It Has Turned Into a Love-8 Relationship

The MVP award should go to the best player on a winning team. Kobe.

The MVP award should go to the player who is most valuable to his team. Kobe.

The MVP award should go to the player who had the best season. Kobe.

The MVP award should go to the best player in the NBA. Kobe.

No matter which way you break it down, Kobe Bryant should be the most valuable player.

RAFAEL MEGHNAGI

Venice

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I’ve finally reached my breaking point on the Kobe-bashing. Can the man do no right? Now the cry is that Kobe is not worthy of an MVP award because he doesn’t “make the players around him better.”

True, he does not make his teammates better in a pass-first, court-vision, carving-up-a-defense way that Steve Nash does or Magic Johnson did. Nevertheless his work ethic, passion, competitiveness and mental toughness have been contagious enough to turn one of the five least talented teams in the league into a winner and a playoff team.

Just because Kobe doesn’t do things the way you like, it does not mean you can deny him credit when it’s due.

MATT BILINSKY

Beverly Hills

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To read J.A. Adande’s column of April 17, it sounds as though he’s now on the payroll of Steve Nash, which can’t be all bad since that also means he might be relocating to Phoenix in the near future.

Everyone complains about Kobe shooting too much and not passing the ball. You can bet your reputation, J.A., that your favorite player couldn’t do any more with Devean George, Sasha Vujacic, Smush Parker and the rest of the dead-end gang than Kobe.

JOHN WIDENER

Burbank

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Kobe Bryant should win the MVB, not the MVP.

Most Valuable Ballhog.

MATT STEIN

Los Alamitos

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So, let me get this straight: A 64-win team, Detroit, and a 63-win team, San Antonio, are boring, but rooting for a team that starts Smush Parker and Chris Mihm (or Kwame Brown) is exciting? So, just how is the weather inside that bubble, Mr. Adande?

KRISTOPHER BUNKER

Simi Valley