So is Steve Nash definitely the MVP?

**The Great One** · 04-27-06, 06:20 PM

Unless they make it the "National Player of the year" award in NCAA basketball where you have the AP award, the Sullivan award, the naismith trophy, and the Wooden Award. And they do even more in college football.

But, something tells me you don't want my take on it anway. Your not a big fan of The Great One.

But the report initially came from the Phoenix newspaper so who knows. I say YES as it was on the ticker on ESPN too.

**bigboydan** · 05-07-06, 11:27 PM

looks like it's offical, and a very good choice too i might add. he definately deserved this award this year.

May 7, 5:40 PM EDT

Nash Wins Second Straight MVP Award

By BOB BAUM
AP Sports Writer

PHOENIX (AP) -- That mop-haired Canadian did it again, running away with his second consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player award.

Steve Nash - the maestro of the fast, frenetic Phoenix Suns - beat runner-up LeBron James of Cleveland by a comfortable margin in results announced Sunday.

He is the ninth player to win consecutive MVP trophies and joins Magic Johnson as the only point guards to win the award more than once.

"I have to pinch myself," Nash said. "I can't believe that I'm standing here today. I couldn't believe it last year, and to do it again is even more difficult to understand - but I'm not going to give it back."

The Suns playmaker received 57 first-place votes and 924 points overall from a panel of 125 sports writers and broadcasters in the United States and Canada.

James had 16 first-place votes and 688 points overall. But at 21, though, James knows he will have many more opportunities.

"It would have been nice of course to put another trophy in my house, in my showcase," he said from Auburn Hills, Mich., before the Cavaliers played the Detroit Pistons. "But it's something I'm going to keep working hard for. I can't dwell on not being named MVP."

Nash's close friend Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas was third with 14 first-place ballots and 544 overall. Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers had the second-most votes for first place (22), but was fourth overall with 483 points.

"Steve is not just a great player," Suns chairman Jerry Colangelo. "He's one of the few players who I believe have ever played who makes everyone better around him. There are very few players who have the ability to directly control the flow of the game, and he does it as well as anyone ever has."

The 32-year-old Nash is the 11th player to win the MVP award more than once.

"Steve's a leader," Suns owner Robert Sarver said. "He's the face of our team, he's the face of the organization. He's a role model for a lot of people, including me, who look up to him for his ability to constantly motivate the people around him with positive encouragement, even in the face of adversity and when things aren't going well."

Nash praised his teammates and coaching staff for "a perfect environment for me to succeed and for our team to succeed, and for me to stand here today."

Last season, he directed the Suns to an NBA-best 62 victories. This year, the Suns lost Amare Stoudemire to injury and traded Joe Johnson and Quentin Richardson. Yet they still won 54 games and a second straight Pacific Division title.

This season, Nash had career highs in scoring (18.8 points), rebounding (4.2), field goal percentage (.512) and free throw percentage (a league-leading .921). He led the league in assists at 10.5 a game and finished sixth in 3-point percentage at 43.9.

"There was no way he had a better year than last year," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "He just had another phenomenal year."

Others who have won consecutive MVP awards are: Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Moses Malone, Kareem-Abdul Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell. Karl Malone and Bob Pettit also won it twice, but not in consecutive years.

Not bad company for someone out of Victoria, British Columbia, who wasn't expected to succeed in college basketball, let alone become an NBA star.

"I guess part of me just tries to find the comedy in it," Nash said with his usual self-effacing humor. "It's thrilling and it's comedic and it's unbelievable. I just feel extremely honored to be recognized. I just love playing and I love working at it, trying to get better and challenging myself. I'm really lucky to have a place to do that in my life. I've come a long way, and I've enjoyed it."

Sarver remembered how he had just agreed to buy the team in July 2004 when a caravan of Suns officials and players flew to Dallas to persuade the free agent Nash to leave the Mavericks.

"Jerry made sure he didn't leave the house without Steve saying he was going to be a Phoenix Sun," Sarver recalled.

Nash agreed to a five-year, $65 million contract, and Mavericks owner Mark Cuban didn't match it. Since then, the Suns have won 116 regular-season games and are in the second round of the playoffs after making it to the Western Conference finals a year ago.

"It's surreal," Nash said. "I feel silly being up here because I really can't put it into words, no matter how hard I try."

**Mudcat** · 05-08-06, 08:55 AM

The Suns playmaker received 57 first-place votes . . . James had 16 first-place votes

A fairly decisive win at that.

**onlooker** · 05-08-06, 07:23 PM

I think its funny that Kobe end up 4th in the overall voting. He was second in first place votes, with 22 I think it was.

**Willie Bee** · 05-09-06, 05:48 PM

I think you could make a case for Kobe. No doubt, without him, the Lakers might not have even been able to make the NCAA March Madness.

**slacker00** · 05-10-06, 04:54 AM

Originally posted by Willie Bee

I think you could make a case for Kobe. No doubt, without him, the Lakers might not have even been able to make the NCAA March Madness.

Oh, wiseguy, eh? Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk

**pags11** · 05-10-06, 04:57 PM

this guy's come a long way from being a freshman with all those zits when they upset Arizona...he may not have the prescense of a Magic, Larry or Jordan yet, but he's a terrific all-around player...

**BuddyBear** · 05-10-06, 05:38 PM

he's a nice guy....see him do interviews very professinal, humble, and is always giving credit to his teammates and coaches. I wonder what the odds would have been 5 years ago of him winning an MVP...what about back to back MVP...

**Dark Horse** · 05-10-06, 05:56 PM

Steve Nash is the ultimate team player.

Kobe is the ultimate egomaniac, who sent Charles Barkley 20 text messages because he thought Charles had critiziced him. I almost feel sorry for the Lakers, because they're not going anywhere with Kobe.

**BuddyBear** · 05-10-06, 06:01 PM

if the NBA was smart they would try to build their product and image around Nash...team player, polite, well-spoken, modest, and a winner.

NBA always want to emhasize egotistical maniacs in their commericals and collages who are obsessed with dunks and one-on-one play...that's what has turned me off from the NBA the past few years.

**Dark Horse** · 05-10-06, 06:06 PM

Exactly. The NBA markets those superstars worldwide! Which opens the door wide to making sure those marketed superstars aren't eliminated too quickly. Unbelievable setup.

Stern is all about the money.

Remember that the Lakers were GIVEN a game. Ref standing right there, not hearing timeout calls, not seeing Luke's foot on the line... That's not credible.

Lakers weren't good enough to beat Suns, but they were handed a clear shot.

I'll change my mind about that when a team without the obvious superstar gets given the game. LeBron got a nice travel to win the game as well...

So why wouldn't the NBA stretch out the Dallas-Spurs series to 7 games? Surely, a 2-0 lead for the Spurs would have threatened those profits. "Refs you suck!!" the entire arena chanted. How often have you seen that?

Err... wrong thread.