CHARLOTTE – And now it is official. Jason Kidd is not the NBA’s Most Valuable Player. Tim Duncan of San Antonio has that honor. But it was close.
In the fifth-closest race since the current format was adopted in 1980-81, Duncan edged Kidd, 954-897, in the voting by 126 media members throughout the U.S. and Canada. Duncan, the league’s fifth-leading scorer and second-best rebounder, collected 57 first place votes compared to 45 for Kidd, who was second in assists, third in steals.
As he did earlier this week when it became painfully obvious Duncan would win, Kidd stressed team and winning last night’s Game 3 of the Eastern semifinals against the Hornets over individual awards. But that didn’t happen as the Nets fell to the Hornets 115-97.
“It is over with. This [game] is what we are focusing on,” said Kidd, who again praised Duncan as a well-deserving recipient. “Everybody can make a case for any player if they wanted to. But we have to move on and that is the way we have to approach it. We have to try and get a win here on the road.”
One Hornet, P.J. Brown, an ex-Net who lived through some of the Meadowlands’ misery years, felt Kidd was the choice.
Said Brown, “Jason has my vote. To change the franchise like that? We know where the Nets have come from.”
The balloting awarded 10 points for first place, seven for second, five for third, three for fourth and one for fifth place. Kidd was left off two ballots entirely, Duncan was left off three and Shaquille O’Neal, who finished third, was also left off two ballots.
“It’s amazing that anybody would leave those guys off. That’s amazing,” said Net coach Byron Scott. “I go back to my original statement: Let the coaches and the GM’s and the presidents vote.”
Kidd just shrugged off the entire matter, claiming “That’s the way it goes,” when told he was omitted off two ballots.
Added Kidd, “It is good to hear people speak out but everybody is going to have their opinion.”
WHO’S THE MAN?
NEW YORK (AP) – Results of the voting for the 2002 NBA Most Valuable Player Award, as selected by a panel of the media from the U.S. and Canada, on a 10-7-5-3-1 basis:
Player, Team Total
Tim Duncan, San Antonio 954
Jason Kidd, New Jersey 897
Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers 696
Tracy McGrady, Orlando 390
Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers 98
Gary Patyon, Seattle 54
Chris Webber, Sacramento 37
Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas 31
Allen Iverson, Philadelphia 29
Ben Wallace, Detroit 24
Paul Pierce, Boston 22
Kevin Garnett, Minnesota 17
Michael Jordan, Washington 16
Steve Nash, Dallas 5
Jerry Stackhouse, Detroit 3
Elton Brand, L.A. Clippers 1
Mike Bibby, Sacramento 1
Predrag Stojakovic, Sacramento 1
