Photo by: Managing editor
With the race for the NBA’s Most Valuable Player pretty much over – congrats Derrick Rose, what a year you had willing the Bulls to the top-seed in the Eastern Conference – it’s time to pause and give note to this year’s honoree MVP, Kevin Love.
I know there is no such thing; however, if there was a plaque to be given to player who played his heart out despite playing for one of the worst franchise in league history.
Love, for those of you who may have missed it, set a league record this season when he successfully tallied a double-double for 53 consecutive games.
Although a praiseworthy feat, it’s sad for any fan of the game, because Love’s accomplishment, and moreover his hustle and work ethic, was undermined by the futility of his team, the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Love currently averages a ridiculous 20.2 points per game and 15.2 rebounds a night with an efficiency rating of plus 28.37. Comparatively, Rose, the sure-fire bet for this year’s MVP trophy – which I’m more than fine with – averages 25.1 points per game and 7.8 assists with an efficiency rating of plus 23.35.
Although they play different positions, an argument can be made that Love was the more valuable player in two specific, non-statistical categories: desire and relentlessness.
It’s reassuring to this lifetime fan that one player would put forth such an effort even though his team was non-existent throughout the season.It must have been so painful to know that no matter how well he played it made no difference, yet he continued to crash the glass with a passion that nobody else in the league possesses.
Dwight Howard should easily be leading the NBA in rebounds, yet somehow Love, who is listed as a debatable 6’8′ inches, but actually 6’8″, is dominating that stat category. He shouldn’t be, yet he is. Why? Because he truly cares about his skill set and the game that he has played since childhood.
Love isn’t going to win the MVP award. In fact, he won’t even be close. But let’s give him the credit he deserves. He could have mailed it in a while back, but never did. I’m happy that the stat sheet can document his success this year, because the T’Wolves record sure doesn’t.
What’s ironic is that Rose and Love attended a clinic at St. Monica High together in Los Angeles. While other pros dropped in to see what was going on, only to leave days later, Rose and Love stayed the entire time. The result? The two are easily the league’s most improved players. Unfortunately, only one gets to be named Most Valuable Player. And it’s not Love.
