Quick - somebody create an AndreIguodala4MVP account because we are officially in the Twilight Zone of media coverage of the Sixers. In Tom Ziller's weekly MVP power rankings, he has listed our very own overpaid role player who only scores points in the fast break and misses every foul shot he takes - at number 8.
Andre Iguodala is the best wing defender in the NBA right now, edging LeBron, Luol Deng and, in my opinion, Tony Allen. Philadelphia has the league's top defense largely because 'Dala allows almost no breathing room for his cover on an almost nightly basis. That's valuable.
Chew on that, why doncha. After exactly zero NBA GMs listed Andre as the best wing defender, he's finally getting some love in the form of "yeah, he's the best wing defender". It's about time. Check the list to see who he's listed behind, but he's currently in front of, well, every other player in the NBA save for 7 guys. Those of the majority include LaMarcus Aldridge, Russell Westbrook, and Blake Griffin. Cool.
Do you think Andre, with his 12.8 points per game, has any shot at a top 10 finish in the MVP voting? I don't, but that's not to say he doesn't deserve it. At the very least, he's a lock for the All-Star Game, right? RIGHT? Efficiency rules the day.
0 recs | 51 comments
If the Sixers finish as a top 3 team in the East he should definitely get a look. Hopefully he’ll get some more DPOY votes as well.
mrprice33 - February 8, 2012
If he doesn’t make the all star game I don’t know if people will like me very much for a day or two.
As for MVP I doubt he’ll get any consideration but it’d be cool if he does
KJ Brophy - February 8, 2012
All-Star Game?
Seriously? I don’t think he makes it. The All-Star Game is not a venue for selecting the best all-around players, it’s a venue for putting on a show with the best and flashiest scorers. Iguodala is a wonderful all-around player who clearly hugely helps his team win, but other than the occasional highlight-reel dunk, he’s not a spectacular offensive player. His 13 ppg (less any fast-break points, of course) will be sitting home.
MVP? Not even under consideration unless the Sixers make it to the Finals. Or at least figure out how to beat the Heat.
dweebowitz - February 8, 2012
Oh really?
Then why did Ben Wallace make an All Star game
KJ Brophy - February 8, 2012
Fro.
Michael Levin - February 8, 2012
Or Dikembe
J.P.Melle - February 8, 2012
Where to begin? First, Iggy is one of the best dunkers/finishers in the NBA so I’m pretty sure that plays right into “it’s a venue for putting on a show” theory. The all-star game is all about fast breaks and dunks and that’s iggys strengths. Secondly, if you notice each year the all-star game is filled with players from good teams. That’s why the celtics send 4 each year and when the pistons were good they sent guys like rip hamiliton and billups who are not flashy at all.
As for your MVP argument, I’m pretty sure they pick the MVP based on the regular season. The winner is announced before the playoffs are over. I agree he won’t get consideration but he should.
E.T.23 - February 8, 2012
dweebowitz - February 8, 2012
Repaired.
dweebowitz - February 8, 2012
Just posted this in fanshots...
Andre Iguodala Gets No Respect
“Andre Iguodala might be the Rodney Dangerfield of the NBA. No, really. He’s the best player on the team with the best efficiency differential in the league. Most players in that situation get serious MVP attention. But Iguodala wasn’t voted to start in the all-star game, and most prominent media analysts don’t think he even deserves a spot on the all-star team at all”
BrandonB - February 8, 2012
Most analysts arent actually analysts. Chris sheridan, marc stein…they dont analyze. They pander.
jefu - February 8, 2012 via mobile
I’d rather watch grass grow then read anything they write.
BrandonB - February 8, 2012
LQG would have a heart attack if he saw this, then recover in time to write a novela-esque rebuttal.
jefu - February 8, 2012 via mobile
That was literally the first thing that I thought of when I read this article. We put up with his BS for so long, and then chased him away right when we had the perfect opportunity to to shit all over him. Le sigh.
The Crooked Man - February 8, 2012
He’s banned from posting. He isn’t banned from reading. So really, the true beauty is that he probably did read this, but can’t, or at least, hasn’t figure out yet how to grace us with his presence in which he shots down the entire write up with her say and conjecture.
EREX21 - February 8, 2012
He can make a new account, right? Or did they ban his IP address? I thought his posts were comical. He would go through a lot of effort to make his point only to be shunned by the rest of the LB community.
tst29 - February 8, 2012
I don’t think SBN has the capability to block by IP address but that is just my guess. So yes, he could create a new account. Wouldn’t be the first cat to do that.
EREX21 - February 8, 2012
DONT GIVE HIM ANY IDEAS
KJ Brophy - February 8, 2012
EB back tonight by the way
BrandonB - February 8, 2012
No
And I don’t think he deserve a top 10 consideration…
Love Iggy, but he’s not better than a top 20(maybe)
CholoG - February 8, 2012
On reputation and stand out stats i would say he’s more like top 30, but for mvp you have to look past that and more at what is he doing to help his team win. When you consider that he’s the best player on a team with a top three record in the east…top ten in mvp ranking seems like a more easily acceptable notion.
jefu - February 8, 2012 via mobile
Wins Produced has him in the top 5, stats wise.
