By Donal (Sports Editor)

A few weeks ago, I proclaimed that an MVP award would signal the redemption of Kobe Bryant. It would also top off a great story: the transformation of a me-first superstar into a mature, team oriented leader who inspired his team to best record in the Western Conference.

….and so it came to pass.

But last Sunday night against the Jazz, Kobe seemed to forget the script of this epic tale of redemption; going it alone in overtime as the Lakers lost 115-123 to tie the playoff series at 2-2.

So will Kobe’s regression to old ways continue and will this lead to defeat in Game 5 against  the Jazz? Hubdub puts a Lakers loss at 40%. Disagree? Make your predictions here!

NBA Playoffs- Utah Jazz at LA Lakers- Who will win on 5/14/2008?

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By Donal (Sports Editor)

Whenever there isn’t a consensus choice for the MVP award in a major American sport, much contemplation ensues over what exactly the title “Most Valuable” means and how it should be bestowed. With the NBA MVP debate raging, I could conceivably rattle off a few paragraphs on my own particular interpretation of the term.

But, I won’t …………and for two reasons:

1. MVP should mean whatever one wants it to mean (within reason)

MVP could mean the player who:

• has been the catalyst for a dramatic turnaround in his teams fortunes (Garnett).
• is transcendently talented, leads the league in scoring and carries his team almost single-handedly, in a spectacular fashion (LeBron).
• is the best all round player in the league, has had an another great season in an outstanding MVP-less career and its about time he won (Kobe).
• is the best player on the team with the best record in the superior conference and who is generally an outstanding candidate in terms of stats, leadership and importance to his team (Chris Paul).

Every year presents different circumstances and reasons for a particular MVP selection. As long as the reason is good (and I don’t count whoever voted for Brett Favre this year as having one), I’m not particularly bothered by which way any voter goes. Besides, if there was a strict definition of criteria for an MVP, it would make choosing one a lot less interesting.

2. This is Hubdub.

Ultimately we at Hubdub are more interested in the “Who will win?” as opposed to the “Who should win and why?”. As I write, Hubdubbers seem to prefer Chis Paul (although thats liable to change).

I will say however why I would vote for Kobe Bryant.

Yes, he has had an outstanding season and after an 11 year career its about time he won. But besides that; five years removed since the sexual assault accusations, 4 years after he had a major hand in the departure from LA of Phil Jackson and Shaq, and almost a year after his trade request, the MVP award would represent, for this maturing and increasingly team-oriented player some degree of redemption….

and redemption is always a good story.

Predict who will be named NBA MVP

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