Precursor to MVP?

[CeltsSteve@AOL.com]

According to Computer, Duncan Matters Most to Team

.c The Associated Press 

NEW YORK (April 22) -- <A HREF="aol://1722:Spurs">San Antonio Spurs</A> forward Tim Duncan won the NBA's IBM 
Award, a computer-calculated measure of a player's contribution to his team.

Duncan defeated Detroit's Ben Wallace, the NBA defensive player of the year, 
and Minnesota's Kevin Garnett.

The Clippers' Elton Brand was fourth, followed by the Lakers' Shaquille 
O'Neal, the winner in 1999-00 and 2000-01.

Duncan became the 14th player in NBA history with 2,000 points and 1,000 
rebounds in a season. He finished in the top 10 in five categories, leading 
the league in field goals and free throws made.

Duncan was fifth in scoring average (25.5 points) and second in rebounding 
(12.7).

His statistics were worth 112.92 points, the league announced Monday. Wallace 
earned 103.75, Garnett 101.51, Brand 94.67, and O'Neal 90.89.

David Robinson has won the award a record five times. Michael Jordan won it 
twice.

The rating is derived by adding together points, rebounds, assists, steals 
and blocks, and subtracting field-goal attempts, personal fouls and 
turnovers; adding that sum to the number of a team's victories multiplied by 
10; and multiplying that total by 250 to reach a number that is divided by 
team points plus rebounds, assists, steals and blocks, minus field goal 
attempts, personal fouls and turnovers.            

04/22/02 13:01 EDT

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CeltsSteve