Who is Your NBA MVP for 2007?

My personal criteria for picking an MVP candidate in any sport comes down to one simple thing, who makes the players around them better?. Now, this usually eliminates potential candidates from teams that didn't have successful seasons as well. In some ways this ends up penalizing players that have had terrific seasons for "also ran" teams which can spark sometimes heated debate, but for me the answer to those arguments is simple, a player who achieves great individual success on a lesser team most likely did it without the added pressure of doing so during a a potential playoff run.

So, with that aside, using my simple thought process, five NBA MVP candidates are clearly head and shoulders above the rest and although none of them will surprise you much, my thought process on arriving on who I think the ultimate winner will be might give you some new perspective. I also will not be using statistics to support my views, instead I will be using "body of work" reasoning to support my cases.

Lets start with Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks. Nowitzki may be the most unique, interesting player in the NBA today. He is a 7-footer that can run the offense like a point guard, shoot 3-point shots just about as well as anyone else in the league, plays terrific defense, passes as well as any big man in the game, and is an overall "nightmare" match up for virtually every NBA team. Each time I watch him play I am truly amazed at how he, from the opening tip, forces teams to do things defensively and offensively they have to do to match up, that they don't have to do for any other team in the league. His presence allows for everyone else on the Mavericks to operate smoothly within coach Avery Johnson's system,

Steve Nash has the flashy advantage of running the "run,gun & stun" offense of the Phoenix Suns, which could allow for him to compile huge personal numbers, yet his personal numbers, although very solid, are secondary to the numbers he helps teammates to achieve. The key to running the high octane offense of the Suns is just getting the ball up the floor as fast as possible, its finding the immediate mismatch on the offensive end that this pace creates, and that is where Nash excels. His assist numbers bear that out. When a team can't get their feet set on defense, it makes it extremely difficult to control the defensive end of the floor. Nash has the uncanny ability to find the teammate that has found the "crack" in the opposition defense within 5-8 seconds most times off the 24 second clock creating a good look or shot at the basket every time.

For me, Nowitzki and Nash are the two "front runners" as they really isn't any argument against their selection, but even though it gets trickier to make a case for my other three leading candidates, a case can still be made for Lebron James, Kobe Bryant and Chauncey Billups in my book. First, Lebron James.

No one can argue what Lebron James has meant to the Cleveland Cavaliers, while at the same time making a strong case for what he has meant to the entire city of Cleveland, but I think that might be where a flaw or two are somewhat camouflaged in James's overall game because of the Cleveland fan's willingness to forgive pretty much anything "The Chosen One" does that ends up less than the perfection expected. I know it may not seem like like a flaw, but Lebron, with this roster of Cavaliers may be too much of a leader. What I mean is I think he overcompensates sometimes to toward his teammates to show them that he has confidence in their game, at critical times during contests. This I believe came in response to James being criticized for not wanting to take the "big shot" at crunch time. James sees the entire floor so well, and believes so much in the team game that it can be perceived as a potential flaw at critical moments, like during the playoffs. James has a long way to go in the NBA, and as he gets surrounded by the right supporting cast, which Cleveland continues to address, this perceived "flaw" will become a huge achievement for him as the assists pile up, much like a Steve Nash.

Kobe Bryant, what can you say, arguably the best player in the NBA today, and the one player that can control a game all by himself, but it comes to a screeching halt come playoff time, because the Los Angeles Lakers overall deficiencies are very much exposed in the very different game that is the playoffs, where Bryant can only keep his team competitive, but the competition and mindset of the playoffs are far too great for one man to dominate night to night. Bryant's lack of faith in his teammates at the offensive end also becomes a glaring weakness during the playoffs, as he seems to be unwilling to allow anyone to even attempt to step up and help him at the offensive end. So my "knock" against Bryant would be, how will we ever know if he makes anyone around him better, if they are never given the chance?"

Lastly, my personal long shot, but well worth mentioning, Chauncey Billups of the Detroit Pistons. There is no way Billups wins the award, but does anyone around the league create less of a stir, but mean more to his team than Billups? He is the consummate team player, and as long as he plays on a Pistons team that along with the San Antonio Spurs just about defines the word "team", he never will get that league wide recognition, because "steady doesn't sell." Billups and the Pistons are not flashy, but any basketball purist has to love how they play the game, and when you do watch the Pistons, who see that Billups is the straw that stirs the drink. Defensively he'll make a key stop, offensively he'll hit a critical three-pointer, and always will find the open man under the hoop for the easy deuce. He is patient and always in control, and I hope that one day the honor of league MVP makes it his way, it will be most deserved.

Ok, so who will actually win the award, probably Dirk Nowitzki in a "squeaker" over Steve Nash, as I believe that they are the only two have defined not only their personal achievements best, but truly have allowed their teams to be built around them. James is close, but believes in teammates too much, Bryant not enough and Billups likes being a teammate too much to look for personal accolades. These are not flaws by any stretch, just things that will cost these three an MVP award, at least for 2007 anyhow.