-month-february) over Russell
Westbrook.
LeBron has been playing at a phenomenal level this
season, but during the month of February, Westbrook was
a notch higher in terms of how he was able to carry the
Rockets to an 8-1 record. He averaged 33.4 points, 7.3
rebounds and 6.0 assists per game while shooting 54.9%
and had a higher true shooting percentage than James. He
also led the Rockets to an impressive win over the Lakers
that month, which helps prove why he deserved the Player
of the Month award.
I understand the media is infatuated with LeBron is trying
to push this agenda that it's a close race between LeBron
and Giannis for MVP, but this isn't the way to do it. Robbing
Westbrook of a POTM when YOU KNOW he clearly
deserved it over LeBron is absolutely WRONG. You don;t
have to sabotage what other players are doing just to push

a narrative about LeBron still being great in his 17th
season. You have ignored the contributions of Anthony
Davis just to prop up LeBron like he's doing it all by himself
and that is unfair. You have to put away your bias towards
LeBron and do the right thing. I didn't agree with Jayson
Tatum winning the East Player of the Month over
Antetokounmpo.
You and the rest of the media pundits are at out wrong on
this and its absolutely disgraceful. You're not fooling fans
with your bias and its making the people think more and
more that the NBA is rigged. You robbed Westbrook of
that award ... there's no integrity in the world of journalism
and sports media anymore. SMH!

My response: The media has nothing to do with the
Player of the Week award. Oh, the conspiracy theories
never fade away … SMH!

‘The King should reign supreme’
Anthony Davis was no shrinking violet in the Lakers' win vs. the Clippers.
From: Jay-R
March 4, 2020 | 10:35 a.m.

Hi I'm Jay-R from the Philippines. I love The Greek Freak --
he is one of a kind, but The King should reign supreme this
season.
The Greek Freak is young, long, strong and athletic. He's in
the prime of his physical gifts which he effectively
translates to his stats and this is the time he should be
dominating, statistically. He has an insane PER and all, but
it is not everything. The Bucks have built organically and
have come to their success piece by piece -- not just
because of Antetokounmpo. He is the centerpiece and the
argument is that he is better now than his he was in his
MVP season of 2018-19.
LeBron is on a different level -- he's in his own spectrum,
honestly. He's not as athletic as he once was, but his body
of work made us forget he is getting old. He's dominating
with his skills not just athleticism, and that amazes me
more. He's just as unguardable as Giannis or any other
superstar and he successfully hides his weakness with his
skills. The Lakers are succeeding because he made them
gel. Yes, he does have Anthony Davis alongside him, but
take LeBron off the Lakers and they'd be more or less the
Pelicans. LeBron is like the ECU of a car: what is the use of
a 1000 horsepower engine without the ECU? Maybe a lot
of people in the media is still having a greatness hangover,
but if the narrative is Giannis' season is better than his last
one, what about that same narrative for LeBron?
In his 17th season, LeBron is leading the league in assists,
has logged 13 triple-doubles and done all this with
basically a new set of teammates. He's made the Lakers
look like they've been playing together for years and helped
them to the second-best record in the NBA. Now, what
narrative should we still want?
Here's my MVP list:

1. LeBron James
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo
3. Kawhi Leonard
4. Luka Doncic
5. James Harden
* * *
My response: Your argument and list are ne, Nilo.
LeBron is on a different level than we’ve ever seen a
superstar this deep int his career. That’s impressive
enough. I’m sure there are AD fans who would argue that
he’s done as much for the Lakers this season and has
actually been the key to LeBron operating at the level he
has this season. I know better than to go there. Shout out
to you and all the NBA fans in the Philippines … I know you
all love the game with a passion.

More support for Davis
From: Neel Aggarwal
March 4, 2020 | 12 p.m.
I'm from India and I agree with your list, but my only
concern is Anthony Davis. I'm not a Lakers fan, but his
stats (26.9 ppg, 9.5 rpg and 3.2 apg) are quite good
considering his PF position. The improvement in his game
over the years as he joined the Lakers is also visible. The
role he's playing for his team is really crucial and the
support that LeBron has been getting from Davis is kinda
ignored. The duo is respected, but we often forget that AD
is the one who has been a moral support for LeBron all
along this season. Because of that, LeBron has been at the
top of his game. Davis may not deserve one of the top
three spots, but I think he de nitely deserves to be in the
top 5

* * *
My response: As I mentioned to Jay-R above, I knew
someone would make the AD argument. We have more
empirical data to suggest that LeBron (historically and in
the esh) brings the winning edge in more ways than AD
does. But strong arguments can be made for both guys
this season. I’ve always been a believer that the player who
shoulders the bulk of the shot and play creation
responsibility tends to be the more valuable one, by virtue
of what’s being asked of him.

