Tag: Kevin Garnett

Unanimous MVP Seasons in NBA History

This week, Stephen Curry became the first unanimous MVP in NBA history. There are many reasons for this distinction, including Golden State’s record-breaking win total, transparency in the voting process, and, above all else, Curry’s dominance on the court. Although Curry was the first unanimous MVP, he wasn’t the first player who deserved to be honored as such. Considering that voters have traditionally valued a mixture of individual and team dominance, how many other players in history deserved this honor? I identified eight players who should have earned this distinction over 11 dominant seasons.

Stephen Curry, 2015-16

Team Record: 73-9 (NBA record for wins)
Key Stats: 30.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 6.7 APG, 2.1 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 50.4 FG%, 45.4 3FG%, 90.8 FT%, 31.5 PER, .318 WS/48
League Leader in: PPG, SPG, FT%, FG, 3FGM (NBA record), PER, WS, WS/48, TS%
Commentary: One of the most awe-inspiring seasons in NBA history.

LeBron James, 2012-13

Team Record: 66-16
Key Stats: 26.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 7.3 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 56.5 FG%, 40.6 3FG%, 75.3 FT%, 31.6 PER, .322 WS/48
League Leader in: FG, PER, WS, WS/48
Commentary: We don’t have to go too far back to identify another player who deserved this distinction. LeBron was on top of his game that season, and he led Miami to a 27-game winning streak and the best record in basketball through his dominant play. He fell one vote shy of unanimity, as one voter somehow cast a first-place vote for Carmelo Anthony. However, his performance was deserving of a unanimous MVP selection.

LeBron James, 2009-10

Team Record: 61-21
Key Stats: 29.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 8.6 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 50.3 FG%, 33.3 3FG%, 76.7 FT%, 31.1 PER, .299 WS/48
League Leader in: PER, WS, WS/48
Commentary: Unfortunately, this season is not remembered fondly, due to the shocking upset that Cleveland suffered at the hands of the Celtics in the Conference Semifinals. Since MVP awards are only based on regular season performance, this still makes the list. Cleveland had the best record in the league, James was the best player in the league, and he even set an NBA record for assists per game by a forward while averaging close to 30 points per game. Kevin Durant and Dwight Howard split the seven votes that LeBron did not receive, but it’s hard to make a case for anybody but LeBron in his last season before taking his talents to South Beach.

Shaquille O’Neal, 1999-2000

Team Record: 67-15
Key Stats: 29.7 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 3.8 APG, 0.5 SPG, 3.0 BPG, 57.4 FG%, 0 3FG%, 52.4 FT%, 30.6 PER, .283 WS/48
League Leader in: PTS, PPG, FG, FG%, PER, WS, WS/48
Commentary: A healthy, motivated Shaq was one of the scariest players in NBA history. He put it all together in 1999-00, leading the Lakers to the best record in basketball and embarrassing opponents on a nightly basis. One lonely voter inexplicably voted for Allen Iverson over O’Neal, but everyone else recognized that nobody could touch Shaq that year. This is an absolutely clear-cut case.

Michael Jordan, 1995-96

Team Record: 72-10
Key Stats: 30.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 4.3 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 49.5 FG%, 42.7 3FG%, 83.4 FT%, 29.4 PER, .317 WS/48
League Leader in: PTS, PPG, FG, WS, WS/48
Commentary: Though this wasn’t Michael’s best season, it marked his first full one since his baseball sabbatical, and he led the Bulls to a then-NBA record for wins. Proving that he was still the best player in the game, Jordan surpassed the 30 PPG barrier for the final time in his career, and added another all-NBA first-team defense honor to his mantle. Anfernee Hardaway, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Karl Malone split the votes that did not go to Jordan, but it’s hard to make a case for any of them to have won the award.

Michael Jordan - 2X deserving unanimous MVP
Michael Jordan had several deserving unanimous MVP seasons
Copyright © Lipofsky Basketballphoto.com

Michael Jordan, 1990-91

Team Record: 61-21
Key Stats: 31.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 5.5 APG, 2.7 SPG, 1.0 BPG, .539 FG%, 31.2 3FG%, 85.1 FT%, 31.6 PER, .321 WS/48
League Leader in: PTS, PPG, FG, PER, WS, WS/48
Commentary: The start of the Bulls dynasty. Jordan was in peak form, blending his individual talents into a team framework expertly. His advanced statistics from this year were some of the greatest ever, which wasn’t appreciated by voters at the time (19 votes were cast for other candidates).

