Nash Named MVP Again

Phoenix Sun point guard Steve Nash did it again, running away with his second consecutive NBA most valuable player award.

Nash beat runner-up LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers comfortably in results announced Sunday.

He is the ninth player to win consecutive MVP trophies; he and Magic Johnson are the only point guards to win the award more than once.

“I have to pinch myself,” Nash said. “I can’t believe that I’m standing here today. I couldn’t believe it last year, and to do it again is even more difficult to understand -- but I’m not going to give it back.”

Nash received 57 first-place votes and 924 points overall from a panel of 125 sportswriters and broadcasters in the United States and Canada.

James had 16 first-place votes and 688 points overall.

Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas was third with 14 first-place ballots and 544 points. The Lakers’ Kobe Bryant had the second-most first-place votes (22), but was fourth overall with 483 points. The Clippers’ Elton Brand was seventh with 50 points.

“Steve is not just a great player,” said Jerry Colangelo, chairman of the Suns. “He’s one of the few players who I believe have ever played who makes everyone better around him.”

Nash, 32, is the 11th player to win the award more than once.

Nash praised his teammates and coaching staff for “a perfect environment for me to succeed and for our team to succeed, and for me to stand here today.”

Last season, he led the Suns to an NBA-best 62 victories. This year, the Suns lost leading scorer Amare Stoudemire to injury and traded Joe Johnson and Quentin Richardson. Yet they still won 54 games and a second straight Pacific Division title.

Nash had career highs in scoring (18.8 points), rebounding (4.2), field-goal percentage (.512) and free-throw percentage (a league-leading .921). He led the league in assists at 10.5 a game and finished sixth in three-point percentage at 43.9.

“There was no way he had a better year than last year,” Sun Coach Mike D’Antoni said. “He just had another phenomenal year.”

*

Detroit Piston center Ben Wallace won the NBA’s defensive player of the year award for the fourth time in five years, a source with the Pistons said.

The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the award has not been announced, said Wallace would be presented with it Tuesday night before Game 2 of the second-round series against Cleveland.

Wallace would join Dikembe Mutombo as the only four-time defensive players of the year in league history. Wallace also won the award in 2002, 2003 and 2005.

Wallace ranked fourth in the NBA in rebounding (11.3), ninth in blocked shots (2.2) and 10th in steals (1.78) -- the only player among the top 10 in all three categories. Wallace also became the fifth player in league history to have 100 blocks and 100 steals in six consecutive seasons.

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

MVP voting

Steve Nash was awarded 57 of a possible 125 first-place votes in winning his second consecutive NBA MVP award:

*--* Player, Team Points Steve Nash, Phoenix (57) 924 LeBron James, Cleveland (16) 688 Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas (14) 544 Kobe Bryant, Lakers (22) 483 Chauncey Billups, Detroit (15) 430 Dwyane Wade, Miami 87 Elton Brand, Clippers (1) 50 Tim Duncan, San Antonio 33 Tony Parker, San Antonio 9 Allen Iverson, Philadelphia 1 Shawn Marion, Phoenix 1

*--*