Kawhi deserves to enter the MVP conversation

[ImKobe]

MVP and scoring title are two different awards. I disagree that he should have to up his PPG to be considered.

Technically scoring shouldn't matter as much, but if you're comparing him to other players his PPG is ultimately what does him in. He was far too inconsistent early on in the season (and the reason why they struggled & lost a bunch of winnable games early on IMO) to be in the conversation right now. There's players like Giannis, SGA and Jokic who have been far more consistent.

A lot of the advanced stuff puts him top 5 in the league, but overall his production just isn't strong enough atm. 23/6/4/2/1 ain't gonna cut it. He'd have to average 29-30 on similar efficiency to be a true MVP candidate, and that's if his team also finished with a better record than the Nuggets, Thunder & Bucks. Counting stats matter.

I don't think the winning is going to be an issue for him, he just needs to score more. If he averages 28+ ppg post-ASB and gets them to the best record in the West I'd make an MVP case for him. He's averaged 27/7/4/2/1 on insane efficiency in his last 20 games, so it's doable. He's been trending upwards.

[90sgoat]

Shooting 45% from 3 this season.

That's impressive.

[basketballcat]

Clippers are now within half a game of the Western Conference top seed.

Kawhi is 20th in ppg. Only 3 of the players ahead of him have a better team record. Kawhi is not a volume scorer, he prefers efficient scoring. Of the players ahead of him in ppg, only 3 have better FG% (Cs excluded, as they typically have very high ppgs). Kawhi has been shooting 45.1% from 3. Of the top 20 scorers, nobody else comes close in 3pt%. Curry, on his very best season, shot 45.5% from 3.

Kawhi is also playing elite defense. 4th in steals. Only 1 player ahead in spg has a better team record.

Kawhi should definitely be in the top 5 in the MVP race. Maybe even as high às #3.

Jokic & Shai are really the only players that are clearly ahead of him.

[basketballcat]

Clippers are now #1 in the West.

[elementally morale]

Clippers are now #1 in the West.

Technically. It's basically a 4 way tie. Kawhi should be entering the MVP discussion but not because of this technical #1 spot. They lose a game and they are all of a sudden 4th.

[basketballcat]

Technically. It's basically a 4 way tie. Kawhi should be entering the MVP discussion but not because of this technical #1 spot. They lose a game and they are all of a sudden 4th.

It's not a tie. Clippers are #1 if the playoffs started right now. Any of the top 4 could lose and slide further down.

It's tight, yes. But #1 seed is #1 seed.

[elementally morale]

It's not a tie. Clippers are #1 if the playoffs started right now. Any of the top 4 could lose and slide further down.

It's tight, yes. But #1 seed is #1 seed.

They played 2 less games than the other 3 teams have. But it really is not the point. Technically speaking, the Clippers are #1. For any reasonable observer it's a 4 team tie. But let's not discuss this further.

The interesting thing to me is whether the Clippers can continue their winning ways. They were the best team in the last 4-5 weeks or so. Is it permanent? That team can beat every other team in a series the way they play recently. There are a few teams like the Clippers in this regard but I think less than 5.

[90sgoat]

I've always wanted Kawhi to win a ring with Clips.

3 rings with 3 teams, that's the same as Lebron.

[basketballcat]

I've always wanted Kawhi to win a ring with Clips.

3 rings with 3 teams, that's the same as Lebron.

If Kawhi wins MVP, he would have achieved all the major awards that Olajuwon has achieved.

If Kawhi gets an FMVP with the Clippers, he joins LeBron in an extremely elite club of just 2 members.

[Xiao Yao You]

let's see if Kawhi is walking come April first

[Stephonit]

Playing with Harden and George doesn't disqualify him?

[Axe]

Playing with Harden and George doesn't disqualify him?

Interesting.

[basketballcat]

Playing with Harden and George doesn't disqualify him?

Was Steph disqualified when he had an All NBA teammate and 2 players in the All Defensive team?

Kawhi has an All Star reserve teammate. Giannis has an All Star starter. Tatum has an All Star teammate as well. Same with Durant, LeBron, and A Edwards.

If anything, it can be argued that Kawhi is the type of franchise player than enables others to fit in. Harden's production is lower in LAC than in PHI and BRK. Yet it clicks in LAC.

[kawhileonard2]

Kawhi is the MVP and the best player.

[elementally morale]

They played 2 less games than the other 3 teams have. But it really is not the point. Technically speaking, the Clippers are #1. For any reasonable observer it's a 4 team tie. But let's not discuss this further.

The interesting thing to me is whether the Clippers can continue their winning ways. They were the best team in the last 4-5 weeks or so. Is it permanent? That team can beat every other team in a series the way they play recently. There are a few teams like the Clippers in this regard but I think less than 5.

Case in point. They lost a game and all of a sudden they are not 1st but 4th. Are they any worse than they were yesterday? Obviously not.

Q.E.D.