Garnett has to overcome the big market bias in the media.


--- In Celticsstuffgroup@yahoogroups.com, "JS" <js33@...> wrote:
>
> http://www.hoopsworld.com/<http://www.hoopsworld.com/>
>
> Celtics: Kevin Garnett is the MVP
>
> http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?
story_id=8078<http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=8078>
>
> By: Jessica Camerato<mailto:jcamerato@...> Last Updated: 3/31/08
11:24 AM ET | 625 times read
>
>
> In the past week the "M-V-P" chants at the Garden have grown louder
for Kevin Garnett. They're bellowed when he steps to the line and he
(regrettably) has to do his best to block them out to avoid
distraction. In response, articles have been popping up breaking down
his statistics and highlighting his numbers. But there is more to
Garnett than regular season averages. There are the intangibles that
the fans and media aren't privy to. So who better to make an argument
for KG as MVP than his own teammates?
>
> Paul Pierce
> "The whole face of the Celtics nation turned around when the trade
happened with this guy. Everyone talks about the MVP and they talk
about numbers, but this guy has changed the whole culture around here
and I think that says a lot for everything. The mentality, to a day-
to-day aspect, everything is changed from a year ago."
>
> Rajon Rondo
> "He's a leader, he's a motivator, he's a winner. He's proven that
throughout this year. He's just a great friend. He knows what it
takes to win. He picks guys up with confidence and he's unselfish. I
think that's the biggest thing. He's unselfish. He's willing to
sacrifice scoring, assists and rebounds for the betterment of the
team."
>
> Kendrick Perkins
> "It's hard because you don't know how special he is until you play
on the court with him. [You don't know] all the stuff he brings, not
just the energy because he brings that, the intensity, just
everything. Do you ever notice how he pressures the ball with full
court pressure? Everything. It's just that you never know until you
play with him."
>
> Eddie House
> "We've got the best record in the league and he's probably the
biggest cause. [He] is the man who is depended on to do so many
things [and he] is actually doing it."
>
> Sam Cassell
> "He does it all and he doesn't dominate the ball. When a big guy
wins it, it's because of what the other guys on his team do for him.
But Kevin doesn't dominate the ball. It makes us better. It makes
Paul better, Paul makes him better. All three of them meet the
challenge to make each other better."
>
> James Posey
> "There's no argument. To me, I think he deserves it and I think
he's deserved it even before this point as well. He is what he was in
Minnesota . [and] he's done it on a consistent basis. He didn't
complained about the players he was surrounded with. You knew what
you were getting every night. I always respected him just for that
and just the energy that he brings to the game. For him to be a
superstar and if the players weren't right, just for him to go out
and do what he did for that team and not cry about it or complain
about he didn't have these players to do this or do that. He sucked
it up and he still gave it to them."
>
> Leon Powe
> "He's MVP in itself because our team is doing really well, we've
got the best record in the whole league. It was the biggest
turnaround in NBA history I think and it's all due to him. Everybody
else contributes but it's due to him. He brings the leadership on and
off the court. When you've got a leader like that, everybody works
hard and everybody holds each other accountable. That's what he
brings to this table."
>
> Glen Davis
> "There are so many things I could describe but the one that catches
my eye the most is his leadership. I knew he was a great player, .
[but] just him being the man that he is, you learn so much from it.
[He taught me to] be professional in whatever I do because everything
you do is being watched. And when you don't think you're being
watched, you're being watched."
>
> P.J. Brown
> "There's a number of different reasons you could say why [Garnett
is MVP], but the one that means most to me is he is a guy who can
raise the level of play of the people around him. I don't think it's
a coincidence that you see guys like Leon Powe, guys like Glen "Big
Baby" Davis, Eddie House, everybody's having a great year. I think
Kevin's presence is the biggest impact in making a difference in
their career. Not only is it just that. His approach to the game is
infectious and rubs off on everybody, his passion, his respect for
the game and practice. That means a lot to our young guys, Perkins
and these young guys who are having great years from what they're
learning. Just from those two standpoints I would say he's the MVP."
>