On face value Derrick Rose is a well-deserving MVP for his performance relative to his team's performance, however at Sports Analytics we look at the last 10 years of MVP winners, their teams and the season to determine if Derrick Rose is a clear cut winner or is he just a stellar performer in a year when individual stars sacrificed their game for team success.
|
Year
|
Player
|
MPG
|
FG%
|
3P%
|
FT%
|
OFF
|
DEF
|
RPG
|
APG
|
SPG
|
BPG
|
TO
|
PF
|
PPG
|
|
08-09
|
James
|
37.7
|
0.489
|
0.344
|
0.780
|
1.3
|
6.3
|
7.6
|
7.2
|
1.7
|
1.2
|
2.98
|
1.72
|
28.4
|
|
09-10
|
James
|
39.0
|
0.503
|
0.333
|
0.767
|
0.9
|
6.4
|
7.3
|
8.6
|
1.6
|
1.0
|
3.43
|
1.57
|
29.7
|
|
07-08
|
Bryant
|
38.9
|
0.459
|
0.361
|
0.840
|
1.1
|
5.2
|
6.3
|
5.4
|
1.8
|
0.5
|
3.13
|
2.77
|
28.3
|
|
06-07
|
Nowitzki
|
36.2
|
0.502
|
0.416
|
0.904
|
1.6
|
7.3
|
8.9
|
3.4
|
0.7
|
0.8
|
2.14
|
2.19
|
24.6
|
|
04-05
|
Nash
|
34.3
|
0.502
|
0.431
|
0.887
|
0.8
|
2.6
|
3.3
|
11.5
|
1.0
|
0.1
|
3.27
|
1.81
|
15.5
|
|
05-06
|
Nash
|
35.4
|
0.512
|
0.439
|
0.921
|
0.6
|
3.6
|
4.2
|
10.5
|
0.8
|
0.2
|
3.49
|
1.52
|
18.8
|
|
03-04
|
Garnett
|
39.4
|
0.499
|
0.256
|
0.791
|
3.0
|
10.9
|
13.9
|
5.0
|
1.5
|
2.2
|
2.59
|
2.46
|
24.2
|
|
02-03
|
|
39.3
|
0.513
|
0.273
|
0.710
|
3.2
|
9.7
|
12.9
|
3.9
|
0.7
|
2.9
|
3.06
|
2.85
|
23.3
|
|
01-02
|
|
40.6
|
0.508
|
0.100
|
0.799
|
3.3
|
9.4
|
12.7
|
3.7
|
0.7
|
2.5
|
3.21
|
2.65
|
25.5
|
|
00-01
|
Iverson
|
43.7
|
0.398
|
0.291
|
0.812
|
0.7
|
3.8
|
4.5
|
5.5
|
2.8
|
0.2
|
3.95
|
1.70
|
31.4
|
|
Year
|
Team
|
MPG
|
FG%
|
3P%
|
FT%
|
OFF
|
DEF
|
RPG
|
APG
|
SPG
|
BPG
|
TO
|
PF
|
PPG
|
|
10-11
|
Rose
|
37.4
|
0.445
|
0.332
|
0.858
|
1.0
|
3.1
|
4.1
|
7.7
|
1.0
|
0.6
|
3.43
|
1.68
|
25.0
|
Statistically speaking Rose's numbers are very strong. Rose's ability throughout the 10/11 season highlighted he could score at will with his slashing to the basket game and get to the free throw line and get easy points with strong conversion percentage.
Comparatively to past winners, Rose's steals and assists for his position played are outstanding however the one knock on Rose's game is that he takes far too many shots in the offensive system the Bulls run and because he is not a hot shooter, this can sometimes detract from his primary role as a facilitating point guard.
Despite this knock statistically, Rose is a deserving winner of the MVP award. Though you have to ask yourself, will their be an asterisk against his name because of the Wade, James tag-team teaming up for a ring and sacrificing their game. Kobe Bryant preferring to win than carry his team throughout the regular season to maintain freshness for the playoffs. Dirk Nowitzki being hotter than his MVP season until he was injured. Dwight Howard being a monster in a team where his teammates let him down. Whilst these arguments can be made for any other year, it is our gut feel that should Rose win MVP's in years to come they might be just more valuable than the one he has won today, based on the fact, this season saw a twist where players wanted to sacrifice their games for wins. The opposing argument to this though is that Rose did not sacrifice his game, he did not team up with other players to gang up on the league, and carried his team to the best Eastern Conference record.
In summary, Rose is a deserving winner and despite many fans and experts highlighting it may come with asterisks due to the dynamic changes in the league this year, you can't fault anything Rose has dished up on and off the court this year.
Congratulations and let's see if a run for the Title stamps these doubts out...
