jason
05-03-2004, 03:24 PM
Kevin Garnett Wins First NBA MVP Award
By DAVE CAMPBELL, AP Sports Writer
MINNEAPOLIS - The Kid can be called "MVP," too. Kevin Garnett of the Minnesota Timberwolves (news) won his first NBA Most Valuable Player award Monday, easily beating two-time winner Tim Duncan and Jermaine O'Neal.
Garnett received 120 of 123 first-place votes in balloting by the Pro Basketball Writer's Association for a total of 1,219 points. San Antonio's Duncan got 716 points, while Indiana's O'Neal had 523.
The Associated Press reported Sunday, citing sources, that Garnett would win the honor.
Garnett led Minnesota to a 58-24 record and the top playoff seeding in the Western Conference, averaging 24.2 points and a league-leading 13.9 rebounds.
He joined Larry Bird as the only players to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for five consecutive years.
Minnesota coach Flip Saunders said Monday that Garnett has wanted to win the award since the team drafted him out of high school in 1995.
"When he came in the league nine years ago, the No. 1 thing he said to myself and (team vice president) Kevin McHale is he wanted to be the best player in the league," Saunders said.
The success of players such as Garnett, nicknamed "The Kid," and Kobe Bryant helped usher in a generation of preps-to-pros players who skipped college.
By DAVE CAMPBELL, AP Sports Writer
MINNEAPOLIS - The Kid can be called "MVP," too. Kevin Garnett of the Minnesota Timberwolves (news) won his first NBA Most Valuable Player award Monday, easily beating two-time winner Tim Duncan and Jermaine O'Neal.
Garnett received 120 of 123 first-place votes in balloting by the Pro Basketball Writer's Association for a total of 1,219 points. San Antonio's Duncan got 716 points, while Indiana's O'Neal had 523.
The Associated Press reported Sunday, citing sources, that Garnett would win the honor.
Garnett led Minnesota to a 58-24 record and the top playoff seeding in the Western Conference, averaging 24.2 points and a league-leading 13.9 rebounds.
He joined Larry Bird as the only players to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for five consecutive years.
Minnesota coach Flip Saunders said Monday that Garnett has wanted to win the award since the team drafted him out of high school in 1995.
"When he came in the league nine years ago, the No. 1 thing he said to myself and (team vice president) Kevin McHale is he wanted to be the best player in the league," Saunders said.
The success of players such as Garnett, nicknamed "The Kid," and Kobe Bryant helped usher in a generation of preps-to-pros players who skipped college.