Larry Bird, 1985-86

Team Record: 67-15
Key Stats: 25.8 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 6.8 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 49.6 FG%, 42.3 3FG%, 89.6 FT%, 25.6 PER, .244 WS/48
League Leader in: FT%, 3FGM, PER, WS, WS/48
Commentary: In 1985-86, Bird led the Celtics to a league-leading 67 wins, and an NBA record 40-1 home record. This was the last of the three straight MVPs he won in the mid-80s, and also the most convincing; Dominique Wilkins was the only other player to receive any first-place votes (five).

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 1976-77

Team Record: 53-29
Key Stats: 26.2 PPG, 13.3 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.2 SPG, 3.2 BPG, 57.9 FG%, 70.1 FT%, 27.8 PER, .283 WS/48
League Leader in: FG, FG%, REB, BLK, PER, WS, WS/48
Commentary: In his second season in Los Angeles, Kareem led the Lakers to the best record in basketball. A look at the voting that year shows how different basketball analysis was before the advent of advanced statistics. Jo Jo White and Norm Van Lier both received first-place votes with PERs that were below league average. A whopping 14 different players received first-place votes, despite Jabbar’s dominance. Even though the Lakers would get swept by Portland in the Western Conference Finals, Kareem’s regular season was (by far) the most impactful in the league.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 1970-71

Team Record: 66-16
Key Stats: 31.7 PPG, 16.0 RPG, 3.3 APG, 57.7 FG%, 69.0 FT%, 29.0 PER, .326 WS/48
League Leader in: PTS, PPG, FG, PER, WS, WS/48
Commentary: Kareem kicked off one of the most dominant three-year stretches in NBA history with his first of six MVP awards. The Bucks had 14 more wins than their next closest competitor, and Jabbar had the second highest WS/48 in league history (his 71-72 campaign is the highest, while his 72-73 season is the fourth highest). Somehow, teammate Oscar Robertson received five first-place votes, and three others received a combined 15 more first-place votes.

Wilt Chamberlain, 1966-67

Team Record: 68-13
Key Stats: 24.1 PPG, 24.2 RPG, 7.8 APG, 68.3 FG%, 44.1 FT%, 26.5 PER, .285 WS/48
League Leader in: FG%, REB, RPG, PER, WS, WS/48, TS%
Commentary: Can you imagine if the internet existed in 1967? Players were still voting for the league’s MVP, and 15 somehow voted for Nate Thurmond over the best player on the best team in league history (at the time). Fans would have gone crazy, and basketball twitter would have been insufferable. Chamberlain did it all that year, and finally earned his first NBA championship in the process.

George Mikan, 1950-51 (no award given at this time)

Team Record: 44-24
Key Stats: 28.4 PPG, 14.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, 42.8 FG%, 80.3 FT%, 23.4 WS
League Leader in: PTS, PPG, FG, FT, WS
Commentary: Back in the day before PER and WS/48 could be calculated, and before MVPs were awarded, George Mikan stood above his peers. In 50-51, he led the Lakers to the best record in basketball, though it wound up being the only season in a six-year stretch where they did not win the championship. Only three players that season averaged more than 20 PPG, and Mikan averaged almost seven PPG more than his closest competitor. He also led the league in both offensive and defensive win shares.

Others under Consideration

Several other noteworthy seasons can be argued for inclusion as well, though they were omitted from this author’s list.

LeBron James, 2011-12

LeBron’s first championship season came during the 2012 lockout. He was clearly the best player in the world, but his team had a pedestrian 46-20 record, which was fourth best in the league.

LeBron James, 2008-09

This was a tough omission; LeBron led the Cavaliers to a league-best 66-16 season, and had one of the great advanced statistical seasons in history. However, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade also had otherworldly seasons, and Kobe Bryant led the Lakers to 65 wins (and an eventual championship).

Kevin Garnett, 2003-04

KG led the Wolves to the best record in the Western Conference, and led the league in points, rebounds, RPG, field goals, PER, win shares, and WS/48. The Spurs were only one game off their pace, however, and Tim Duncan put up another stellar campaign, so it was conceivable for him to get a few first-place votes that year (in reality, Duncan didn’t receive any votes, while Jermaine O’Neal and Peja Stojakovic combined to earn three).

