Dwight Howard: Butler should be in MVP Conversation (Harden Agrees)

[Tugg Speedman]

Dwight Howard: Butler should be in MVP Conversation

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bulls/post/_/id/21193/howard-butler-should-be-in-mvp-convo

Houston Rockets All-Star Dwight Howard believes Chicago Bulls swingman Jimmy Butler should be in the MVP conversation.

"Jimmy is, gosh, he should be up there in the MVP running," Howard said after Monday's shootaround, in advance of Monday's game against Butler and the Bulls.

The gregarious big man chuckled as he made his point, almost not believing it himself, but in many ways the response echoed the sentiments of many within the NBA. Butler averaged 13.1 points a game last season and comes into Monday's game averaging 21.9 points.

"He's playing great basketball," Howard said. "He's been one of the most consistent Bulls players all season. He's scoring, he's playing defense, he's making game winners, he's having an unbelievable season and it's like, where did he come from?

"But you can kind of see his progress over the years. When he first came into the league he was a little shy, really didn't do too much, but now it's like he wants that moment. He wants the ball he wants to be that guy. And he's doing it in the most unselfish way possible. He's not forcing any shots, he's giving the ball too the guys who are supposed to have it. But when it's time for him to get it, he does his thing. He rebounds, he runs the floor, he plays defense, he has a chance to be a really special player in this league."

James Harden, Howard's teammate, agreed with that assessment.

"He's gotten a lot better," Harden said of Butler. "I think offensively he's in attack mode. He's being aggressive, I'm sure his teammates have a lot of confidence in him in shooting the basketball and then getting to the rim. Defensively, he's always been active and a pretty good defender so he's playing very well right now."

Butler went through Monday's shootaround and is expected to play Monday night after missing Saturday's win over the Celtics while on bereavement leave.

[AirPunches]

Sounds like they want him in Houston. Should be an interesting offseason for Butler.

[PGsHeroes32]

Harden using only "pretty good" to describe his defense is lol

[MUHoopsFan2]

Dwight Howard: Butler should be in MVP Conversation

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bulls/post/_/id/21193/howard-butler-should-be-in-mvp-convo

Houston Rockets All-Star Dwight Howard believes Chicago Bulls swingman Jimmy Butler should be in the MVP conversation.

"Jimmy is, gosh, he should be up there in the MVP running," Howard said after Monday's shootaround, in advance of Monday's game against Butler and the Bulls.

The gregarious big man chuckled as he made his point, almost not believing it himself, but in many ways the response echoed the sentiments of many within the NBA. Butler averaged 13.1 points a game last season and comes into Monday's game averaging 21.9 points.

"He's playing great basketball," Howard said. "He's been one of the most consistent Bulls players all season. He's scoring, he's playing defense, he's making game winners, he's having an unbelievable season and it's like, where did he come from?

"But you can kind of see his progress over the years. When he first came into the league he was a little shy, really didn't do too much, but now it's like he wants that moment. He wants the ball he wants to be that guy. And he's doing it in the most unselfish way possible. He's not forcing any shots, he's giving the ball too the guys who are supposed to have it. But when it's time for him to get it, he does his thing. He rebounds, he runs the floor, he plays defense, he has a chance to be a really special player in this league."

James Harden, Howard's teammate, agreed with that assessment.

"He's gotten a lot better," Harden said of Butler. "I think offensively he's in attack mode. He's being aggressive, I'm sure his teammates have a lot of confidence in him in shooting the basketball and then getting to the rim. Defensively, he's always been active and a pretty good defender so he's playing very well right now."

Butler went through Monday's shootaround and is expected to play Monday night after missing Saturday's win over the Celtics while on bereavement leave.

He is seizing the proverbial 'contract year.' It's his time alright. Taking nothing away from him, he is playing great but he has some big time incentive to.

We will see in the second half when teams start planning against him and put him in the central focus of their gameplan. He is sneaking up on the league now.

I want to see this same level of play at the 65 game mark as well... He can do it. Then come talk to me....about MVP.

[bamamarquettefan]

Harden using only "pretty good" to describe his defense is lol

yeah, when ESPN's No. 9 play of the night is Butler rejecting Harden's three-pointer onto his head so hard that Harden falls down, I'd say, "pretty good" is a little light.

GO JIMMY! 5th best Value Add player in 2010.

[Sheriff]

The Bulls cannot contend for a championship if Jimmy Butler is their best player.

[Tugg Speedman]

He is seizing the proverbial 'contract year.' It's his time alright. Taking nothing away from him, he is playing great but he has some big time incentive to.

We will see in the second half when teams start planning against him and put him in the central focus of their gameplan. He is sneaking up on the league now.

I want to see this same level of play at the 65 game mark as well... He can do it. Then come talk to me....about MVP.

I agree with the concept of what you are saying.  But it reads like your are saying their are 200 guys in the NBA that can put up an MVP season through 40 games and all they need is the incentive of being in the final year of a contract like Jimmy.

[Lennys Tap]

The Bulls cannot contend for a championship if Jimmy Butler is their best player.

Somebody here actually said that sans teal not very long ago.