How did Karl Malone win NBA MVP in 1999?

[MrRogers]

He didn't do anything great in '99. I would've gave it to A.I. for leading the league in scoring and leading the Sixers to their first plays since '91.

[Rake2204]

Not asking to be a punk, but rather out of pure honesty, who did you think should have won it in '99? It looks like Shaq had a beast of a year (as could be expected). Duncan I'd guess didn't get consideration because it was still probably looked at as a split-service in San Antonio (alongside David Robinson) until the NBA Finals.

[RRR3]

Not asking to be a punk, but rather out of pure honesty, who did you think should have won it in '99?
Shaquille O'Nea

[Bigsmoke]

The Jazz had the best record and Stockton didnt do much


to me this is the real MVP
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i163/M13_photos/act_alonzo_mourning.jpg

http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MIA/1999.html

[RRR3]

don't know

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i163/M13_photos/act_alonzo_mourning.jpg
Yes, I forgot about Alonzo Mournin

[Rake2204]

Shaquille O'Neal
That was my initial thought as well. Is there a site that shows how the voting looked that year?

[RRR3]

That was my initial thought as well. Is there a site that shows how the voting looked that year?
http://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_1999.html#mvp

Tim Dunca finished third Jason Kid fifth Allen Iverso fourth

[32Dayz]

That was my initial thought as well. Is there a site that shows how the voting looked that year?

1 Karl Malone
2 Alonzo Mourning
3 Tim Duncan
4 Allen Iverson
5 Jason Kidd
6 Shaquille O'Neal

[MrRogers]

Yes, I forgot about Alonzo Mournin
Me too. DPOY winner, Heat had the best record in the East, and he was flat out dominant that season.

[Rake2204]

Semi-related, for as much talk as there seemed to be throughout '99 as to who should be the Rookie of the Year (mostly between Paul Pierce and Vince Carter) I'm surprised voting was as much of a landslide as it turned out to be.

http://www.slamonline.com/online/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/issue-35-vince-carter.jpg

http://www.slamonline.com/online/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/issue-35-paul-pierce1.jpg

http://www.slamonline.com/online/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/issue-35-jason-williams-307x415.jpg

(2nd time I've posted this link today, though it ties in quite well): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDLxFKYpbuw

Also, interesting to see Rasheed Wallace come in 2nd for 6th man of the year. I'd completely forgotten he'd ever come off the bench. I'm guessing that's during the Brian Grant reign. Wallace also garnered an MVP vote.

[G-train]

He didn't do anything great in '99. I would've gave it to A.I. for leading the league in scoring and leading the Sixers to their first plays since '91.

Nobody can explain many MVP's logically.

[Rake2204]

Nobody can explain many MVP's logically.
I have felt a lot of them to be hype-induced. Many times, the hype is warranted. Sometimes, a good player will garner hype at just the right moment and they'll ride it to an award. I was surprised David Robinson didn't win the MVP in '94 for this fact. He had a great season, but he also had a ton of hype (including an SI cover titled "Mr. MVP?"). I thought it was in the bag.

Also, in the case of Karl Malone's first MVP (and likely some other folk's MVP's) I believe it was won simply because people didn't like the idea of always giving it to one player (MJ).

[ThaRegul8r]

Duncan should have won it in '99. It was a complete joke, because the MVP voting took place before the season ended.

:wtf:

What kind of regular season award is decided BEFORE the end of the regular season?

[ThaRegul8r]

in the case of Karl Malone's first MVP (and likely some other folk's MVP's) I believe it was won simply because people didn't like the idea of always giving it to one player (MJ).

It was a Career Achievement Award. "A player as good as he is deserves to win MVP at least once." I hate that kind of thinking. What in the world does whether or not a player has won MVP before have to do with whether or not he's deserving of it for a particular season?

:facepalm

[32Dayz]

Shaq was the 99 MVP if we're going by regular season performance.

I'd have Mourning 2nd and Duncan 3rd.

[Smoke117]

I probably would have chosen Mourning.

