MVP Voters Pick Kevin Garnett Over LeBron James In Midseason Survey

The Akron Beacon Journal reports on Kevin Garnett winning their mid-season MVP survey:

The Beacon Journal contacted 35 likely MVP voters to take the race’s temperature. There are roughly 125 voters, so this is a healthy sample, and it was spread around to all areas of the country to avoid any Eastern or Western Conference bias.

New Boston Celtics arrival Kevin Garnett is the leader right now, getting 63 percent of the vote. Garnett’s game numbers (19.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists) can’t match James’ and, obviously, he’s gotten way more support from his teammates than James has.

My AM Take: The survey shows MVP voters believe in recognizing the best player on the best team. Garnett’s Celtics currently hold the league’s top record, while James’ Cavaliers struggled before finding their form.

Another line of thinking exists with the MVP award. It’s known as subtract a player. Remove Garnett from Boston and James from Cleveland. Which team is worse off?

The Celtics, because of their supporting cast, would stay competitive. The Cavaliers, without James’ scoring, rebounding, dime-dropping, ball-handling, and defense, would regress into a version of the Washington Generals.

Regardless of criteria other candidates exist. Kobe Bryant must be included in all MVP discussion. Then there are youngsters Dwight Howard, Brandon Roy and Chris Paul. And old heads like Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki.

Determining awards and honors is subjective. Much can unfold in the second half of the season. For now, MVP voters prefer recognizing the top player on the top team, which gives Garnett a slight edge.

Fair or not, their interpretation could ultimately determine the winner.

Agree or disagree? Should MVP be the best player on the best team? Is Garnett your winner? Get at us in the comment box below.

The AM Take is Oly’s morning thoughts on the NBA, appearing Sunday through Friday on HoopsVibe.com. Errors can be attributed to the time and his need for another coffee. Click here to get his AM Take and subscribe to his blog.