SAN ANTONIO -- San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan edged New Jersey Nets guard Jason Kidd for NBA MVP honors Thursday in the award's fifth-closest finish since the media began voting in 1981.

	MVP voting
	Results of the voting for the 2002 NBA Most Valuable Player Award, as selected by a panel of the media in the U.S. and Canada with first-place votes in parentheses:
	Player	Team	Points
	Tim Duncan	Spurs	954 (57)
	Jason Kidd	New Jersey	897 (45)
	Shaquille O'Neal	Lakers	696 (15)
	Tracy McGrady	Magic	390 (7)
	Kobe Bryant	Lakers	98 (1)
	Gary Payton	Sonics	54 (1)
	Chris Webber	Kings	37
	Dirk Nowitzki	Mavs	31
	Allen Iverson	76ers	29
	Ben Wallace	Pistons	24
	Paul Pierce	Celtics	22
	Kevin Garnett	T-Wolves	17
	Michael Jordan	Wizards	16
	Steve Nash	Mavs	5
	Jerry Stackhouse	Pistons	3
	Elton Brand	Clippers	1
	Mike Bibby	Kings	1
	Predrag Stojakovic	Kings	1

Duncan received 57 first-place votes and 954 points from a panel of 126 sportswriters and broadcasters, while Kidd drew 45 first-place votes and 897 points.

Shaquille O'Neal was third with 696 points.

After word of Duncan's selection got out Monday, Nets coach Byron Scott and O'Neal protested that the wrong player won. Kidd himself was more gracious, saying he was happy for Duncan.

Duncan, who finished second to Philadelphia's Allen Iverson in MVP voting last year, acknowledged that a number of players had exceptional seasons.

"I'm not going to give it back," he said after receiving the Maurice Podoloff Trophy from commissioner David Stern in a windowless meeting room at the Alamodome, "but if someone else won it, I wouldn't dispute it."

The 7-foot forward, dressed in a red t-shirt, denim shorts and sandals, said he started the 2001-02 season wanting to have the best season of his career.

The MVP award "was kind of a goal I had in mind," he acknowledged. "It puts a top on the season that we had."

The 57-point gap between Duncan and Kidd was the smallest since Karl Malone beat Alonzo Mourning by 54 after the 1998-99 season.

The closest margin was in 1989-90, when Magic Johnson edged Charles Barkley by 22 points, even though Barkley had more No. 1 votes.

Duncan, in his fifth pro season, set personal bests in scoring average (25.5 points) and rebounding average (12.7) while leading the Spurs to the Midwest Division title and a tie for the league's second-best record (58-24).

He earlier was voted to the All-NBA first team for the fifth time and to the All-Defensive first team for the fourth consecutive year.

The Spurs play O'Neal's Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of their Western Conference semifinal series Friday in San Antonio.

"We're thrilled for Tim," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said after the team's practice Thursday. "All the candidates were fantastic this season, so Tim really feels humbled by it."

Duncan ranked fifth in the league in scoring, second in rebounding, and third in blocked shots (2.48 average). His 67 double-doubles led the league.

He was picked as the Western Conference's player of the week five times during the regular season, and the conference's player of the month in December, March and April.

Kidd, in his first year with the Nets, led them to the Atlantic Division title with a 52-30 record, 26 games better than its finish in 2000-01. He averaged 14.7 points, 9.9 assists, and 7.3 rebounds.

Kidd made the first-team All-NBA and All-Defensive teams. He led the league with eight triple-doubles, was second in assists and third in steals.

"The individual awards have never been one of my big suits," Kidd said Tuesday. "If it were a team award and we got shortchanged, maybe we would be upset. I'm not upset."

O'Neal, the MVP in 1999-00, was the center on the All-NBA first team. He ranked second in the NBA in scoring (27.2) and sixth in rebounding (11.3) while guiding the Lakers to a 58-24 record.

Tracy McGrady of Orlando was fourth in the voting, followed by Kobe Bryant of the Lakers, Gary Payton of Seattle, Chris Webber of Sacramento, Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas, Iverson, and Ben Wallace of Detroit.