Michael Jordan, 1991-92

Jordan’s Bulls won 67 games that year, and he took the mantle as the undisputed biggest star in basketball with Magic Johnson’s premature retirement that preseason. While this was his lowest scoring output (30.1 PPG) of the stretch where he won seven scoring titles in a row, he was still the most efficient player in basketball, leading the league in PER, WS, and WS/48. However, advanced stat marvel David Robinson was very close to him in these categories, and Clyde Drexler had a fantastic season as well.

Magic Johnson, 1986-87

In Magic’s first MVP season, he led the Lakers to a league-best 65-17 record and averaged a career-high 23.9 PPG along with a league-leading 12.2 APG. This was a compelling case for a unanimous selection, but brilliant seasons from Larry Bird and young Michael Jordan prevented it from being included on the above list.

Larry Bird, 1984-85

Bird led the Celtics to the league’s best record in 1984-85, and had the best advanced statistics in the league. However, Magic Johnson’s Lakers were only one game off their pace, with Magic putting up 18.3 PPG/6.2 RPG/12.6 APG. Michael Jordan and Terry Cummings (!) also received two first-place votes each.

Moses Malone, 1982-83

In Moses’s first season in Philadelphia, he led the Sixers to the best record in basketball and a dominating playoff run that ended in a title. While he could have been unanimously selected, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were also carrying their teams to high win totals, and it’s not egregious that they received a few votes (Julius Erving’s three first-place votes are harder to defend).

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 1971-72

How does one of the greatest individual seasons in NBA history not get included? Kareem averaged 34.8 PPG, 16.6 RPG, and 4.6 APG, and led the Bucks to 63 wins. However, the Lakers were historically great that year, winning 33 games in a row on route to a then-record 69 victories. L.A.’s Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain split 80 first-place votes between them, while Kareem garnered 81 to take home the trophy.

Wilt Chamberlain, 1965-66

Wilt was the best statistical player in the league that year (averaging a comical 33.5 PPG, 24.6 RPG, and 5.2 APG), and led Philadelphia to the best record in the league. Dominant seasons from Jerry West and Oscar Robertson put his unanimous MVP claim into question.

Wilt Chamberlain, 1961-62

Considering Wilt didn’t even win the MVP award that year (finishing far behind Bill Russell), it’s hard to make a claim that he deserved unanimous selection. However, averaging 50.4 PPG and 25.7 RPG means you at least deserve honorable mention for this list.

Bob Pettit, 1958-59

Pettit was far and away the most efficient player in the league that year (his league-leading 28.2 PER was 4.6 points ahead of the next closest competitor). The Celtics, however, had the best record in the league, and it’s conceivable that Bill Russell received first-place MVP votes.

George Mikan, 1952-53 (no award given)
George Mikan, 1949-50 (no award given)

It’s unfortunate that the league did not award an MVP until the 1955-56 season. Mikan surely would have cleaned up during this time, and two of his most dominating seasons are highlighted here. However, in 1952-53, Bob Cousy would have likely garnered some votes, and in 1949-50 Alex Groza may have siphoned some away as well.

All-Time Philadelphia 76ers vs. All-Time Minnesota Timberwolves

Commentary

SWEEP!

Results

Philadelphia wins, four games to none.

Next Round

Philadelphia faces the winner of the All-Time Knicks vs. All-Time Cavaliers.

More Commentary

The only interesting battle between the All-Time Philadelphia 76ers vs. All-Time Minnesota Timberwolves is at the power forward position, where three legends will face off (Charles Barkley, Dolph Schayes, and Kevin Garnett). Garnett was part of a recent renaissance at the position that re-set the all-time rankings. Here are the statistics for the greatest power forwards ever, and then my rankings, from 10 to one (note: Elgin Baylor, Billy Cunningham, Chris Bosh, and Pau Gasol had more years at other positions than at power forward in the basketball-reference.com database, so they’re not included in this analysis).

