Nba season started form Tuesday, here's my preseason ranking for each division:

Eastern Conference
Atlantic:
New York Knicks
Philadelphia 76ers
New Jersey Nets
Toronto Raptors
Boston Celtics

Central: :
Indiana Pacers
Detroit Pistons
Cleveland Cavaliers
Milwaukee Bucks
Chicago Bulls

Southeast: :
Orlando Magic
Miami Heat
Washington Wizards
Atlanta Hawks
Charlotte Bobcats

Western Conference
Southwest: :
San Antonio Spurs
Dallas Mavericks
Houston Rockets
Memphis Grizzlies
New Orleans Hornets

Northwest: :
Minnesota Timberwolves
Denver Nuggets
Utah Jazz
Portland Trailblazers
Seattle Supersonics

Pacific: :
Phoenix Suns
Sacramento Kings
Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Clippers
Golden State Warriors

To be honest, I haven't been following any games this season. I haven't watched any complete game this season... :(

I believe Amare is the reason why Suns are doing so great. This is his only third year in the league and he will get better. Let's not forget Suns also added good SG named Q to team up with Steve Nash. Suns got many firepower to win the game w/o Nash. Don't get me wrong, I picked them to win the Pacific division before season started.

Philly still has chance to finish #6 in the Eastern Division. AI3 score more than Nash, bangs harder to board than Nash, steals more than Nash. It's not AI3 fault, he doesn't have a studs like Amare, Marion, Q and JJ playing along side with him. Nash may not even play 2500 total minutes for the season and I don't think they have ever handed the trophy to a player who scored less than 20 PPG.

Here's my list for the MVP

1. Allen Iverson
2. Dirk Nowtizki
2. Amare Stoudamire
2. Dwyane Wade
2. Lebron James

AI has goddam chris webber on his team...and look how well him and webber work together....they suck as a 1-2 combo...that is because AI is not a TRUE POINT GUARD...he could have amare, marion, etc on his team but they would not be a great team simply due to allen's unwillingness to give up the ball..and I doubt marion or amare would want to play with iverson....shittt, you remember jerry stackhouse and larry hughes, both former teammates of his, were sent packing cause allen didnt know how to play with other stars...he has to be the one to put up all the shots, cuz thats how he is...btw, have you how the suns played in the games nash was not present...amare looked like a lost puppy out there...in fact, they lost all but 1 game when nash was absent..

CWEBB have been with the team only for a month and he is out due to injury now. I believe they played good and could play better in future.

Stack and AI3 plays the same type of player so they gotta get rid of one them. and it's no brainer. Larry Hughes? he was not even a full time player when he played with 76ers. They got Toni Kukoc for Larry Hughes. Toni played great for 76ers. If Larry didn't have the season he is having this year, you wouldn't even mentioned his name. He is a mediocore player before this season.

I believe Suns won more than ONE game in absence of Nash. I have to check on that. Nash may have a leader quality in him but that doesn't mean he is the best player in his team. Amare leads his team in PPG, Rebounds, and Block shots and he has more steal than Nash.

Here's what NBC sports wiseguys think of MVP rae. AI3 is outta race.... lol
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4401763/

Marion leads the team in rebounds....and Hunter is the best on the team in blocked shots....at least get your facts right before posting..this leads me to believe you have not even seen a suns game this year...and how can you expect a point guard to lead the team in rebounds and blocks??....also, if a point guard leads his team in scoring then he is not doing his job--which is to distribute the ball and get teammates involved...Nash is averaging 11.5 assists this year--most since the legendary John Stockton...if you had seen their games you would realize that he basically spoonfeeds Stoudemire and Marion for easy dunks due to the fact that they really dont have go-to moves of their own...In fact, when Nash went out this year, Stoudemire's point per game average went down from 26 to 16....how can you disregard this point...Also, the team's scoring average went from 110 to 92 in his absence..and then remember he is the one that sets up their three point shooters such as Quentin Richardson and Joe Johnson...he is undoubtably the heart and soul of that team..

On another note, the only players who can play with iverson are bums like Eric Snow and Aaron McKie who just stand around and watch him on offense...and every once in a while they get a touch or so...If Andre Iguodala was playing on another team he would be averaging at least 15 pts per game...Iverson dominates the ball too much.l..that being said, he is my favorite player--just cause the nigga is 6 foot tall and is so damn talented...but in no way should he be MVP this year

lol. Yes Marion leads the suns in reb dept. and who is this dude called Hunter.

Amare was scoring 20+ even before Nash came in. He will score more next year with or without Steve Nash. He is the next big monster in the middle. According to NBC sports, we both are outta race lol . Nash wasn't even mentioned there :)

Nash has 4 other players who avg more than 15 ppg. I dunno how you can consider him for the MVP :s Suns duo of Amare and Nash is like stockton and mailman. like Stockton he will never win MVP.

who was the last player who won the MVP and led the league in assists?

LOL... AI is out from MVP race.. however, I like this guy. I wish CWebber would be healthy...

Rusty here's the quote from your fav knicks player

Stephon Marbury: "When in doubt, shoot. That's how I look at it."

:=)

AX,
These days, two words get along very well: Knicks and Sux. I saw somebody wrote about Knicks management and I. Thomos. This team has a couple of talents but they really need to be reconfugred. Why couldn't they buy Vince Carter when he was available. He ended up joining whacky team- the nets. I would say, trade all players, including Marbury. Only true knicks i can think of is K. Thomos. I don't know what is going on with Houston, who has occupied great deal of the knicks salary cap, I belive.

"Amare was scoring 20+ even before Nash came in." Yes, he was scoring 20+, but how effective was it for the season and franchise record, how many wins did Suns get last year and year before? You simply cannot ignore restless effort of Nash... Nash's main focus is to pass the ball, coordinate the team members, rather than scoring himself. Well, most of the point guards do that. But, remember he's a leader in Assist. To answer your another question, yes, players who have scored less than 20 pts have become MVP in NBA history. I cannot think of the name on top of my head.

