Sansevere: Wolves' Love has MVP credentials

Published Mar. 8, 2012 7:09 p.m. ET

foxsports

Imagine where the Timberwolves would be without Kevin Love.

Certainly not in the running for a playoff spot.

The people who vote for the league MVP should give serious consideration to Love. There will be those who argue against Love as MVP. The big knock will be that the Wolves have hovered around .500 for most of the season. And that Love hasn't lifted the Wolves among the league's elite as MVP candidates such as LeBron James, Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant have done with their teams.

I have just one vowel-filled word to respond to that: phooey.

If you take Love away from the Wolves, they're not even close to a .500 team.

He has been exceptional this season, improving his game and making the Wolves so much better than they would be without him.

And while winning the league's MVP award would be a wonderful honor, failing to win it does not diminish Love's value to the Wolves.

In many games, he often is the leading scorer and top rebounder from either team. And unlike another guy named Kevin who once played for the Wolves, Love wants to be the one taking the big shot at the end of games.

As Wolves coach Rick Adelman told the Pioneer Press, "The guys who take and make shots at the end of games, those are the guys who often get mentioned for MVP. Kevin is worthy of that consideration."

Think about this: If Love had stayed in college for four years, he would be a rookie this season.

He is only 23 years old. He will get better. A lot better.

And so will the Wolves because of him.