[ThaRegul8r]

Shaq was the 99 MVP if we're going by regular season performance.

Somehow, I knew you were going to say this.

[ShaqAttack3234]

Nobody had a regular season that stood out that much, it was a strange year and as a result, season awards and leaders mean less to me for that season. I'd probably go with Duncan, maybe Mourning, but Duncan was probably the most deserving. Don't see why Iverson should've won over either.


It looks like Shaq had a beast of a year (as could be expected).

Not really, he was the best offensive player in the game, but he seemed lazy that season, particularly defensively and had what was easily the worst season of his prime. He didn't deserve it in '99.


It was a Career Achievement Award. "A player as good as he is deserves to win MVP at least once." I hate that kind of thinking. What in the world does whether or not a player has won MVP before have to do with whether or not he's deserving of it for a particular season?

:facepalm

Agreed, that's a big reason why many, myself included, disagree with the winners, or don't care much about them.

There's too much inconsistency with what the voters look at, and it becomes a complete joke when they look at what a player did outside that year when the award is for that year. A player's season shouldn't be compared to one of their previous seasons either when determining the MVP of that season. They should only be competing against other player's seasons that year and I think that if a player wins MVP and doesn't follow it up with as good of a season, voters are more reluctant to vote for them again.

It also bothers me that voters seem too influenced by who exceeded preseason expectations.

[Duncan21formvp]

Duncan should have won it in '99. It was a complete joke, because the MVP voting took place before the season ended.

:wtf:

What kind of regular season award is decided BEFORE the end of the regular season?

Really is this true? :wtf:

[32Dayz]

Really is this true? :wtf:

No Idea but I do agree the MVP of the 99 RS was either Duncan, Shaq or Mourning.

[ThaRegul8r]

Am I really the only person who was alive at the time, watching basketball and old enough to know what I saw? 1999 was only 12 years ago. No one else remembers this?

[Collie]

I always thought TD should have won that year. I was shocked with the Malone selection.

[ThaRegul8r]

Duncan should have won it in '99. It was a complete joke, because the MVP voting took place before the season ended.

:wtf:

What kind of regular season award is decided BEFORE the end of the regular season?


Really is this true? :wtf:

No Idea but I do agree the MVP of the 99 RS was either Duncan, Shaq or Mourning.

I was trying to find evidence, as it doesn't seem I saved any articles from the time it actually happened, and it's much harder to look for something after the fact than it is to have actually saved it when it happened (which is why I generally do save articles at the time it happened, not sure why I didn't have any on this). Here's one article entitled "Early Voting Cheapens NBA Awards," but unfortunately, it's pay-to-view:

http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sun_sentinel/access/41724908.html?dids=41724908:41724908&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+20%2C+1999&author=IRA+WINDERMAN+COMMENTARY&pub=South+Florida+Sun+-+Sentinel&desc=EARLY+VOTING+CHEAPENS+NBA+AWARDS&pqatl=google

EDIT: Here's one:


Considered a heavy favourite for MVP honours, Tim Duncan was a bit surprised to learn that ballots had already been submitted for the award prior to the close of the NBA season later this week.

Here's another:


Early MVP votes may hurt Duncan


No matter what Tim Duncan, Karl Malone or Alonzo Mourning do in the final few days of the season, it won't change many MVP votes.

Most of the voters have already cast their ballots.

''That's tough. I really didn't know it was like that,'' San Antonio's Tim Duncan said after believing he might have changed a few voters' minds Sunday by outplaying Malone down the stretch

Another:


"I thought they did actually (vote at the end of the season), but whatever happens," said Duncan, whose teammates also were under the impression that the Spurs' recent success could translate into a few changed MVP votes.

[Smoke117]

Shaq was the 99 MVP if we're going by regular season performance.

I'd have Mourning 2nd and Duncan 3rd.