Rusty, i agree they played terribly. We know the reason, your fav player Stephon "i am the best PG" Marbury was not happy with the team and we know where ended up after that. A year before they made the playoffs. That's the reason I say he might be a great leader but ain't worthy of a MVP.

Let Amare have 2-3 years more in his belt, he would become great player. Dude is so amazing and he jumped high school to NBA :s

MVP should go the best player in the league. and I am sure we both agree AI3 is that player :p

Rusty bro, there are very few players who won the MVP playing PG position. Magic may be one of them and we may have to go back to 50s to get the answer and i believe he scored more than 20

"Rusty bro, there are very few players who won the MVP playing PG position. "

I don't know if you read that article from the above link..

Nash's average of 11.5 assists a game is the highest in the NBA since John Stockton of the Utah Jazz averaged 12.3 during the 1994-95 season. Nash averages only 16.3 points a game, which would be the third-lowest scoring average of any MVP (Wes Unseld of Baltimore averaged 13.8 in 1968-69 and Bill Russell of Boston averaged 14.1 in 1964-65).

If Nash wins, he will join Bob Cousy, Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson as the only point guards to do so. (Philadelphia's Allen Iverson played shooting guard when he won it in 2001.)

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2005-04-04-duprees-awards_x.htm

I read the article and also confirmed their score was less than 17 PPG. I learned something new from it that the Wes won his MVP in his rookie year :p But have you realized they won those trophies before even we were born LOL. That's why i say Nash has ZERO chance to bag the award. Let's see if he can crack top 5 ;)

The Q i asked was "who was the last player who won the MVP and led the league in assists?"
if i have to guess it would Magic Johnson if not Big O.

MVP doesnt mean best scorer...Jason Kidd almost won it several years ago averaging around 14 when he turned around the Nets...He came in second in voting to Tim Duncan that year....

MVP doesnt mean most talented player...or you could give it to Kevin Garnett each year..

MVP is player most valuable to the success that team is having in a particular season...So MVP is either Nash or Shaq this year..

This is reflected in the turnarounds both teams have experienced since the additions of the aformentioned potential MVP's...

As far as statistics, the players having the best seasons are Allen Iverson and Lebron James...but their teams suck...so their numbers are meaningless.

Major League Baseball should hire you methodman :)

The championship round of fantasy NBA 04/05:

Regular Season Standing:

cant decide ALlen or Lebron but damn lebron's team is out so definately allen
goo allen
also Wade is better than Shaq. Why do they always choose shaq???
he's the reason why heat's on playoffs
wade better than shaq!!!

here we go.... sis i am with ya. gime the MVP to Iverson. Shaq is overrated

Spurs over Nuggs in 5 games;)

enjoy bball game... tilK rocks

"also Wade is better than Shaq. Why do they always choose shaq??? "
--> Coz shaq is a nuclear bom whereas wade as good as he is, is at best 10000 lbs conventional mother bom.

Let me explain. Shaq can literally destroy ANY opposition. Wade, with due respect, can do that to many, but not to ALL/ANY.
---------------------

And regarding the MVP the criteria for selecting THE ONE aka MVP, my opinion consurs with that of methodman.

The media attention is on Shaq & Nash. Shaq as always, had a powerful season and with wade and co. made Heat the team to beat/avoid. And also, what happened to Lakers (?) after he left ( failed miserably to make playoff ) should count FOR him (at least psychologically for the ones casting the ballots).

Nash, well he is having a fantastic season. He is more or less is THE reason why his team is even in the play off ( Honorable mentions: Shawn Marion, Amare Stoudemire, Joe Johnson and Richardson who joined from the Los Angeles Clippers ) . With 15.5 points, 11.5 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game his stats are impressive, but purist might argue about his effectiveness on the defesive side of the game. They have only one argument against Nash and that is, the game is played in 94 ft. and not in just half of it.

Nevertheless, the bottom line is who was the most valuable for the team to WIN the games that they did in any given season, regardless of ANYTHIGN else. One averages 5 mins per game in a season but averages 30 pts with zero rebounds and 8 assits and coupla steals or so and 25 of his points are scored at the final crunch period, for me he is the MVP. Regardless of his lack of ability to play TOTAL GAME.

But well! I say it's a toss up between the two. Alas, they can only have one MVP.

IndisGuise:)

Today is the draft day and report says it could be one of the deepest ever.It doesn't have a great impact players like Lebron James, Chris Webber or Allen Iverson but it is very deep on good players. Three players - Bogut from Utah, Williams from NC and Paul from Wake Forest are locked for first 3 picks.

I want San Antonio to pick Francisco Garcia from Louisville Cardinals. He is a great shooter and has a big size. He will be able to give rest to Manu/Parker/Bowen. Else I want them to pick Johan Petro, Center from France. Here?s more info about him: http://nbadraft.net/profiles/johanpetro.asp He would be good complimentry player to Parker. Parker still hasn?t performed to his full potential yet and with a buddy from France could help his game.

If they are to keep Glen Robinson, they should pick big men else picking Johan Petro is a good choice. Whatever they do I have a faith in them. They were able to get a great players in Parker (29th pick??) and Manu (57th pick) earlier, I am sure they will find good players in this year draft as well.

Wherez all the Knicks fans gone??? I wonder wots the mood like in Garden today. They haven?t done a good job picking good players in the draft. Let?s see how good of a talent evaluator Isaiah Thomas is?.. I hope he won?t get booed like Layden was few years ago. Knicks need good big men over 6?10? to play Center and PF positions.

Who do you want your team to pick?