Editor's Note It saddens me to have to "Steve Harvey" this post. In my initial code, I had a bug that left out one team per season, and this was often the Timberwolves. Dr. Ryan Pepper noted in the comment section that I missed Kevin Love in 2011, so I was able to correct this quickly. However, this does change some of the award winners, and I'll be renaming it to the "Michael Cage MVP" award, as he was the first player to earn it twice, and back to back!
Nothing is more tragic than a star player without support. They're unlikely to get MVP consideration. Their lack of playoff success will be held against them, even though it's hard to compete in the playoffs without a good team. That's why I want to give an award to the best players with the least support in NBA history. I introduce to you the "Michael Cage MVP Award", for players that play great on teams lacking in support.
My criteria was:
- At least 10.0 wins (basically, a star performance.)
- The biggest gap in how many Wins Produced their teammates put up versus how many Wins Produced they put up.
Straightforward I hope. I named it after Michael Cage as he is the first back-to-back winner, and so far the only player to make the list with teammates putting up negative wins. Here are the other "winners."
| Season | Player | Team | Wins | Support Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Ed Davis | Los Angeles Lakers | 11.4 | 11.5 |
| 2014 | Andre Drummond | Detroit Pistons | 18.1 | 13.4 |
| 2013 | Nicolas Batum | Portland Trail Blazers | 10.3 | 21.9 |
| 2012 | Chris Paul | Los Angeles Clippers | 14.8 | 23.8 |
| 2011 | Kevin Love | Minnesota Timberwolves | 17.7 | 5.8 |
| 2010 | Marcus Camby | Los Angeles Clippers | 10.5 | 13.3 |
| 2009 | Marcus Camby | Los Angeles Clippers | 10.3 | 7.6 |
| 2008 | David Lee | New York Knicks | 11.2 | 12.5 |
| 2007 | Jason Kidd | Brooklyn Nets | 18.7 | 23.4 |
| 2006 | Kevin Garnett | Minnesota Timberwolves | 20.8 | 23 |
| 2005 | Josh Childress | Atlanta Hawks | 10.1 | 5.4 |
| 2004 | Andrei Kirilenko | Utah Jazz | 17.1 | 20.5 |
| 2003 | Ben Wallace | Detroit Pistons | 22.4 | 28.4 |
| 2002 | Ben Wallace | Detroit Pistons | 23.4 | 22.9 |
| 2001 | Fred Hoiberg | Chicago Bulls | 10.3 | 6.8 |
| 2000 | Dikembe Mutombo | Atlanta Hawks | 19.9 | 6.7 |
| 1999 | Jason Kidd | Phoenix Suns | 12 | 16.6 |
| 1998 | Bo Outlaw | Orlando Magic | 17.1 | 21 |
| 1997 | Ervin Johnson | Denver Nuggets | 12.6 | 11.8 |
| 1996 | Dikembe Mutombo | Denver Nuggets | 14.7 | 19.5 |
| 1995 | Dana Barros | Philadelphia 76ers | 15.1 | 12 |
| 1994 | Clarence Weatherspoon | Philadelphia 76ers | 11.1 | 8.9 |
| 1993 | Micheal Williams | Minnesota Timberwolves | 10.1 | 10.2 |
| 1992 | Dennis Rodman | Detroit Pistons | 29.8 | 16.3 |
| 1991 | Charles Barkley | Philadelphia 76ers | 19.4 | 21.5 |
| 1990 | Muggsy Bogues | New Orleans Pelicans | 13.8 | 6.5 |
| 1989 | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls | 26.5 | 18.9 |
| 1988 | Michael Cage | Los Angeles Clippers | 14.3 | -0.8 |
| 1987 | Michael Cage | Los Angeles Clippers | 13.2 | -2.6 |
| 1986 | Alvin Robertson | San Antonio Spurs | 17.7 | 18.2 |
| 1985 | Larry Smith | Golden State Warriors | 12.6 | 8.8 |
| 1984 | T.R. Dunn | Denver Nuggets | 16.6 | 21.4 |
| 1983 | Rickey Green | Utah Jazz | 12.5 | 17.1 |
| 1982 | Adrian Dantley | Utah Jazz | 13 | 12.8 |
| 1981 | Terry Tyler | Detroit Pistons | 11.8 | 12 |
| 1980 | Micheal Ray Richardson | New York Knicks | 19.3 | 18.5 |
| 1979 | Cedric Maxwell | Boston Celtics | 18.4 | 8.8 |
| 1978 | John Lucas | Houston Rockets | 12.5 | 17.6 |
Some more fun notes:
- The Clippers and Pistons own this award, both having players that make the list five times.
- Ben Wallace, Dikembe Mutombo, Jason Kidd, Marcus Camby, and Michael Cage are all two-time award winners!
- Jason Kidd and Dikembe Mutombo all make the list with two different squads.
- Michael Cage, Ben Wallace, and Marcus Camby all have "back to back" wins.
- Michael Jordan's 1989 was absurd. He lost a close MVP race to Magic Johnson, but was easily the best player in the NBA.
- Michael Cage is the only player on this list that actually got negative support from his teammates!
That was fun! We'll keep you updated on this year's winner at the end of the season. I don't want to spoil it, but much like Steph Curry is running away with the MVP award race, Jimmy Butler is running away with this award race.
-Dre