Since we're debating LeBron vs. D-Wade for MVP, let me give you a very substantial reason why I think LeBron is clearly the run away choice......
1. LeBron James is having the best season in modern NBA history.
According to Lebron James. Have him win the NBA championship, win Defensive Player of the Year, lead his team to the Best record in the NBA AND win NBA Finals MVP...and then come talk to me. Until then, he is have a GREAT year....
This may seem like a preposterous statement, highly subjective without reasonable supporting evidence. But no, it is real and can be backed up, and his pursuit of history ought to be followed as this season develops. Right now, James is even performing at a higher level statistically than Michael Jordan ever did!
Read my 1st answer....
I credit an important statistic that is essentially an equalizer in comparing NBA players. That stat is known as PER or "Player Efficiency Rating".
PER factors in positive accomplishments, such as field goals, free throws, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals. Then it deducts negative plays such as missed shots, turnovers and personal fouls. It also counts stats on a per-minute basis and factors in the pace or number of possessions per game. This is so players are not penalized for being on teams that play slower.
You can look at LeBron's stat line this season and see he's averaging 27.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists. These numbers all represent a drop from last season and that may lead some to deduce he's not playing as well.
In fact, there already is a bit of a groundswell for Dwyane Wade, who is having a remarkable comeback season with the Miami Heat, to be the early Most Valuable Player favorite as he's taken over the scoring lead from James this season.
But look at the PER statistic and see just what James is doing.
Because he's shooting the best percentages of his career from the field (51 percent) and the foul line (79 percent), his steals are up and turnovers are down, all in significantly fewer minutes, James is having a monster season in terms of efficiency.
His PER is 32.82 after 36 games. What does that mean? Well, for one, he's about 10 percent better than any other player in the league. New Orleans' Chris Paul is second at just over 30. Last season, James led the NBA with a 29.23 PER, which was still one of the best ever.
The highest rating of all time belongs to Jordan, who had a 31.71 PER in 1987-88. PER stats go back to 1973-74, when stats like offensive rebounds, steals and blocks were first kept.
Sure, these are just numbers and cannot account for overall defense, leadership ability, and intensity. But nobody is questioning James on any of those these days, either.
........I rest my case my friend. As myself and 20,000+ fans chanted last Friday night at Quicken Loans Arena: "M-V.-P" ...."M-V-P" ....."M-V-P"!!!!