After an epic fail by the Los Angeles Lakers, the Boston Celtics are up 3-1 in the NBA Finals. With such a deficit, it is almost certain that the Celtics will win the series. The only question remaining is who on the Celtics team should get MVP honors.
The candidates are the Boston Three Party, otherwise known as Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen. All three players have been vital to the success of the Celtics, but there can only be one.
Scoring wise, the Big Three are very close, with Ray Allen leading the way with 20.0 points. Paul Pierce is right behind with 19.0 points and Kevin Garnett averaging 17.5 points. However, Ray Allen is clearly ahead of the other two in field goal percentage. Ray is shooting 52.1% in the Finals while Pierce is shooting 45.3% and Garnett shoots 38.2%.
Defensively, it comes down to Garnett and Pierce. Not to say Ray Allen doesn't play defense, but compared to what Garnett and Pierce have done in the series, Allen is far behind. Garnett, Defensive Player of the Year, anchors the entire defense, including guarding the paint, rolling out to the perimeter, and giving weak side help. Pierce on the other hand, has been containing Kobe Bryant.
Rebounding goes to Garnett, who is averaging 12.5 rebounds per game in the Finals. Ray Allen (6.0) and Paul Pierce (4.5) rebounding efforts combined do not equal what Garnett is doing on the boards.
Deciding on a MVP out of the Big Three is not easy. All three have contributed greatly to the team efforts. Garnett is averaging a double-double. Ray Allen has been shooting the lights out. Pierce has done everything needed for the team to win.
The NBA Finals MVP for 2008 should be Paul Pierce. Paul Pierce is the captain of the team. He is the heart and soul of this Boston Celtics team. The biggest reason for the Celtics winning the NBA Finals over the LA Lakers is because Paul Pierce has played better than everyone else on his team.
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