Stephen A. & Perk agree that Ja Morant may be the frontrunner for NBA MVP 😯 | First Take
Kendrick Perkins says the Phoenix Suns are the NBA’s best team and Stephen A. Smith reacts to Russell Westbrook dunking over Rudy Gobert. Stephen A. & Perk also agree that Ja Morant may be the frontrunner for NBA MVP.
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Kerke463
January 18, 2022 at 7:06 pm
This is just crazy. Ja ain’t even top 3 and you can make an argument that he isn’t top 5. Giannis has been consistent and phenomenal. You also have to take in what he does on the defensive side as he is the front-runner for the defensive player of the year award and there is no argument for Ja over Giannis on offense as the numbers suggest so. Jokic has been a monster and his stats are unbelievable and he doesn’t even have MPJ and Jamal. KD has missed some games and he has got that injury that might take him out for 4-6 weeks but at this moment KD should be higher. I also would put Demar over him. Number 1 seed in the East and he has put incredible numbers while taking over in the clutch time and time again. And it might not be a popular opinion but Devin Booker has to be in that argument with what the Suns were able to do. He is clearly the best player in the best team right now. Their averages are pretty close and Booker does have the leverage in some important stats. He has a much higher 3pt percentage, less turnovers and has a higher points per game while playing less minutes. Then you also have players like Embiid, which has been a monster since he returned from that injury and took the Sixers way up in the standings, LeBron has played great basketball, has looked like a top 3-4 player in terms of individual performances right there with KD, Giannis and Jokic. Luka has been playing very good under the radar although his shooting has not been good this year but his stat-lines are still boosted. Is better than Ja at 4 of the 5 main stats and has a higher efficiency rating (I don’t know how that has happened with his awful 3pt percentage and under-average FG% but the stat is the stat) Steph Curry has been horrible in general since trying to break that 3 point record but he did have a strong start to the season and has a better record so I would put him in the conversation as like an honorable mention like Luka, LeBron and Embiid, which are players who are on the same level as Ja in terms of performances, stats and teams record altogether. There are a lot of candidates that have played very good basketball and we have players like Giannis, Jokic, KD who have been in the talks all year and have played incredible and have been in this discussion from the start. Just because Ja has been on a roll lately doesn’t make him the instant frontrunner. There hasn’t been one dominant force so it isn’t impossible for him to actually win it but at the moment, there have been much better players than him that should be ranked over him. And he did miss a lot of game and not to mention that his team has been great without him, proving that their team success isn’t as reliant on him as we think it actually is.
C
January 18, 2022 at 7:20 pm
Giannis is still 1 but Ja is 2 right now, no question. KD is about to miss a ton of time, Steph fell off (both of them have a chance to come back tho), and Jokic doesn’t have nearly a good enough record to really be in the convo. DeRozan will get some votes if the bulls hang onto their 1 seed for the rest of the year, but it’s Giannis and Ja and then everybody else at the moment. Anyone with a brain can see that. If you can’t, you either don’t watch any Memphis games so you just don’t know, or you hate Ja for whatever reason (Zion fan perhaps) and don’t wanna see him win. He’s deservedly in the conversation.
Aingeru
January 18, 2022 at 10:03 pm
@C you didn’t even read his comment bro. Ja’s stats are not even close to being the second best in the league, and the Grizzlies will probably fall to the 4th or 5th before the playoffs. Even Luka, with his worst numbers in the last 3 seasons, has better stats (mavs are 5th, only 2 positions behind Grizzlies)
C
January 18, 2022 at 10:15 pm
@Aingeru I sure didn’t, lmao. Read the first couple sentences and disagreed. Didn’t feel like reading an entire book. And regardless, if you think the MVP is only about basic individual counting stats then you aren’t old enough to have this conversation yet anyways, so cheers.
C
January 18, 2022 at 7:25 pm
Honestly, to everyone saying “they went blah blah without him”, it’s pretty clear that part of the reason they won is the system he helped set in place. That dude makes every single player around him feel special and like they are apart of the team, he’s a true leader. That’s what a true leader does. If your work can’t function without your boss for a week or two, your boss hasn’t done a very good job instilling systems, confidence, and the right ppl in the right places, have they? They are good without him and GREAT with him, that’s the sign of a true leader and MVP. I still have Giannis at 1 personally and Ja at 2 now, but everyone using the team playing well without him is clearly just a casual. This team is great, and it starts with him being a fantastic leader, as he’s shown at every level even dating back to college. That’s perhaps his best quality as a player above anything else, he’s got the Steph/Duncan thing, where players love playing with him and feel inspired being on his team.
Daniel Begonja
January 18, 2022 at 7:32 pm
Agreed. It’s why the Bulls were still good but not a true contender when Jordan retired. Players that play within the system and still elevate the team (MJ, Steph, KD…) to me are more impressive than a player that becomes the system (Lebron). But this requires the coach and GM to buy into creating a proper system and team ball
C
January 18, 2022 at 7:52 pm
@Daniel Begonja I was going to mention the Jordan-less Bulls too, but my comment was already too long, haha. But they are a case in point, no doubt. 1-2 seed with him, 4-5 seed without him. Still won MVPs after that retirement because he elevated them from really good to great and then some. It’s the exact same thing here with Ja and Memphis. Grizzlies are a 3 seed with Ja and probably a good and scrappy, but not nearly that consistent or threatening team without him.
