Is MVP wait finally over for Kobe Bryant?

Unofficial poll of writers has votes swinging Bryant's way as Lakers finish on top in the Western Conference.

Mark Heisler
NBA

April 18, 2008

Lakerdom, behind the scenes ...

Forget that photo finish in the NBA's MVP race.

Two weeks ago, I polled 21 writers from 19 cities and two websites who had Kobe Bryant ahead of Chris Paul in first-place votes, 10-8, with two for Kevin Garnett and one for LeBron James -- and two Bryant voters saying they'd switch to Paul if the Hornets won the Western Conference.

With the Lakers winning the West, the same group of writers has swung to Bryant, 15-4, with one vote apiece for Garnett and James.

Again, many newspapers -- including The Times -- don't let their writers participate in the NBA balloting, so this is only an index of sentiment.

(Six of the 21 will vote in the actual MVP process. In the first poll, they split 3-3 between Bryant and Paul and are now 4-2 for Kobe.)

Votes are due in to the NBA office today, but the winner won't be announced for weeks. There's no set schedule, but they like to wait for dramatic emphasis.

Of course, sometimes events take over. Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki won last season's award, but his Mavericks were sent home by Golden State in the first round of the playoffs, so instead of handing Nowitzki his trophy at a game, NBA Commissioner David Stern had to do it at a downbeat little ceremony in Dallas.

This is Bryant's 12th season, making him overdue, although it couldn't have been any other way.

For his first eight seasons, he played with Shaquille O'Neal, who got most of the credit for everything they accomplished together, with Shaq winning one regular-season MVP in 2000 (missing by one vote of being the first unanimous pick) and the Finals MVP in all three of their title runs.

After O'Neal left, Bryant ascended to a new station as the game's best player, but the Lakers fell out of contention, failing to get out of the first round of the playoffs for two seasons and failing even to get into the postseason in one of them.

The waiting looks as if it's over.

mark.heisler@latimes.com