Jackson stumps for Kobe as MVP

SACRAMENTO -- Maybe the “M-V-P” chants will be backed up by actual hardware this season.

Kobe Bryant has never won the NBA most-valuable-player award, 12 seasons into a career that has netted him 10 All-Star appearances, seven All-Defense selections, three championships and two scoring titles.

Is this when he adds that other trophy?

The Lakers are legitimate contenders in the Western Conference, with Bryant contributing across the board. He is averaging 28.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 2.0 steals after Tuesday’s game. He is shooting 46.4%, his best field-goal percentage since 2001-02.

Bryant’s scoring is down from his combined average of 33.5 points a game the previous two seasons, but Lakers Coach Phil Jackson stated the platform for Bryant as MVP.

“He’s playing a more rounded game than perhaps the end of the last two seasons, just measuring what the team needs and how to get it done including his teammates,” Jackson said. “Defensively, his game has improved a lot. He could be defensive player of the year simply on the improvement between last year and this year on his defense.”

Bryant wanted to leave the Lakers last summer, though Jackson said there had been a full commitment to the team since the season began.

“His teammates were worried about him obviously,” he said. “They were concerned about being left behind or being ditched, if I can use that term. But he’s been totally there.”

The Lakers started out 9-8, but have turned it up since then. Bryant has had the league’s highest-scoring individual effort this season with a 52-point outburst Sunday in the Lakers’ 108-104 overtime victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

“His game has improved as he’s gone through the season,” Jackson said. “His involvement with his teammates -- you can see them playing off of him and [see] his appropriate movements through a ballgame, whether it’s scoring or passing, whatever he needs to do to help win a game.”

Other MVP candidates are Cleveland forward LeBron James, Boston forward Kevin Garnett, New Orleans guard Chris Paul and San Antonio forward Tim Duncan.

With six weeks left in the regular season, most observers see a two-horse race between Bryant and James, who is averaging 30.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists for the Cavaliers (34-26).

“Of course I’m biased, but Kobe should have got it the last couple of years,” forward Lamar Odom said. “I would think it’s about that time. I think he’s paid his dues to receive that award. I think he put in enough work to get there.

“If you give it to LeBron, you say, ‘Wow that was quick,’ as far as having to go through things to get it, as far as having to do it year after year. I think Kobe has done that, not taking anything away from LeBron and his game, because he’s an awesome, amazing, incredible player.”

The award is determined by a vote of NBA media members and typically announced a few weeks into the playoffs.

Lakers radio analyst Mychal Thompson came down with flu-like symptoms, putting the Lakers and AM 570 in a bind for Tuesday’s game against Sacramento.

Lakers spokesman John Black was almost paired with radio play-by-play announcer Spero Dedes to call the game, but Matt “Money” Smith flew to Sacramento in time to host his late-afternoon radio show, along with the Lakers’ pregame radio show, before putting on the headphones again to be the radio analyst for the game.

“Real long day,” Smith said. “As soon as I showed up at work [in the morning], I saw people running around and waving their hands in the air. Thanks to the magic of the Internet and Southwest [Airlines], I was able to get up here.”

Black, in his 19th year with the Lakers, took his missed radio debut in stride.

“I laid down my personal ambitions for the benefit of the fans and listening audience, saving them from my incoherent ramblings,” he said, smiling.

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mike.bresnahan@latimes.com