The Most Thirstiest Man in the World
January 18, 2022 at 7:33 pm
I think cp3 needs to be getting love to especially if they get 62+ w’s. If they stay healthy I think they might be the only 60 win team this season. Injuries and covid is ripping everyone else apart especially the eastern conference. Kd is hurt ,Steph is probably playing his worst sense he won his first title. Giannis is prolly about to get the voter fatigue that young bron got. I think cp3 and ja should be the front runners atm. With embid ,Giannis ,joker 3,4, and 5 respectfully.
May Notreply
January 18, 2022 at 9:29 pm
how people getting the rona – ain”t they vaxxed?
C
January 18, 2022 at 10:17 pm
@May Notreply you live under a rock? There are evolving strains… and the vaccines were never advertised as being 100% effective anyways. They greatly lesson your chances of getting it, not remove the possibility entirely. What are you, 12?
Rob G's Gaming
January 18, 2022 at 7:36 pm
Lol yo what
J's😈🃏
January 18, 2022 at 7:41 pm
Nikola jokic
Mcnally145
January 18, 2022 at 7:54 pm
Giannis is clearly MVP
Hank McStay
January 18, 2022 at 8:10 pm
Memphis gets no love y’all casually agreed we got an mvp 😭😭
jayflavor1
January 18, 2022 at 8:15 pm
Bucks and 76ers are expected to perform at a high level. They are being led by vets who have been to the post season. This Grizzlies team is performing beyooond expectation. If they finish in 3rd. Ja should be the MVP and it’s not even a joke. If he averages above 25 as a 3rd year leading his team to third or 4th. He definitely should be MVP.
Ahymad Lee
January 18, 2022 at 8:16 pm
Russell dunked on Rudy Goberrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Jesús King-Richardson
January 18, 2022 at 8:16 pm
Steph and Jokic have played in around 90% of their team games. Ja has played in 72% and he is the frontrunner? GtHOoH!
Tyrus Thomas
January 18, 2022 at 8:40 pm
So does that mean the Grizzlies are the best team in the NBA?🤔
Mister Daddy
January 18, 2022 at 8:25 pm
Perkin us a country fool JA M for MVP…dang standing next too u EVERYONE lose a lil IQ…..
KÄHMAY ART
January 18, 2022 at 8:28 pm
Ja Morant MVP
Ronnell Randle
January 18, 2022 at 11:57 pm
Over Giannis nope
Gary Askew
January 18, 2022 at 8:40 pm
To the “they went 11-2 w/o him so he shouldn’t be mvp” folks in the back… Go look at them teams they played.
Now go look at the teams they beat on this recent 12-1 stretch and re-evaluate that statement.
Oh Ish Waddup
January 18, 2022 at 10:49 pm
Facts. We were playing teams that were hot trash with protocols and injuries. We had a lot of guys unavailable too that stretch but we’re one of the deepest teams with a great coach which is a heavy advantage compared to teams like Thunder with no SGA and Giddey, the Kings, etc
K .Aranui
January 18, 2022 at 8:42 pm
His team went on a 8 game win streak when he was out injured. His team is much improved. He’s much improved. But most valuable … I’d take Demar, Giannis, Jokic over him. If Jokic got injured this year, there is absolutely no way the nuggets would go on a 8 game win streak.
Spider Man
January 18, 2022 at 8:50 pm
– 24.4 points
– 5.7 rebounds
– 6.7 assists
– 1.3 steals
– 48.7% FG
– 35.5% 3pt
– Grizzlies are 31-15
No one expected the Grizzlies to be a Top 3 seed IN THE LEAGUE. They are and he’s their engine. He’s putting up great stats on a winning team. Forget age, experience, whatever. He’s absolutely in the MVP conversation and maybe the frontrunner.
Ronnell Randle
January 18, 2022 at 11:57 pm
Over Giannis no
Adrián Prieto
January 18, 2022 at 8:53 pm
Luka Doncic son.
May Notreply
January 18, 2022 at 9:27 pm
Nobody sleeping on the Suns except the talking heads on TV Certainly best team right now.
Long way to go though.
Joshua Askew
January 18, 2022 at 9:59 pm
Perk. Stop. The WARRIORS smash the Suns.
Nik Krelj
January 18, 2022 at 10:02 pm
No love for the big men
j0epark1
January 18, 2022 at 10:12 pm
I love Ja and was saying that he’d be much better than Zion before their draft. But the Grizzlies are a winning team without Ja, so we can’t say he’s a real MVP. But he’s definitely a superstar now
Jacey Gaither
January 18, 2022 at 10:20 pm
He’s put hi.self in the conversation, but he’s well behind Giannis and the Joker still
Rajah Fortune
January 18, 2022 at 11:11 pm
He’s not close. Giannis, KD, Bron, curry, Jokic, and Paul easy. This is a bad take
eric
January 19, 2022 at 12:00 am
Yeah Ja bout to be the most hated player on the internet the next few yes the way yall hype him up
Theodore Manning
January 19, 2022 at 1:08 am
The disrespect shown toward the Cleveland Cavaliers is idiotic!
L.O.U
January 19, 2022 at 2:06 am
Naw, Ant-Man got the dunkS of the season 😂