It's now a foregone conclusion that LeBron James will win this season's MVP award. Tony Parker's name might pop up in a few conversations, but only after the usual suspects like Kevin Durant and Chris Paul round out second and third place on the average list.
Kobe Bryant is a perennial MVP favorite almost by definition, at least among Lakers fans.Â
As much as Parker may belong at the very top of that list, he has a couple of things working against his causeâ€"namely, stats and sex appeal.
Though the San Antonio Spurs' talented point guard was once recognized as one of People's "50 most beautiful people," that's not the kind of sex appeal that wins MVP awards.
It helps to play in cities like Los Angeles and Miamiâ€"or, in Durant's case, it helps to lead the league in scoring.
LeBron James, of course, is a perfect storm of MVP hype. His statistical production is prolific and efficient even by his own incredible standards. He plays for the league's most exciting and star-studded franchise, and his global celebrity is nearly unmatched.
Even his critics must concede that he is the league's most well-rounded superstar, if not in fact its best player.
But that doesn't mean he's the MVP.
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The first strike against him is that he plays with two other All-Stars in their respective primes. Any defense facing the Miami Heat loads up on James at its own perilâ€"there are two other elite scorers happy to take the open shot.
While Parker's Spurs are rich with depth, he hardly had a couple of All-Stars to work with this season. Duncan was exceptional at times but saw limited action as coach Gregg Popovich kept a close eye on his minutes. Meanwhile, Manu Ginobili sat out 32 games this season.
And as for all that depth, wellâ€"there's a reason guys like Danny Green, Gary Neal and Tiago Splitter look like such dependable role players.
Tony Parker makes it easy for them.
Nine Spurs averaged nine or more points by the end of the regular season, and Parker had a lot to do with that.Â
His 7.7 assists per game were a career best, but his ability to break down the defense with penetration led to many more successful possessions. Even when someone else got credit for the assist, chances are Parker got the ball rolling by putting defenders on their heels.
The Spurs' floor general might not have LeBron's other-worldly stat line, but his per-minute production was impressive in its own right. He ranked sixth among point guards in per-minute assists and 12th among all players in scoring per 48 minutes.
He's also made his impact when the Spurs needed him most, and that's saying something.
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No team in the NBA has played better basketball than San Antonio, at least with any consistency. While the postseason doesn't count toward MVP voting, it's certainly been a revealing illustration of Parker's importance to the best team in basketball.
He's averaged more than 24 points and 7.7 assists in San Antonio's first three games against the Utah Jazz, shooting 57 percent from the field in the process. In comparison, James' shooting is under 50 percent in four games against the New York Knicks.
Over the course of a season, James is better positioned to put up monster numbers given the extent to which Miami's offense runs through him.
Parker simply isn't asked to take games over as often, but he does exactly that when it counts.
Whether the hype machines agree, it's hard to argue Parker isn't the most essential piece of the league's most successful team. If MVP honors were awarded on merit alone, Parker might be taking home his first.
In a world where facts aren't allowed to get in the way of a good story, King James will take home his third.
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