ESPN NBA MVP Straw Poll 3.0 Results

Originally Posted by d2bets

He won't be MVP this season, but Giannis is the best player for sure. If I'm starting a team right now I'm definitely taking him over Jokic and definitely over Embiid. Not even close really.

Agree with all this; however, the award doesn't always go to the best player in the league. Otherwise Jordan would've won more than 5, Kareem more than 6, Shaq more than just one and Steve Nash (as much as I was a fan) would have zero.

I digress, Giannis is to that special point in his career where he's realized winning championships is more important than individual accolades and regular season wins. Giannis and the Bucks do enough to get a higher seed, but they're not burning themselves out chasing regular season wins like they did in 2018/19 and 2019/20. I like their chances to repeat, especially if Phoenix stumbles before the finals.

Originally Posted by stevenash

I'm not that pathological lying parasite Morino, and thank God for that, right?
But right now, looks like Jokic is -140.
Shame, he could have had it at +105 two days ago, or like me, could have had Jokic at +300 six weeks ago.
And you just know that pathological liar will call me out on that +300 bet, to which I'll tell him, "I posted it in your very own thread you created six weeks ago you nitwit, go back and check if you want"





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Originally Posted by las8

buried.




I tired sending you a message.... You can go pro for free right now. I am not hopeful that points will have value in the future but if they do it's worth signing up while you can.

Originally Posted by CJ

LMAO, I missed that "tougher conference" remark, how dumb can you be. I suppose that explains why:

1. The Suns are 25-5 vs the East
2. No East team has won 50 games still, let alone 60 like Phoenix
3. The West has won more total games vs the East this year, despite Texas' 32-51 contribution
4. Even the fukking Lakers are 15-15 vs the East

But yes, in Moron-o-land, the East is better.

Oh and don't give me any "well so and so in the East was injured" crap, because the Clippers played without George most of the season and Diva Leonard all year, while the Nuggets haven't had Murray, Lillard has been AWOL since Portland opted to tank, no Zion and on and on.

Originally Posted by stevenash

Word of advice.
Don't try.

I tried to explain to the nitwit for two weeks how the Strngth of Schedule works.
I even posted the actual formula the leagues use to calculate SoS.
It's like explaining how nuclear reactors work to a four year old.

The blockhead is hell bent on SoS is based on what conference you play in.
I told him 1000 times it's what teams you have played, not what conference you play in.
I tried to explain to him why the two teams with the toughest SoS to date both play in the Pacific Division in the West Conference.
His reaction? It was like lollipops and unicorns were circling around that brain of mush of his.

Don't try.
He's not only a pathological liar, he's hypocritical.
He doesn't understand value, no idea what variance mean, his words, he thought variance is an event, like a Kings coronation or something.

Watch what's going to happen next. if I'm wrong I'll buy you a steak dinner.
He's going to argue with you for three pages on how he's right and everybody else is wrong.
Ken Pom is wrong, Sagarin is wrong, all those with multiple advanced MIT math degrees are wrong, professional media analysts, former pro's, each and everyone is wrong, all except our pal Morino.

It's like he lives to be wrong, he's both a masochist and a sociopath.
It's like he lives for the pain.

The next time he's correct about anything will be the first time.

OK, I'm done.
Unless he decides to come at me again unprovoked, then I'll reduce him to tears.
Again,

4 of the 5 top teams right now are in the East.

4 of the 5.

The 2 seed in the West is Memphis, most of the top teams in the East would sweep them.

Just stop.

Most books have now moved the bet to a toss up since when I posted earlier today - Nash did what he usually does which is change the question since he lost the argument.

Just looking at one book such as fanduel means nothing, because markets like the NBA MVP market are low liquidity markets and you will frequently see very different lines at different books

Originally Posted by stevenash

I guess your TV went out in the fourth quarter the last time Jokic met Embid.
Allow me to refresh your memory, Embid hit the floor so hard he saw little birdies circling around his head.

What's up fella, haven't seen you around these parts in awhile.

Embiid completely dominated Jokic all game, Embiid dominated Jokic in the 4th quarter as well.

Bones Heyland couldn't miss a shot the first 6 minutes of the 4th when Jokic was on the bench, and that's when Denver made their comeback.

Embiid was the far better player, as he is and has been all year.

Embiid was also on the second night of a back to back.

Originally Posted by CJ

Agree with all this; however, the award doesn't always go to the best player in the league. Otherwise Jordan would've won more than 5, Kareem more than 6, Shaq more than just one and Steve Nash (as much as I was a fan) would have zero.

I digress, Giannis is to that special point in his career where he's realized winning championships is more important than individual accolades and regular season wins. Giannis and the Bucks do enough to get a higher seed, but they're not burning themselves out chasing regular season wins like they did in 2018/19 and 2019/20. I like their chances to repeat, especially if Phoenix stumbles before the finals.

And conversely Embid wants the MVP award above anything else.
Championship? Don't care, I want the MVP.
And you can just tell he's slurping off Doc for every minute he can get on the floor to inflate his numbers.
Won't work, he's not winning again this year.