Greatest Power Forwards Infographic
Honorable Mention

Bailey Howell, Tommy Heinsohn, and Vern Mikkelsen were multiple time all-stars who contributed to championship teams over the course of their underrated careers…Through nine seasons, Shawn Kemp made six all-star game appearances, and was an integral cog in several championship-level teams in Seattle. However, his career soon fell off of a cliff, and he has the least compelling case of the 19 players listed here…Spencer Haywood won Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season in the American Basketball Association, but had his greatest NBA success on a string of losing teams in Seattle…Dave DeBusschere and Dennis Rodman are two of the greatest defensive players of all time, who were key contributors to championship teams. It’s difficult to leave them out of the top 10, but their combined three all-NBA team appearances and limited offensive arsenals prevent them from being placed above the other legends on the list…Chris Webber and George McGinnis have similar statistical profiles, and each has an intriguing Hall-of-Fame case. However, Webber’s prime was cut short by injuries, and McGinnis was not nearly as dominant in the NBA as he was in the ABA.

10. Jerry Lucas
Lucas was a rebounding machine who made three all-NBA first-team appearances in the 1960s ahead of the likes of John Havlicek and Willis Reed (who was considered a power forward for a few years in his career). He was a contributor to the second Knicks championship team (off the bench), had a very high field goal percentage for his era, and currently ranks as the fourth leading rebounder in NBA history on a per game basis.

9. Kevin McHale
McHale never had to carry a team on his own, and came off the bench for the majority of his career. When he was on the court, however, he was an offensive force, and currently has the highest field goal percentage in NBA history for a non-center (outside of Bo Outlaw, who rarely shot the basketball). He was also a brilliant defender, making six all-NBA defensive teams. Similar to Rodman and DeBusschere, he lacks the all-NBA team appearances that others on the list accumulated. However, he was a far superior offensive player to either of those two, and while his excellent defense may not have been as renowned as either of theirs, it was still elite, and thus, his all-around play lands him in the top 10.

8. Elvin Hayes
I’ve already chronicled the many criticisms of Hayes, who was as difficult a personality as there was in the NBA. However, it’s hard to look past his 12 all-star game appearances, six all-NBA appearances, and the fact that he was the leading scorer and rebounder on a team that won the NBA championship. You could win with Elvin Hayes, despite his personality issues, and his resume secures his place on this list.

7. Dolph Schayes
Schayes was one of the NBA’s best players in its infancy, making six All-NBA first team and six All-NBA second team appearances from 1950 to 1961. He was the best player on a championship team (the 1955 Syracuse Nationals), and was one of only 10 players to make the league’s Silver Anniversary team.

5. (Tie) Charles Barkley and Dirk Nowitzki
These are two of the greatest offensive players in NBA history. Dirk is one of the greatest jump-shooting big men ever, while Barkley did his best work near the basket. Barkley was also a relentless rebounder, while Nowitzki is one of only two players to register below eight rebounds per game on this list. Both thrived in the playoffs; in 123 playoff games, Barkley averaged 23.0 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 3.9 APG, and had a 24.2 PER, while Nowitzki averaged 25.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 2.5 APG, and 24.0 PER in 140 playoff games. Barkley infamously never won a championship, while Nowitzki was the best player on the Mavericks only championship team in 2011. Each won one MVP award, and each led the league in PER one season. Nowitzki gets extra credit for leading a constantly rotating supporting cast to 11 straight 50 win seasons during the prime of his career.

4. Karl Malone
As Jack McCallum described in Dream Team: How Michael, Magic, Larry, Charles, and the Greatest Team of All Time Conquered the World and Changed the Game of Basketball Forever, I believe that Barkley was a better player than Malone during their respective primes. However, Malone’s work ethic allowed him to get the very best out of his body, and his 14 all-star game and all-NBA appearances reflect this. Malone was fortunate to play his entire career with one of the greatest orchestrators in NBA history, while Barkley didn’t play with an elite playmaker until he was traded to Phoenix, and Nowitzki lost Steve Nash just as both were entering their respective primes. Malone’s PER dropped from 23.9 in the regular season to 21.1 in the playoffs, and he wasn’t at his best in his two NBA Finals appearances. Malone gets credit for being a solid defender, which isn’t something that can be said about Barkley or Nowitzki. Numbers three through six are very close, and could change once Nowitzki’s career is finished.

