Adam’s Random Ramblings: Dwight Howard For MVP

“Adam’s Random Ramblings” is going to be a new thing that will pop up here from time to time.  It will be written by a local highschool sophomore by the name of Adam Gray (no relation to the Hornets’ Aaron Gray, although he does have a brother by the same name).  He plays for his school’s basketball, football, and baseball teams, and he follows the NBA closely.  He’s a Lakers fan (but not one of those Laker fans), and his favorite player is Kobe Bryant… so for all you people out there who swear that I’m some biased nutcase who despises the Mamba, take note that the first person other than myself ever to contribute to this blog is a big supporter of number 24.  Without further ado…

Hey, basketball fans! Let me just start off by thanking Stephen for the opportunity to share my thoughts on his website. He really knows and loves the game, and having my own little section called ”Adam’s Random Ramblings” amongst his work is truly an honor.

Derrick Rose will win the NBA’s most valuable player award. It’s going to happen. Rose has been the best player on a Bulls team who has a new head coach, has battled injuries, and counts on some inexperienced players to log minutes. He has been playing lights out, dropping 24.9 points, 7.8 dimes, 4.2 boards, and a steal per night. No doubt, D-Rose is very valuable. But my 2010-2011 MVP is not a Chicago Bull. My candidate is seven feet tall, smiles all the time, and has put an uninspired supporting cast on his back and carried them all season. Dwight Howard has been tearing up the L, and is my Most Valuable Player.

Everyone used to say Dwight was just an athlete. He had no post game. He bit on pump fakes. He disappeared in big games. Everyone, it seems, had their own knock on Howard’s game.  Dwight Howard has responded to critics and put up his biggest season yet, and the best season by a center we have seen for a few years. 23 points, 14.3 boards, 2.4 blocks, 1.3 steals, shooting 60% from the field, and sporting a 26.3 PER (second in the league to #6 in Miami). Take into account that he only takes thirteen shots per game (ahem, you listening Stan?), and he shoots poorly from the stripe, and those 23 points become even more impressive.

What about the Magic without their big man? If you take Dwight off his team, Ryan Anderson, Gilbert Arenas, and Jason Richardson would start jacking up three pointers at an alarming rate. They would be pitiful, probably a 15 win team, to be honest with you, and Stan Van Gundy would be a color analyst alongside his brother Jeff and Mark Jackson on ABC.

Voters need to realize that Howard has entered beast mode (21.6 points, 16.7 rebounds, 3.8 blocks, 62% FGs, 42 minutes) in the final few weeks of the season, and he is ready to make another run at June. It’s too bad my opinion doesn’t mean shit and I don’t get a vote.

Thanks readers, I’m out.