Nuggets

STARTERS	MIN	FG	3PT	FT	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	+/-	PTS
Je. GreenPF	21	3-3	0-0	0-0	1	3	4	1	1	0	2	2	-8	6
A. GordonPF	20	3-6	1-3	0-0	1	2	3	2	0	1	1	1	-13	7
W. BartonSF	32	7-14	3-6	3-4	1	2	3	2	0	0	1	2	-7	20
N. JokicC	34	8-16	1-3	5-7	1	12	13	8	2	2	5	1	-9	22

STARTERS	MIN	FG	3PT	FT	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	+/-	PTS
T. HarrisPF	37	4-9	2-4	0-2	1	6	7	1	1	0	1	1	+2	10
J. EmbiidC	36	11-20	3-3	9-10	3	6	9	4	1	2	5	5	+2	34

Embiid dominated Jokic in every way.

Total points

Efficiency

Plus and Minus

Just stop.

Originally Posted by stevenash

And conversely Embid wants the MVP award above anything else.
Championship? Don't care, I want the MVP.
And you can just tell he's slurping off Doc for every minute he can get on the floor to inflate his numbers.
Won't work, he's not winning again this year.

Every player who has never won the MVP wants to win it - just stop, another horrible take.

Embiid has matured a fair bit in recent years, seemingly beginning with the moment he got humbled by the Raptors and famously cried upon Gasol's shoulder. How anyone can put the FREAK above him is beyond me. He's just a more natural basketball player across the board, and bigger. Swap Anteto' for Embiid and the Bucks are favourites to win the 'ship imo.

Originally Posted by IBetYou

Embiid has matured a fair bit in recent years, seemingly beginning with the moment he got humbled by the Raptors and famously cried upon Gasol's shoulder. How anyone can put the FREAK above him is beyond me. He's just a more natural basketball player across the board, and bigger. Swap Anteto' for Embiid and the Bucks are favourites to win the 'ship imo.

Who leads the NBA is 2H scoring this year with a 16.0 2H average?

Spoiler alert, it's not Embid.

Hedo Turkoglu led the league in 4th quarter scoring one year. He was v.good but he wasn't the best player in the league.

I think the Gasol thing had a profound impact on him. Felt compassion at his most vulnerable point and was very appreciative of it after, calling him a class act. You don't see Embiid trash talk so much these days. Opponents try to rile him with a hard foul or a taunt and he lets it go. Leadership.

Originally Posted by IBetYou

Hedo Turkoglu led the league in 4th quarter scoring one year. He was v.good but he wasn't the best player in the league.

Giannis does.
Moving on.

Win shares and the go to metric used to determine value VORP?
It's once again Jokic, Giannis, then Embid.

Go ahead, ask me about DEFENSIVE win shares.
You'll wont believe it.

Convince me Embid is more valuable.
With all due respect, I have data, facts, and figures backing my opinion up.
Jokic is the only man in the league who's team is worth 8.6 wins more a season with him playing.
That's fact, not opinion.

Here's one for you IBetYou?

Who has the better follow up game tonight?

Doncic coming off that 34/12/12 game or Jokic coming of that incredible 26/19/11 and notches his fourth 3x/2x this month.
Nobody cares about Embid anymore.

Or does Trae Young have another 33/15 game tonight just like last week.

Joel who?

Sorry if I come across like a sarcastic fuk, but you see my point?

And just how valuable was Embid last night?
Out of bounds passes, passes to Wes Matthews who plays for the other team is not valuable.
Getting your shit shoved up your ass by Giannis with nothing left really on the clock, not that valuable either.

Originally Posted by IBetYou

Hedo Turkoglu led the league in 4th quarter scoring one year. He was v.good but he wasn't the best player in the league.

Turkoglu was amazing in that playoff run where Orlando got to the finals, hitting big shot after big shot when the games were on the line

Originally Posted by IBetYou

Embiid has matured a fair bit in recent years, seemingly beginning with the moment he got humbled by the Raptors and famously cried upon Gasol's shoulder. How anyone can put the FREAK above him is beyond me. He's just a more natural basketball player across the board, and bigger. Swap Anteto' for Embiid and the Bucks are favourites to win the 'ship imo.

Giannis is without a doubt a level above embiid for various reasons. Consistency, availability, tenacity but above all the ability to change his game and adapt in order to win a chip.

Say what you want about what ifs and injuries to the nets last yr but the guy learned to shoot free throws mid career arc and that was the reason why they won. Teams were crowding the paint and fouling him after Boston did it yr after yr in the playoffs and he answered the call.

How many 2 time mvps actually went back to the drawing board and changed their game in order to win a ring at the peak of their prowess? Can't take anything away from giannis

Originally Posted by shadymcgrady

Giannis is without a doubt a level above embiid for various reasons. Consistency, availability, tenacity but above all the ability to change his game and adapt in order to win a chip.

Say what you want about what ifs and injuries to the nets last yr but the guy learned to shoot free throws mid career arc and that was the reason why they won. Teams were crowding the paint and fouling him after Boston did it yr after yr in the playoffs and he answered the call.

How many 2 time mvps actually went back to the drawing board and changed their game in order to win a ring at the peak of their prowess? Can't take anything away from giannis

In the midst of all these stars ring chasing and jumping to stacked teams giannis never left Milwaukee and stayed true. That's galvanized in this era more than any other