Chris Paul For MVP

Chris Paul is the best point guard in the NBA.  If you think that Deron Williams or Rajon Rondo are on his level, I respectfully disagree.  I have been saying that for the last 3 or 4 years, but people have made arguments for other players.  

Exhibit A: January 4, 2012

The Los Angeles Lakers played the Clippers on January 4, 2012.  If I said that CP3 put on a show, that would truly be an understatement.  I believe he finished the game with 30 points, 14 assists and 5 rebounds.  I think a lot of people think that he is not a great scorer.  He may not be a great scorer in the mode of Carmelo Anthony, or Kevin Durant, but he is very underrated.  He has an uncanny ability to give his team the production they need when they need it. After the game, he was interviewed and he stated that he knew that Jamal Crawford would not be playing, so he would need to score more.  He responded to J. Crawford's absence by almost doubling his scoring average and exceeding his average assists per game.  When the game became close in the final few minutes, he made all free throws and scored consistently against Kobe Bryant, or whoever attempted to guard him.  

Exhibit B: The Statistics

This year, Chris Paul is putting up very good numbers.  He is averaging approximately 17 points, 9 assists and 4 rebounds.  He is also averaging 2.2 turnovers per game, which gives him a 4.5 to 1 assist to turnover ratio.  That is an impressive statistic.  It is even more impressive because he handles the ball at least 75% of the time.  He is also shooting a very respectable 47% from the field and almost 90% from the free throw line.  He is also leading the league in steals per game at 2.6 per game.  His player efficiency rating is 23.09, which is one of the best in the league.  His season is even more impressive because he has the type of production in about 32 minutes per game, which is a career low.  That leads me to my next point.

Exhibit C: The Record

The Los Angeles Clippers have been so dominant that he has been able to sit out multiple fourth quarters.  If he played 38 or 39 minutes like Durant or Lebron, his statistics would be even more impressive.  I would imagine that he would average over 20 points per game, over 12 assists per game, and probably over 3 steals per game.  The Clippers are tied for the best record in the NBA.  A big part of the MVP award is a candidate's team success.  With the best record in the league, Paul has propelled his team to the top of the league.  Also, from the time he arrived in Los Angeles, the Clippers were transformed from a proverbial laughing stock to a contender.  At this point of the season, Chris Paul has been the most valuable player in the NBA.


Peace