New Orleans – One Los Angeles Lakers fan wearing Kobe Bryant’s old No. 8 jersey Friday night held up a sign high that read: “Kobe 4 MVP.” And as the buzzer sounded at the end of Bryant’s fourth consecutive 50-plus point performance in the Lakers’ 111-105 victory over the New Orleans-Oklahoma City Hornets, another Lakers fan began loudly chanting: “MVP, MVP.”
Bryant for MVP? The NBA’s voting media has limited MVP conversation to Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki and Phoenix’s Steve Nash. But after Bryant’s recent scoring spree, it is now a three-man race.
“I don’t have to argue. The proof is in the pudding,” Lakers forward Lamar Odom said. “I don’t think I have to say anything or sit here and argue. I think he’s shown why he should be MVP.”
By scoring 50 against the Hornets on 16-of-29 shooting and 16-of-16 free throws, Bryant became the first NBA player since Wilt Chamberlain in 1962 to have four consecutive 50-point games. Included in Chamberlain’s run was his famed 100-point game. “Wilt the Stilt” also had an NBA-record seven consecutive scoring games of 50 or more in December 1961.
Bryant scored 65 against Portland on March 16, 50 against Minnesota on March 18 and 60 against Memphis on Thursday and is now the league’s leading scorer. And with defensively weak Golden State up tonight, Bryant’s streak has a good chance of continuing.
“It’s phenomenal. It’s incredible,” said Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who also coached Michael Jordan. “(Bryant’s) shooting (outside) more than Michael was.”
So why should Bryant be considered over Nowitzki and Nash?
Sure, Nowitzki has led the Mavericks to an NBA-best 57-11 record. Sure, Nash is the engine behind the successful Suns’ run-and-fun offense. But Nowitzki and Nash have something Bryant doesn’t have. A quality supporting cast.
Nowitzki plays with NBA all-star Josh Howard and stellar guards Jason Terry and Devin Harris. Nash plays with underrated all-stars Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion.
Outside of Odom (who has missed 26 games to injury), who does Bryant truly have to help him win? Luke Walton? Kwame Brown? Smush Parker? You know you’re in trouble with a dude named “Smush” starting at point guard. Bryant has the worst supporting cast in the Western Conference. He needs to score big for the Lakers to win and his teammates have been supportive of his scoring.
“(My scoring) has been a formula for us as of late,” said Bryant, who says he’s not getting fatigued. “It seems to be working well for us right now. It depends on your opponent, what the defense is doing, how we are playing as a team. It seems to be working well for us right now. It might change. It might not.”
Moreover, Bryant is single-handedly leading the Lakers, winner of four in a row, in their efforts to win the race for the West’s sixth spot over the Nuggets. Spurring Bryant of late was having to serve a second one-game suspension for striking another player while shooting.
“The thing that was frustrating for me is that people were talking about me as a dirty player, which to me is pretty insulting,” Bryant said. “That’s something I don’t need to do. From that aspect, to have people talking about something else besides that is a much better feeling.”
What they need to talk about is Kobe for MVP. In the end, Bryant says the Lakers’ record probably would give voters a reason to sway toward Nowitzki and Nash. But if his scoring stays hot, the chanting of “MVP, MVP” for Bryant could get louder.
Warning!
In lieu of the NBA fining Boston for making contact with Texas freshman star Kevin Durant’s family and Golden State and Charlotte for making comments about underclassmen, the NBA sent a reminder e-mail March 15 to teams in regard to scouting all-star games for high school and international players.
Teams can only attend such NBA-sanctioned events as the McDonald’s All-American Game (Louisville, Ky.), the Roundball Classic (Chicago), the Nike Hoop Summit (Memphis, Tenn.), Adidas Derby Festival Basketball Classic (Louisville), the Brand Jordan All-American Classic (New York City), the Nike World Tournament (France), the Global Games (Dallas) and the FIBA under-19 world championship (Serbia & Montenegro).
While NBA teams cannot attend practices for American high school players, they can for international players. The NBA also reminded teams that “while attending these events, team personnel are not permitted to communicate with any players participating in the events or their representatives or family members.”
