With All Star weekend set to commence in Orlando in less than two weeks, the NBA’s brightest stars have once again risen to the front of the race for the league’s most coveted award. While Heat forward LeBron James is the consensus favorite at this juncture, a lot can change as we are still less than halfway through the season. Thunder forward Kevin Durant, the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant, and Chicago’s Derrick Rose have all put together exceptional seasons, as well as the Magic’s Dwight Howard, despite his obvious discontent in Orlando. Other stars, namely Dallas’s Dirk Nowitzki and New York’s Carmelo Anthony, have gotten off to relatively rough starts, but if they find their grooves, both could factor into the MVP debate as the season wears on. With that, we take a look at the top contenders for the 2011-12 Most Valuable Player award:
LeBron James, F, Miami Heat
At 27, King James is having arguably the best overall season of his career, averaging 28 points, seven assists, and eight boards, all while leading the Heat to the best record in the conference. What is most impressive, however, is James’ ridiculous efficiency. He leads the league at 32.39, a whopping six points higher than number two man Chris Paul. To put this in perspective, Paul’s 26.85 efficiency rating is roughly six points higher than that of DeMarcus Cousins, who ranks 30th overall. In Monday’s win over Milwaukee, one of the best of his career, LeBron poured on 35 points (on 16-21 shooting), grabbed eight rebounds, and dished out three assists in just 33 minutes of action. While Miami still has some issues to correct, they are finally starting to look like the team we all thought they would be last season, and James is clearly the main reason. If he keeps up this blistering pace (and there’s no reason to think he won’t), The King will have earned his third MVP trophy in the last four years.
Kevin Durant, F, Oklahoma City Thunder
The Durantula is on pace for another All-NBA caliber season, averaging 27 points, eight boards, and three assists per game. Like James, Durant has amped up his efficiency this year, shooting a searing 51% from the field, quite a feat considering the high level of difficulty of many of his shots. His eight rebounds per game are a career high, and Durant has posted double-digit boards in six of OKC’s last nine contests. With point guard Russell Westbrook having another strong year and James Harden playing productively off the bench, Durant and the Thunder appear ready to take the next step and compete for a championship.
Dwight Howard, C, Orlando Magic
Despite the rampant trade rumors and reports that Dwight is unhappy in Orlando, the NBA’s best center is once again leading the league in rebounding and putting together another dominant year. Howard is basically expected to carry a Magic team that even he knows is not a serious championship contender, but he has done so about as humbly as possible. He has refrained from speaking out against management or underachieving teammates and despite some problems with consistency, is posting excellent numbers. His 15 boards per game are a career high and he has failed to grab at least seven in just two games, a remarkable stat for an, at times, foul-prone player. In my mind, Howard holds the best chance of catching James in the MVP race, as a potential trade to a contender could increase his motivation and production to unknown heights.
Kobe Bryant, G, Los Angeles Lakers
Despite the Lakers’ well-documented struggles this season, Bryant has been one of the few bright spots for a team looking to contend in the deep Western Conference. Kobe’s 29 points per game are tops in the league and his best since the 2006-07 season. His rebounding and assists totals are up, and though shooting just 44% from the field, Bryant still remains the most feared closer in the game. If the Lakers are able to acquire him some help via trade he could have a chance to earn his seventh ring and solidify his place as one of the league’s all-time greats.
Derrick Rose, G, Bulls
Despite missing seven games due to various injuries (most recently, back trouble), Rose’s Bulls are tied with Miami for the East’s best record. Last season’s MVP is not quite on pace to match last season’s brilliance, but his 22 points per game to go with eight assists aren’t too shabby. The Bulls were fortunate in that the bulk of the games Rose has missed have been against poor competition, but Chicago is clearly a better squad with him in the lineup. Though Rose will be playing on the same team as LeBron come All Star Weekend, the young Chicago-native poses the biggest threat to Miami’s “Big Three” come playoff time, and if he’s healthy, could give the Windy City its first Finals berth since the Jordan years.
Other Top Candidates:
Kevin Love, F, Minnesota Timberwolves
Chris Paul, G, Los Angeles Clippers
Tony Parker, G, San Antonio Spurs
LaMarcus Aldridge, F, Portland Trail Blazers
Dwyane Wade, G, Miami Heat