[Kevin] Garnett wins [NBA] MVP Award by landslide

ESPN online ^ | 5/3/04 | AP

[TheBigB]

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Kid can be called "MVP," too.

Kevin Garnett of the Minnesota Timberwolves won his first Most Valuable Player award Monday, easily beating two-time winner Tim Duncan and Jermaine O'Neal.

Garnett received 120 of 123 possible first-place votes in balloting by the Pro Basketball Writer's Association for a total of 1,219 points. San Antonio's Duncan got 716 votes, while Indiana's O'Neal had 523.

The Associated Press reported Sunday, citing sources, that Garnett would win the honor.

Garnett led Minnesota to a 58-24 record and the top playoff seed in the Western Conference, averaging 24.2 points and a league-leading 13.9 rebounds.

"The teammates that I have, they made things so simple and they made things to easy at times," Garnett said after receiving the trophy.

Garnett was an overwhelming choice for his first MVP honor.

He joined Larry Bird as the only players to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for five consecutive years.

Garnett credited team vice president Kevin McHale, who played with Bird for the Boston Celtics.

"This is best situation I could ever think of, or dream of," Garnett said. "I had to believe I could get there, because of him and his belief in me."

Minnesota coach Flip Saunders said Monday Garnett has wanted to win the award since the team drafted him out of high school in 1995.

"When he came in the league nine years ago the No. 1 thing he said to myself and [team vice president] Kevin McHale is he wanted to be the best player in the league," Saunders said.

The success of players such as Garnett, nicknamed "The Kid," and Kobe Bryant helped usher in a generation of preps-to-pros players who skipped college.

McHale said he told the skinny kid fresh from Chicago's Farragut Academy to work hard and see what happens.

"That young man turned into a bigger man and a hell of a basketball player," McHale said. "He reminds me of how basketball should be played, with passion, hard work and discipline."

Garnett, in turn, gave some of the credit for his own success to McHale, whose career with the Boston Celtics earned him a spot in the Hall of Fame.

"This is best situation I could ever think of, or dream of," Garnett said. "I had to believe I could get there, because of him and his belief in me."

The Timberwolves host the Sacramento Kings in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series on Tuesday night.

Minnesota beat the Denver Nuggets in five games to end a league-record streak of seven straight first-round exits.

[TheBigB]

Just FYI for sports fans...

[Akira]

This was expected and Garnett is a huge talent and good guy. But nobody is more valuable to his team than Duncan. He carries the Spurs like Olajuwon carried the Rockets in the early/mid 90s.

So I'll leave this thread with a quote...

When asked by a reporter why he took so many threes, Antoine Walker of the Dallas Mavericks replied "Cuz there ain't no fours". Classic, and very true. ;-)

[TheBigB]

This is true. Garnett -may- be a better individual player than Duncan, but for the real answer, just count the rings.

That sounds just like 'Toine. :) Woner where he'll end up next year?

[not-alone]

Duncan is a class act

[Akira]

He killed any sense of chemistry the Mavs had this year, so he certainly won't be back here. But seeing as how they basically traded white stiff Raef Lafrentz for him, Mavs fans can't complain.

[rdb3]

KG deserved it this year.

A.K.A. Sleepy Brown

[MN_Mike]

We Minnesotans are so proud of Kevin. He gives so much to this community, and he does it in silence. He is someone that a parent can comfortably point out to his children and grandchildren.

There is a great article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune web site about him. He has a dozen dogs that have a television in their kennel, so they can watch Daddy playing basketball.

[TheBigB]

KG is a monster player, but it dpends a lot on your definition of "most valuable." His stats this year (24 ppg/13.9 rpg) are not -that- much improved over last year (23 ppg/13.4 rpg), but the Wolves did much better as a team. But what changed? They added Sprewell, Cassell, and Olawakandi. You -could- make the case that given that, Garnett wasn't even the most valuable player on his own team.

But I'm just playing Devil's Advocate. I have no problem with KG winning it.

[TheBigB]

Are ya gonna keep Nash there? I'm hoping the Celtics make a run at him. :)

[Akira]

After the Mavs were eliminated, Nash quietly announced he'd test the free agent market. Cuban has said he wants to keep Nash, Dirk and Finley here. We'll see. I think they should try and get a big man for Finley, although that might be overly optimistic.

[Solson]

KG deserved it this year. The MVP isn't rewarded to the person with the most rings but the person who was most valuable to their team. The Wolves are literally nothing without KG. He led them to the best record in the West...yes...better than the Spurs.

Thus, he deserves it.

[TheBigB]

The Mavs and the Celtics are my favorite teams. I'd like to see the Celts make a deal for Nash and Najera, then trade for Erick Dampier (the East is guard-heavy. Dampier could conceivably be an All-Star in a conference where the top centers are Ben Wallace, a gimpy Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and...Jamaal Magloire?)

[secret garden]

What is the story on Cuban? No girlfriend? He always seems to be sitting alone at the games.

[TheBigB]

The MVP isn't rewarded to the person with the most rings but the person who was most valuable to their team.

Okay, then. Would the Nuggets have made the playoffs without Carmelo? Or the Pacers have the best record in the NBA without O'Neal?

[Guillermo]

Why would he want to ruin his good time by bringing some chick to the game?

[Finalapproach29er]

...and Olawakandi.
***
Heh-Heh-Heh. Surely you jest.

[TheBigB]

Okay, then. Scratch the Kandi Man. :)

[Finalapproach29er]

Cuban got married,or is engaged.

[secret garden]

She must keep a low profile.

[rdb3]

But I'm just playing Devil's Advocate. I have no problem with KG winning it.

I see what you are saying, and I have to agree. Besides, I'm a Cavaliers fan, not the T'Wolves.

Anyway, it's just like Michael Jordan with the Bulls before he played with Pippen, Paxson, Cartwright, Armstrong, and Grant. The T'Wolves made it out of the first round this year because they added Sprewell, Cassell, and Olawakandi. When the right pieces are around you, you shine even brighter.

Even for Jordan, there was still no "I" in the word "team."

A.K.A. Sleepy Brown