| Wade better than LeBron? Get serious Authored by Keith Berzanske - March 21, 2006 - 11:25 am
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The latest in a seemingly never ending string of attempts to keep LeBron down is the assertion being tossed around that Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade is a better player than LeBron James and that is the 2003 draft were held again, there'd be some question who the top choice would be.
Um...does anyone remember a guy named Shaq?
Oh yeah, that guy - one of the top ten players in the history of basketball. Oh yeah, he is Dwyane Wade's teammate.
First let me say that I LOVE Dwyane Wade - fantastic player. However, despite what John Hollinger and Bill Simmons (a.k.a The Sports Guy) are throwing out there, Dwyane Wade is NOT the MVP! He's not even the most important player on his own team! I can understand the Sports Guy getting caught up in all of Wade's spectacular play, but I'm a little disappointed in Hollinger, who is supposed to be a 'numbers guy'.
Look at the splits for when DWade has played with Shaq vs. without Shaq:
with Shaq:
33-11 won/loss record (.750)
28.84 pt/g
6.82 rb/g
5.55 as/g
1.73 st/g
0.82 bl/g
3.39 to/g
53.2% FG%
78.5% FT%
11.18 FTA/g
18.07 FGA/g
19.0% 3FG%
without Shaq:
9-9 won/loss record (.500)
25.00 pt/g
6.50 rb/g
6.50 as/g
2.28 st/g
0.72 bl/g
3.39 to/g
44.0% FG%
76.1% FT%
10.94 FTA/g
20.72 FGA/g
05.0% 3FG% (not a typo - 1/20)
Also, Wade missed 4 games, but Shaq played - Heat went 3-1
These statistics tells me that Wade is not much different than Kobe Bryant or Allen Iverson with regards to his effect on the team winning or losing games. His stats while Shaq was out are eerily similar to those guys. His field goal percentage is almost 10 points lower when playing without Shaq! He is also taking more shots to score less points and can't hit from 3.
Dwyane Wade is a great player (and far more enjoyable than the likes of Kobe to watch), one of the top 10-15 in the league for sure, but we shouldn't overrate his impact. He plays with Shaq, and that not only helps his numbers, but makes it difficult to judge his 'value', just like Kobe before him. He has hit his share of clutch shots, but again, he does have better teammates to distract the opposition.
Who is the MVP this year? Steve Nash, wihtout a doubt. He's playing even better than last year despite the Suns ostensibly replacing Joe Johnson and Amare Stoudemire's minutes with the likes of Boris Diaw, James Jones, Raja Bell, Tim Thomas, and Kurt Thomas. Nash's scoring average is up about 4 points, he plays the smartest floor game anyone has seen in years, he makes his teammates better, and his team is winning an inordinate percentage of games. He's even improved on defense.
At least Nash gets mentioned. You rarely hear LeBron's name mentioned any more in the MVP discussion, and if you do, it's usually after Nash, Wade, Chauncey Billups, and Dirk Nowitzki. All people talk about are how the Cavaliers have underachieved. Granted, they do go through rough spots during games sometimes. There are certainly areas for improvement. But still they sit at 38-29 despite missing their second best player, Larry Hughes, for over half the season. The reason is LeBron James. Oh, how do his numbers compare?
38-29 won/loss record (.567)
30.75 pt/g
7.16 rb/g
6.61 as/g
1.55 st/g
0.88 bl/g
3.33 to/g
47.3% FG%
73.8% FT%
10.07 FTA/g
22.99 FGA/g
33.33% 3FG%
So, let's see, LeBron is averaging more points, rebounds , and assists, fewer turnovers, and shooting better from long range, while leading a team with less talent to a high winning percentage.
If the players swapped teams, would Wade have been able to lead the avaliers to 38 wins in 67 games? Wouldn't LeBron shoot a higher percentage and have even more assists playing with Shaq?
LeBron has certainly struggled with his shot lately and has had some notable failures in the clutch, especially at the foul line. But he has also made some big plays, including finding open teammates for game winning shots rather than hogging the ball. It's LeBron's embracing of the team concept and the trust he has earned with his teammates and his penchant for playing the right way that will eventually pay off for the Cavaliers. And when that payoff comes, there won't be much of a debate about choosing between Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. LeBron is still only 21 and we should remember to appreciate just how gifted he is. We are witnessing greatness - LeBron may not win the NBA MVP this year, but there's no doubt that he will eventually win several, and eventually be regarded as the greatest palyer of this era, without peer.
Dwyane Wade is a great talent, but he's not LeBron James, and he's not the MVP. |
