It’s About Time
My case for Tony Parker as an MVP candidate…
I caught a lot of flack for being a homer when I nominated Tony Parker as a starter in this year’s all star game. Now, finally, somebody has included him into MVP consideration. All I can say is that it’s about darn time. Steve Nash proved last year that it is not all about statistics.
Parker has been the best player on the Spurs ALL YEAR LONG. He is their leading scorer, leading shooter, and this year has not been bailed out by Bruce Bowen on the defensive end. In the previous two years, Bowen would guard the best player on the court, even if it was a point guard. Not this year. Parker has regularly guarded the best guards in the league and outplayed them. He’s made Marbury look foolish, which Parker had not been able to do in the past. He showed how amazing he was when the Spurs beat up on the Suns just a few weeks ago. He has carried this team despite the fact that Duncan has been running on one leg all year, and Manu Ginobilli has missed long stretches of time.
Also overshadowed is the fact that Brent Barry, until recently, and Michael Finley have not been knocking down the wide-open threes. Check their shooting percentages and you will see that I am absolutely 100% correct on this point. That has taken away from Parker’s assist numbers.
The Spurs are ahead of everyone else in the West at this juncture and they are playing in the MOST difficult division in the NBA. There is no way there is a better division in professional basketball. Nash deserves a ton of credit for this season, as does Dwyane Wade and Chauncey Billups. However, despite Nash’s awe-inspiring work, they still aren’t better than the Spurs. Wade has the Golden Ticket in Shaquille O’Neal. Billups is one of five players who have not missed a start all season. Despite all of this, and the endless run of injuries incurred by Duncan, Horry, Ginbobili, an out of shape Nazr to start the season (not his fault by the way, I love that guy despite the fact that he can’t catch a cold with those hands), Van Exel, and Finley’s and Barry’s inept shooting, Parker is putting up career numbers in every category. AND, he is in the top five in points in the paint and shooting percentage. All I do is watch NBA games on television. Parker’s shots don’t all come in transition. He breaks down defenses and attacks the rim in the half court set anytime he wants.
He should be in the top six players for consideration for MVP. That is my short list. It includes the following in no specific order:
LeBron James
Dirk Nowitzki
Kobe Bryant
Tony Parker
Steve Nash
Dwyane Wade
No one else warrants mentioning in my book.