BrandonB - February 8, 2012
Not surprised at all by that, however, when I said “stand out stat” I was more so referring to the basic stats you would see when clicking a player profile on espn (for example).
jefu - February 8, 2012
top 30?
Iggy’s a top 20 player. After LeBron and Durant, is there another SF who is clearly a better player than Iggy?
Dan Pearson - February 8, 2012
If you read the sports illustrated rankings he was listed #30. If you read the ESPN rankings, he was #35 or #36 if memory serves me correctly. Most well-respected analysts would agree with this.
I’m an avid Iguodala fan as anyone who reads this blog would know, however, I’m also a realist in a sense.
jefu - February 8, 2012
yes, SI and ESPN know everything. They really ranked Lavoy allen well too!
Dan Pearson - February 8, 2012
Zach lowe did the SI rankings that im guessing you didnt read based on your comment. He’s one of the more respected sports writers and i trust his judgement over someone who is quick to scoff at someone because they dont share his/her opinion.
jefu - February 9, 2012 via mobile
you also must’ve missed the part where I said, “stand out stats”. This would be points, rebounds, assists, steals, etc.
Not more authentic stats like winshares and winshares/48, etc.
jefu - February 8, 2012
DPOY .. maybe
MVP doubtful
stinkypants - February 8, 2012
Going out on a limb...
no All-Star selection, no DPOY, and sure as sure, no MVP consideration.
HossBoss - February 8, 2012
most underrated player of all-times?
BrandonB - February 8, 2012
I’d say unappreciated.
HossBoss - February 8, 2012 via mobile
Kinda hoping for Lou to sneak in to the All-Star game.
If only to see just how BOSSY it can get around here
HossBoss - February 8, 2012
I guess he’s a possibility as an ASG selection, he should get DPOY and all defense team consideration, and he shouldn’t be in the MVP discussion. I get that the Sixers are one of the top teams in the league and I have a lot of respect for Iggy’s game but he’s not an MVP. The team as a whole working together is what makes this team great and Iggy is just one of the pieces albeit an important one.
iladelphia - February 8, 2012
Agreed.
jefu - February 8, 2012 via mobile
I would love it if he got some DPOY attention. And if the Sixers keep playing D like this I don’t see why he wouldn’t.
J.P.Melle - February 8, 2012
I wish he would make it, but honestly, I could see him not making it. Maybe even Lou Will could make it. I don’t know, but I know he deserves some credit.
In other news, looking at that MVP Ranking, under “Others Receiving Consideration,” there is a man we all love, Hassan Whiteside.
philsfreak6 - February 8, 2012
Ziller always puts a jokey one in there. Last ranking I believe it was Travis Outlaw (superstar).
Michael Levin - February 8, 2012
No MVP, but DPOY and first team all defense NBA
All stats aside, Iguodala is the best defender on the best defensive team in the league. I don’t know why it needs to be more complicated than that.
If Ron Artest can win it in 2003-2004, then Iguodala should get it this year.
DPOY would mean even more to me than All-Star, because it reinforces Iguodala’s best strength (and hopefully encourages him to keep it up).
PhillyWarrior - February 8, 2012
Agree.
I think getting selected to the All-Star game would help with DPOY, as would the Magic continuing to play terrible defense. If Dwight gets traded and starts to care about defense again I don’t like Iguodala’s odds nearly as much.
J.P.Melle - February 8, 2012
He’s been snubbed for individual awards for 5 or 6 years now so I don’t think he’s going to change his game if he doesn’t get anything this year. Being snubbed is nothing new for him.
BrandonB - February 8, 2012
good point. Having a competent coach who installs a competent defensive system certainly helps too (and kudos to the assistant coaches who have helped), right Eddie Jordan?
jefu - February 8, 2012
The general consensus among NBA fans is that Deng, Granger, Prince and Gay are better than Iguodala.
Most of them will also say that Tony Allen, Shane Battier, and Deng are better defenders than Iguodala.
Iguodala will be lucky to make the all star team IMO.
tst29 - February 8, 2012
Since the fans only pick the starters it doesn’t really matter what they think at this point. The sixers are too good not to have a representative and since Iggy is their best player, he’ll get in.
E.T.23 - February 8, 2012
All this new-found attention and love gives new meaning to:
#Winning
tk76 - February 8, 2012
If the sixers finish the season over .700 they’ll put one or two on the team (*perhaps not starters, but still). Book it
Supra98x - February 8, 2012
On the mvp team?
jefu - February 8, 2012 via mobile
I’d root for them.
Michael Levin - February 8, 2012
Iggy was cursed of any individual accolade the moment he lost the dunk contest to Nate Robinson who needed 900 attempts to complete his dunks.
BrandonB - February 8, 2012
amen
that kind of ruined Iggy honestly. He won that contest and Robinson was the affirmative action/lets be nice to the short guy choice
Dan Pearson - February 8, 2012
I’ve always felt that way too, actually. If he won that Dunk Contest, I think he’d get a lot more recognition by the national media and be seen differently by the casual fan. Kind of a shame.
Naismithball - February 8, 2012
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