Not at all. Before Phil came by Shaq was lazy as shit defensively. Those 99 lakers ranked 104.3 for 23 overall and Shaq a 102...that's pretty paltry especially for what he was capable of. The heat were 8th with 98.9...with Alonzo being a 93 lol. 21pts 11rebs 3.9bpg .563ts%...Alonzo was a beast that season. The best defensive player by far at the time and great all around. The Heat led he Atlantic division and were tied for the best record in the East that season. He should have absolutely been given MVP along with that DPOY.

[Pointguard]

The Jazz had the best record and Stockton didnt do much

to me this is the real MVP
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i163/M13_photos/act_alonzo_mourning.jpg

http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MIA/1999.html
Yeah if Alonzo didn't have the incident in the locker room with the female reporter he would have won it. I agree 100%.

[32Dayz]

Not at all. Before Phil came by Shaq was lazy as shit defensively. Those 99 lakers ranked 104.3 for 23 overall and Shaq a 102...that's pretty paltry especially for what he was capable of.

Thats not true at all.

Shaq was one of the best defensive Centers in the league in 99.
He was a true defensive anchor and he was not lazy on that end.
Amazing Shot-Blocker, M2M Defender and even played above average Help/PNR defense since he still skinny and extremely mobile at that point.

The only Centers better then him defensively in 99 were Mourning and maybe Mutombo / DRob.

Also significantly better then Mourning or Duncan 0ffensively that year.
He imo has the best case for 99 MVP out of those three.
Shaq got robbed of DPOY in 00.

[kNIOKAS]

http://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_1999.html#mvp

Tim Dunca finished third Jason Kid fifth Allen Iverso fourth

That's some crazy numbers, when you look at them.

Malone: 23.8/9.4/4.1
Zo: 20.1/11.0/1.6
Duncan: 21.7/11.4/2.4
AI: 26.8/4.9/4.6
Kidd: 16.9/6.8/10.8
Shaq: 26.3/10.7/2.3
Webber: 20.0/13.0/4.1
Hill: 21.1/7.1/6.0
Payton: 21.7/4.9/8.7
KG: 20.8/10.4/4.3


Basically bigs averaging 20/10, GP scoring a lot. Looks very good.

And Pierce being 3rd in rookies. Yet having best win share (whatever that is, I'm actually amazed he was putting only ~2,5 assists). Although Carter's year wasn't THAT spectacular with 18.3/5.7/3.0 either.

[RobertdeMeijer]

I might have voted for Grant Hill
Pistons won 58% of their games (48 games in 82 game season)
and check out who he had to play with:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/DET/1999.html

[insidehoops]

Tim Dunca finished third Jason Kid fifth Allen Iverso fourth

:lol

[Collie]

Freakin Darrell Armstrong had MVP votes, LOL!

[JtotheIzzo]

Duncan was the MVP, it was a lifetime service award they gave to Malone.

The Spurs rolled everyone that year and it was Tim's team, Robinson was not the factor that people remember. Duncan was a beast. He was rewarded in later years, so people forget this oversight.

[necya]

Malone was the right choice in my opinion.
if i remember well, the Jazz were one of those team with the best record. it was a performance for me, looking at the team. stock and hornacek did not play the same important role, playing less minutes. Russell was ok, without being great and was the second offensive weapon.
no, really i don't see how Duncan has been robbed as DRob still did a very good job defensively, plus San Antonio had a better bench.
O'Neal ? no way he was top 5.

i keep in mind that Malone, without being the old one (he was 36 damn) did a pretty good job with what he had around him that year. so i agree with the top 3 voting.

i also remember that it was an horrible year, the level of the league going from bad to worse with the time.

[ShaqAttack3234]

DRob still did a very good job defensively

Yeah, Robinson's defense was still elite. He was a top 5 defensive player, imo until 2001 even though his offensive role diminished. Around that time, I think he was pretty much as good as Duncan defensively. He had a very solid playoff run as well. Made a big impact vs the Knicks undersized frontline, led the Spurs in scoring during the WCF vs Portland and I think he guarded Shaq almost exclusively in the WCSF and the Spurs shut him down. I haven't seen the series in 12 years, but I'm 95% sure that Duncan barely guarded Shaq.