That's a wide gap, there
Take a look back at the LeBron vs. Giannis showdown from last Friday.
From: Emmett Dunn
March 4, 2020 | 11:30 p.m.
Let me start by saying this: has there ever been an MVP,
nevermind a candidate, who hasn’t led his team in points,
rebounds, blocks, steals, eld goal percentage or 3-point
percentage? LeBron is still a fantastic player, but to even
consider him to be anywhere near Giannis right now is
asinine. I really hope Antetokounmpo isn’t robbed of this
award because of the narrative that is growing, and
growing exponentially.

My ladder as of March 4:
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo
GAP BIGGER THAN MOUNT EVEREST
2. James Harden
3. Kawhi Leonard
4. Anthony Davis
5. LeBron
6. Russell Westbrook
7. Nikola Jokic
8. Luka Doncic
9. Jayson Tatum
10. Damian Lillard
Seeing as LeBron just won Player of the Month over
Westbrook, I’m starting to think it’s too late and that the
league and media have already begun pushing him
forward. I truly want to know why he is as high as he is for
you, despite the fact Anthony Davis leads the Lakers in
almost all major categories. Not trying to sound hateful at
all BTW ... I love your work.
* * *
My response: I don’t know about the size of that gap
between the top two guys, Emmett. In fact, I am sure it’s
much closer than that and actually has been for quite
some time. I’ve had conversations with some of my media
brethren who feel like this race remains out of reach for
anyone other than Giannis. I don’t agree with that. We have
enough basketball left to play this season for gaps to be
closed.

Age and the game

NBA TV's experts dig into the Lakers' win against the Bucks.
From: Kang Mufasared
March 7, 2020 | 5:05 p.m.
I’m writing to you again about LeBron James, this season's
MVP, and, in my opinion, the greatest player of all time. No
player re ects the character of the game -- team play -
- more than him.
The MVP race is between LeBron and Giannis -- not Kawhi
and LeBron -- no matter what happens against the
Clippers. LeBron clearly established in the game against
the Bucks who the MVP is by winning the individual battle
and the game itself, too. After watching Giannis physically
abuse Davis, LeBron matched up against Giannis, which
changed the look and feel of the whole game. Giannis still
scored, but the physicality that we are accustomed to
seeing from Giannis was matched by LeBron, thus
lessening the impact of Antetokounmpo's scoring.
LeBron outplayed him, outscored him and won the game.
By doing so, LeBron snatched the MVP from Giannis. This
attempt to remove age from the narrative of determining
the MVP is hypocritical and nonsensical. Once you see a
35-year-old man in his 17th season outplay and defeat the
reigning 25-year-old MVP you can’t act like you didn’t see
it.

The MVP discussion has shifted. Those who say age
doesn’t matter are lying to themselves. If you played
basketball in any capacity, you know that you can't at 35 do
what you did at 25 because age matters. You have to work
harder at 35 to play at an elite level than you do at
25. Giannis is doing what is expected given his skill set,
and his age. LeBron however, at 35, is doing the
unexpected.
* * *
My response: Thanks for the detail, Kang, as context
always helps. While I can see your argument for MVP this
season, I’ll reserve a seat for you in our GOAT debate
forum in the future. For the record, the age argument for
LeBron makes sense. What he’s doing at 35 (and this deep
in his career) is an amazing feat. That said, I don’t know if
a player’s age (whether he’s 21 like Luka or 35 like LeBron)
should be used to swing the vote one way or another.

Say his name!
Kawhi Leonard had a solid game in Sunday's loss to the Lakers.
From: Martin Cole
March 6, 2020 | 9:20 p.m.

You can't be playing part of the time and be an MVP
candidate, especially when you have morphed from the
best two-way player to an offensive player. Getting up for
the Lakers and giving up 120-plus points to lesser teams is
not impressive. Also, when did Doc become an elite
coach?
* * *
My response: Thanks, Martin, and I assume you are
speaking about Kawhi Leonard. As for Doc Rivers, he
became an elite coach when he blended a remade Boston
team -- one that featured Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and
Ray Allen -- and turned it into a 66-win juggernaut that won
the title in their rst season together. He’s been an elite
coach ever since.
* * *
Got thoughts on the Kia MVP chase? Hit
me up via e-mail
(mailto:Sekou.Smith@turner.com/) or send me
a tweet
(http://twitter.com/SekouSmithNBA) and
I'll get back to you!
* * *
Sekou Smith is a veteran NBA reporter and NBA TV
analyst. You can e-mail him here
(mailto:Sekou.Smith@turner.com), nd his archive here
(http://www.nba.com/writer/archive/sekou-
smith) and follow him on Twitter
(https://twitter.com/SekouSmithNBA).
The views on this page do not necessarily re ect the views
of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting.

More on NBA.com:
Got MVP thoughts? Send Sekou an e-mail!
(mailto:sekou.smith@turner.com)
Power Rankings: Week 21 edition (/powerrankings/2019-20-week-21)
Are Lakers, LeBron in line for a crown? (/article/2020/03/08/kuzma-
crowns-lebron-will-lakers-wear-real-one)
5 Can't-Miss Matchups: Harden vs. LeBron (/article/2020/03/09/5-
cant-miss-matchups-james-harden-lebron-james)
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