Footnotes
Detroit Pistons guard Chauncey Billups has put his South Denver home up for sale. The former George Washington High School and Colorado star’s home also used to be owned by former Nuggets Bryant Stith and Tom Hammonds before him. Billups plans on buying a home more centralized in Denver to be closer to his parents. …
Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith is quietly growing into a potential superstar. In the past nine games without injured all-star Joe Johnson, Smith is averaging 19.9 points on 49 percent shooting. The athletic 6-foot-9, 235-pound Smith is one of three NBA players (Ben Wallace and Shawn Marion) ranking in the top 20 in rebounds, steals and blocked shots. If the Hawks are smart, they will re-sign the 21-year-old to an extension rather than allowing him to test the free-agent market in 2008. …
Word is Texas freshman guard D.J. Augustin is leaning toward returning to school and the NBA stock for Wisconsin senior forward Alando Tucker and Pittsburgh senior center Aaron Gray dropped during the NCAA Tournament. …
Jackson was perplexed by the Hornets having a retirement ceremony for their mascot, Hugo, during Friday’s game during a timeout. “That’s a first,” Jackson said.
SPOTLIGHT ON THE NEW ORLEANS HORNETS
Background: Hurricane Katrina caused the Hornets to move from New Orleans to Oklahoma City before the 2005-06 season. While the Hornets have played the majority of their games in Oklahoma City since, they will be moving back to New Orleans full time next season. The 2008 All-Star Game will be in New Orleans, too. The Hornets played six home games in New Orleans this season averaging 17,129 fans and had two sellouts. Friday’s New Orleans home season-finale game against the Los Angeles Lakers drew a New Orleans Arena record 18,535 fans.
What’s up: The Hornets didn’t have any major corporate sponsors pre-Katrina. But Friday, they announced a second one in Capital One joining Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverage. Corporate sponsors are vital to aiding an NBA franchise. The league is helping the Hornets’ quest to land corporate sponsorship and expect more to come before next season.
What’s next: Hornets owner George Shinn is upset the state of Louisiana hasn’t lived up to its promise dating to 2002 to spend $6.5 million to build a practice facility. The major problem seems to be agreeing on a location and the project could cost three times as much now. Shinn would like a practice facility built across the street from the New Orleans Arena and has “hope” it could be done by the 2008-09 season. For now, the outdated Alario Center in nearby Westwego, La., is the likely option for the Hornets.
“It’s very, very critical,” Shinn said. “We are busting our chops to make things work. We’re spending money, working hard to get our people here, doing all the things right. And we were asked to honor our lease, and we honored it. Now you honor your end.”
Marc J. Spears’ take: Outside of the practice facility fiasco, the Hornets seem to be moving in the right direction in New Orleans for the first time since arriving from Charlotte. There is new optimism the NBA can succeed in New Orleans. Don’t be surprised if it does work out.
Wide world of broadcasters
The following is longtime Nuggets play-by-play radio announcer Jerry Schemmel’s top sports play-by-play announcers of all-time:
1. Jim McKay
2. Al Michaels
3. Curt Gowdy
4. Vin Scully
5. Bob Costas
PLAYOFF PICTURE: LAKERS MAY HAVE THAT SIXTH SENSE
There is a perception the Nuggets would be better off landing with the seventh seed in the Western Conference to earn a first-round matchup against the Phoenix Suns rather than the San Antonio Spurs. Considering the current records and remaining schedule, the Los Angeles Lakers can make that happen for Denver.
The Lakers (37-32) are on a four-game win streak and own a two-game lead over Denver (34-33) for the West’s sixth spot. The Lakers finish the regular season against teams with worse records, playing five teams with winning records (three at home) and eight with losing records (five at home). Denver plays eight teams with winning records (two at home) and seven with losing records (three at home).
“We really want to focus on just winning our games and playing well there,” Lakers guard Kobe Bryant said, “and where we end up is where we end up.”
If the playoffs began today, the seventh-seeded Nuggets would be playing the Suns in the first round and the Lakers would play third-seeded San Antonio. The Nuggets’ two lowest scoring games this season are against San Antonio, but they defeated the Suns 131-107 on March 17.
“It’s up to us to keep winning,” Lakers forward Lamar Odom said. “It makes no difference if they win or we lose. We have to continue to win. If we do that we’ll be all right.”
Marc J. Spears can be reached at 303-954-1098 or mspears@denverpost.com.
