azdad1978
Championship!!!!
By Craig Morgan and Mike Tulumello
Tribune
Steve Nash and Shaquille O’Neal are locked in an extremely tight race for the NBA’s prestigious most valuable player award.
Among the 50 voters who responded to a survey on the question — which represents about 40 percent of those casting ballots, 26 voters favor Nash, 23 said they want O’Neal while one voter favors LeBron James. Here’s a sampling of their comments.
Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News wrote, "Shaq who? To me, it’s a two-horse race, and it’s not as close as everyone thinks.
"We all knew that Shaq would turn the Heat into an instant championship contender, especially in the JV conference we call the East. But no one thought that Nash could turn the Suns into a powerhouse with some of the most entertaining basketball we’ve had in a long time.
"Preseason, I had them finishing seventh in the West — yes, I thought they’d be a playoff team — with a chance to win 48-50 games.
"The very idea that they are going to win 60 games is mind-boggling.
"I’m sure (Mavericks owner) Mark Cuban is lying awake at night, saying to himself, why did I ever overpay Erick Dampier? I should have overpaid to keep Steve Nash! Nash and the Suns might run all the way to the Finals."
Ian Thomsen of Sports Illustrated has Shaq No. 1, saying, "It’s no criticism of Nash that he’s second, because everyone knows that no one is more dominant than Shaq when he’s at the top of his game as he was this year."
His SI colleague, Marty Burns, cites the age-old quandary of the award in choosing Shaq: "It depends on how you define the award: Best player or most valuable to his team?
"Most valuable is pretty nebulous. The best player is Shaq. He does it at both ends.
"Nash works harder on defense, but Shaq has more overall impact because of his size."
In favoring Nash, Chris McCosky of the Detroit News says, "He changed the entire culture of that team. You can say all you want about Amaré (Stoudemire) and (Shawn) Marion, but they weren’t this productive until Nash joined them.
"I also got to see the Suns with and without Nash this year and the difference was eye-opening, for sure."
Support for a top coach this year is much more spread out.
The leading contenders are Nate McMillan of Seattle, Mike D’Antoni of Phoenix and Rick Carlisle of Indiana. Each received 10 votes.
Also getting votes were George Karl of Denver (five) and Scott Skiles of Chicago (four).
Joe Juliano of the Philadelphia Inquirer, who favors Carlisle, says, " What he has done to get the Pacers in the playoffs amid the turmoil of the suspensions and going down the stretch without three starters has been nothing short of phenomenal."
Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News favors D’Antoni.
"His brilliance was in adapting the Suns’ lineup to take greatest advantage of Nash’s skills," Monroe says.
"Making Amaré Stoudemire a center and Shawn Marion a power forward and running opponents into submission, with Nash making both of them better, is what enabled the Suns to do what they have done.
"Plus, his leadership was shown by the fact the Suns never slowed down. All NBA players say they want to run, but running for 48 minutes is something few of them ever commit to for 82 games. It takes a great leader to keep them from turning away from it."
Sports Illustrated’s Jack McCallum also favors D’Antoni, citing his decision to go with a small, up-tempo game: "Everybody is telling him, ‘You can’t do it.’ He said, ‘The heck with you. We can do it.’ "
BONUS SHOTS: The Suns will thank fans tonight for their support this season; the club will give away a 2005 KIA Sportage at halftime. In addition, the first 10,000 fans in attendance will receive a Gorilla bobblehead. Afterward, selected fans will receive gameworn jerseys from all Suns players.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=39763
Tribune
Steve Nash and Shaquille O’Neal are locked in an extremely tight race for the NBA’s prestigious most valuable player award.
Among the 50 voters who responded to a survey on the question — which represents about 40 percent of those casting ballots, 26 voters favor Nash, 23 said they want O’Neal while one voter favors LeBron James. Here’s a sampling of their comments.
Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News wrote, "Shaq who? To me, it’s a two-horse race, and it’s not as close as everyone thinks.
"We all knew that Shaq would turn the Heat into an instant championship contender, especially in the JV conference we call the East. But no one thought that Nash could turn the Suns into a powerhouse with some of the most entertaining basketball we’ve had in a long time.
"Preseason, I had them finishing seventh in the West — yes, I thought they’d be a playoff team — with a chance to win 48-50 games.
"The very idea that they are going to win 60 games is mind-boggling.
"I’m sure (Mavericks owner) Mark Cuban is lying awake at night, saying to himself, why did I ever overpay Erick Dampier? I should have overpaid to keep Steve Nash! Nash and the Suns might run all the way to the Finals."
Ian Thomsen of Sports Illustrated has Shaq No. 1, saying, "It’s no criticism of Nash that he’s second, because everyone knows that no one is more dominant than Shaq when he’s at the top of his game as he was this year."
His SI colleague, Marty Burns, cites the age-old quandary of the award in choosing Shaq: "It depends on how you define the award: Best player or most valuable to his team?
"Most valuable is pretty nebulous. The best player is Shaq. He does it at both ends.
"Nash works harder on defense, but Shaq has more overall impact because of his size."
In favoring Nash, Chris McCosky of the Detroit News says, "He changed the entire culture of that team. You can say all you want about Amaré (Stoudemire) and (Shawn) Marion, but they weren’t this productive until Nash joined them.
"I also got to see the Suns with and without Nash this year and the difference was eye-opening, for sure."
Support for a top coach this year is much more spread out.
The leading contenders are Nate McMillan of Seattle, Mike D’Antoni of Phoenix and Rick Carlisle of Indiana. Each received 10 votes.
Also getting votes were George Karl of Denver (five) and Scott Skiles of Chicago (four).
Joe Juliano of the Philadelphia Inquirer, who favors Carlisle, says, " What he has done to get the Pacers in the playoffs amid the turmoil of the suspensions and going down the stretch without three starters has been nothing short of phenomenal."
Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News favors D’Antoni.
"His brilliance was in adapting the Suns’ lineup to take greatest advantage of Nash’s skills," Monroe says.
"Making Amaré Stoudemire a center and Shawn Marion a power forward and running opponents into submission, with Nash making both of them better, is what enabled the Suns to do what they have done.
"Plus, his leadership was shown by the fact the Suns never slowed down. All NBA players say they want to run, but running for 48 minutes is something few of them ever commit to for 82 games. It takes a great leader to keep them from turning away from it."
Sports Illustrated’s Jack McCallum also favors D’Antoni, citing his decision to go with a small, up-tempo game: "Everybody is telling him, ‘You can’t do it.’ He said, ‘The heck with you. We can do it.’ "
BONUS SHOTS: The Suns will thank fans tonight for their support this season; the club will give away a 2005 KIA Sportage at halftime. In addition, the first 10,000 fans in attendance will receive a Gorilla bobblehead. Afterward, selected fans will receive gameworn jerseys from all Suns players.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=39763
