How exactly are Williams’ and Paul’s stats identical? Paul has an assist rate of 52.3 to Williams’ 43.6. Paul has a steals rate of 3.8 to Williams 1.5. Paul turns it over an entire one turnover less per game than Williams. His usage rate is nearly 3 points higher than Williams (25.9 to 23.1). He produces seven more points per 100 possessions than Williams (125 to 118). His defensive rating is ridiculously better (103 to 110). He even outrebounds Williams by 0.6 despite giving up size and weight, and despite having the third best rebounder in the league on his side. Down the stretch, I want Paul’s 85% free throw shooting, not Williams’ 80%.

The ONLY thing Williams does is outshoot Paul; even that’s a slim margin. Deron has a true shooting percentage of 59.7 (which is incredible) compared to Paul’s 57.5. I hope Paul one day reaches Deron in terms of shooting, but he so vastly outplays Deron in other aspects of the game, that in the end, his PER is 28.4 to 20.9. I don’t care how much you despise or malign PER- a nearly 8 point difference is gigantic.

The only way you could possibly come to the conclusion that their stats are “identical” is by casually glancing at points (20.4 to 18.2) and assists (11.0 to 10.2) before coming to a conclusion…. which I guess you did.

Finally, I keep saying this, but you keep ignoring it: Utah guards Paul better than any other team. By Utah, I mean the Utah Jazz squad, not Williams the individual. Deron does an above average job on Paul, but it’s Jerry Sloan’s schemes that have really limited CP. As a young player, Paul has plenty of time to figure out what works and what doesn’t versus the Jazz. To call his entire season non-MVP worthy because of losses to the Jazz doesn’t make any sense. An NBA season is the sum of many games; if you have a bad game or three, you have the opportunity to make up for those in your other 79 contests. Chris Paul has not only made up for it, but also gone well beyond it.

If you look at stats and you believe Paul is an MVP candidate, how can you not think Williams is one as well? Their stats are almost identical and the Jazz are only 2 games back. Plus Williams makes Paul look like a D Leaguer when they go head to head.

If Chris Paul is the MVP how does Williams make him look so bad all the time? And don’t say size. Chris Paul is undersized almost every night he goes out on the floor.

Second, Kobe and LeBron constantly draw double and even triple teams. That is why even when they have a bad shooting night they still free up open shots for their teammates and are then a FACTOR. Don’t forget too, how that much of their numbers are against these same double teams.

I’m not trying to say Chris Paul isn’t a great PG and along with DWill is the future of the position in the NBA. All I’m saying is that I think both Kobe and LeBron have had better seasons and I think either of them deserve the MVP before Paul.

LeBron has gone 4-17, 2-11, and has had 14 (!) games of five turnovers or more. Likewise for LeBron in those games. You’ll often hear commentators talking about the “little things” Kobe and LeBron (and others) do on bad shooting nights. As soon as somebody can explain to me what the hell a “little thing” is, I’ll believe it. Expecting a player to not have a single off-game for 82 games in a row is lunacy.

As far as LeBron winning the MVP, I would not mind that at all if it happens. He’s the only guy ahead of Chris Paul in terms of PER this year. But the best season of any player all time? That’s a stretch considering that 22 players have posted better PER’s in a single year. Jordan, Wilt, Hakeem, and the Admiral all have posted better seasons than him.

Last, Utah is simply a difficult matchup for the Hornets. Regardless of how frustrated the Hornets become, Deron Williams will always be a tough cover for Chris Paul. Staying calm isn’t magically going to allow him to overcome the 3 inch, 30 pound difference in body mass. Again, I agree the Hornets could have used a little dose of poise yesterday, but that doesn’t change the fact that some teams simply don’t match up well against others.

I’m not saying he has gotten frustrated every game this season but you have to realize that I’ve watched him play the Jazz four times this year and 3 of them he was non-factor let alone an MVP.

An MVP should be a factor in EVERY game and should not be able to be taken mentally out of a game. Kobe always is a factor. LeBron is always a factor. LeBron is having arguably the best season any player has had in NBA history. He should win the MVP.

But if you’re saying that CP’s frustration has been the norm this season, rather than the exception, you’re dead wrong. We’ve seen him fight through tough physical games against the great teams (Houston, San Antonio, Boston). We’ve seen him take the high road versus guys trying to get into his head (see: Alston, Rafer). We’ve seen him adapt his game in contests with minimal foul calls before.

If you want to mock his MVP-credentials because of one bad game, be my guest. The rest of us Hornet fans will be more than happy with Chris Paul, the “inexperienced and frustrated” point guard with the 28.6 PER (the best in the history of the position, might I add). Because the fact is, that’s light years better than Deron Williams or any other PG have been this year, poised as they may be.

This is the difference between an experienced team/player and an inexperienced one. When an experienced player isn’t getting calls and is involved in a rough, physical game he doesn’t get frustrated, he adapts to it. An inexperienced player on the other hand gets frustrated and complains about the calls.

The fact of the matter is that the Jazz made the Hornets play their type of basketball and that’s why they won.