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Has Kyrie Irving Been Cavs Playoffs MVP?

By Jared Mueller

May 8, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) defends Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0) during the second half in game four of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. The Cavaliers won 100-99. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
May 8, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) defends Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0) during the second half in game four of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. The Cavaliers won 100-99. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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LeBron James is still the league’s best player but has Kyrie Irving been the team’s Playoffs MVP?

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been playing stellar basketball. Not everything has been easy. Not everything has gone smoothly. Not everyone has played perfect.

8 – 0.

The team has been perfect and there are a ton of people to thank for that.

LeBron continues his amazing play. He is scoring at the rim, rebounding the ball and getting others involved. His outside shot is even coming around. (That sound you just heard was every other team yelling scared.)

Kevin Love has really found his groove. His outside shot is falling, he is moving his feet on defense and is aggressive when he gets the ball near the rim. He has allowed the Cavs to play through him consistently while showing off his range when used as a spacer or in the pick and pop.

GM David Griffin’s moves gave the Cavs great shooting and depth, including Channing Frye who helped carry the Cavs in Game 3.

J.R. Smith has had his ups and downs but his ups have been great and his downs haven’t hurt the team. Tristan Thompson continued his destruction of the Atlanta Hawks and gives Cleveland so many 2nd chance points.

Matthew Dellavedova, Iman Shumpert and Richard Jefferson are also making appropriate impacts off the bench.

Yet Number Fire, and their nERD stat, says that Kyrie Irving may be the Cavs Playoffs MVP:

"We all know that the Cleveland Cavaliers’ title hopes live and die with LeBron James (10.2 nERD), but it’s Kyrie Irving‘s additional contributions that are currently making the Cavs’ 15.43% chances of becoming NBA champs (the third best mark in the Association, according to our algorithms) look like a distinct possibility.Through six playoff games, Kyrie is averaging a team-best 25.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.5 blocks per contest, while shooting 47.4% from the field, a blistering 52.3% from deep, and 79.2% from the line.His PER of 28.2 is fourth in the league and tops in the Eastern Conference, while his 1.1 Offensive Win Shares place him third in the NBA."

Their nERD stat is interesting as it seems to give a ton of value to big men and is a little outside the box. The PER and Offensive Win Shares data seems to back up their stat though.

Their stats, through 6 games, were incomplete but Irving continued to play well in Games 3 and 4.

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While some are not willing to even consider it, we have to wonder at what point will Irving overtake LeBron as the Cavs best player? While he is other-worldly with the basketball in his hands, he can still improve as a playmaker for others on his team. Defensively, he is adequate at best.

In the long term, the Cavs will be better off with Irving taking the brunt of the load while LeBron plays off of him. We are not at the long term yet. LeBron is still the straw that stirs the drink. LeBron is still the one carrying the team.

Without Kyrie Irving, LeBron James was able to carry the Cavs to 2 wins in the NBA Finals. Without LeBron James, Kyrie Irving could struggle to win the Eastern Conference Finals.

So while the nERD, PER and Offensive Win Shares stats point to Irving, basketball minds clearly see the Cavs MVP as one LeBron James.

Are you surprised that some of the numbers support Kyrie Irving as Cavs’ Playoffs MVP?