3. Kevin Garnett
During his prime, Garnett may have been the best all-around player in the NBA. While he wasn’t the scorer that Barkley, Nowitzki, or Malone was, he was still a multitalented offensive threat, who once averaged a mind-blowing six assists per game from the power forward position. He’s also one of the handful of greatest defensive players in NBA history, operating almost as a giant Scottie Pippen, who could singlehandedly disrupt opposing offenses. In Minnesota, his postseason play was sometimes criticized, but he never had adequate talent around him to win a championship. He led the Celtics to a title in his first year with the club, and could have repeated if he hadn’t suffered a season-ending injury the next year (he was never the same player after that). His all-around play places him in the top three.

2. Bob Pettit
Pettit has an unassailable resume. He made the all-star game every year of his career. He made the All-NBA first team in each of his first 10 seasons, and made the second team in his 11th and final year. He was the best player on a championship team, and led the Hawks to three other NBA Finals appearances. Advanced statistics support the fact that he was one of the handful of greatest players ever, and he is one of only three players on this list to win multiple regular season MVP awards.

1. Tim Duncan
The only ‘criticism’ of Duncan is that he’s played half of his career at center, but for our purposes, he’s eligible for this list (basketball-reference.com has him listed as playing primarily power forward in 10 seasons, and primarily playing center in eight). Like Malone and Nowitzki, Duncan has aged like fine wine, and has accumulated the most all-star game, all-NBA, and all-NBA defensive appearances on this list. His advanced statistics are spectacular. He’s a two-way player, who can operate as the offensive and defensive anchor on championship-level teams. He’s won five championships, and has been the clear-cut best player on four of those teams. His playoff PER is virtually identical to his regular season PER. And he’s still going! Duncan is the greatest ever.

All-Time Minnesota Timberwolves Team

All-Time Minnesota Timberwolves Team Infographic

Our next franchise reminds me of an old Chris Farley character from Saturday Night Live (Bennett Brauer for those who watch). They’re not “successful.” They don’t make “good decisions.” They shouldn’t be considered a “professional franchise.” They’ve only made eight playoff appearances in 26 seasons, and have the second worst winning percentage in NBA history. However, brighter days are ahead. They’ve acquired the past two number one picks in the NBA draft, both of whom are potential superstars in the making. Ten years from now, the All-Time Minnesota Timberwolves team might look pretty good. Right now, however, they’re a collection of misfit parts, held together by an iconic player who led the team to its only triumphs.

Terrell Brandon had a very short career with the Wolves, but was an effective lead guard for them during that time. He’s joined in the starting backcourt by Wally Szczerbiak, a natural small forward who’ll have to play out of position on this team. Szczerbiak was a deadly shooter in Minnesota, and is one of only five players to have made an all-star team during his time with the club. Szczerbiak will be forced to play out of position because three natural power forwards will start in the frontcourt. Tom Gugliotta was an effective and versatile offensive weapon who was an excellent passer for his size (6’10” 240lb). Kevin Love led the league in rebounds per game in 2011, the year he won the NBA’s Most Improved Player award. Over time, he developed an excellent jump shot that extended past three point range, and was one of the league’s most efficient offensive players. Kevin Garnett is by far the greatest player in franchise history. He led the team to their only eight playoff appearances from 1997 to 2004. He won the only MVP award in franchise history, when he led them to 58 wins and the top seed in the conference, and led the league in total points, total rebounds, rebounds per game, PER, win shares, and win shares per 48 minutes. He’s also one of the greatest defensive players in history, and will singlehandedly make this team competitive on that end of the court.

The bench…is not very good. Part of this is due to the franchise’s youth, and part of it is due to terrible management decisions that have plagued the franchise. Ricky Rubio is one of the worst shooters in NBA history, and he was drafted two slots ahead of one of the best shooters in NBA history. The team tried to sign Joe Smith to an illegal contract, and it cost them four first round draft picks. Other characters include Christian Laettner, who everybody hates, and Nikola Pekovic, who looks exactly like one of the villains from Superman 2. And those are their best reserves! Big minutes will be needed from the starters.

This team was hurt by the four-year requirement, and could use the contributions of Al Jefferson and Stephon Marbury (who were ineligible because they did not play enough seasons with the franchise). They wouldn’t make much difference, however, because this team faces an impossible first-round match up against an historic franchise. Check back in 10 years from now, Wolves fans. Things should be better by then.

Coach: Flip Saunders

All-Time Franchise Winning Percentage (through 2014-15): .393