Top Candidates for MVP in the NBA
Three front-runners have emerged this season as candidates for the greatest individual award the game has to offer, the Most Valuable Player of the season.
LeBron James
26.3 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 7 APG
The reigning MVP is at it again, dazzling crowds with his other-worldly athleticism and skill. The King of South Beach recorded one of the strongest performances of the season, when the Heat recently dismantled the Lakers. King James’ stat line that night read 39 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 steals. He has left no doubt in the critics’ minds that he is one of the greatest players to ever grace a basketball court.
LeBron is the most versatile player in the modern game, he can take over and dominate games when required. He possesses the ability to pass, shoot and rebound the ball at levels higher than nearly all other players in the league. In addition to this, LeBron cemented his position in history, becoming the youngest ever player to score 20,000 points in the NBA. Barring injury, or boredom on behalf of the voters, the 2013 MVP award is LeBron’s to lose.
Kevin Durant
29.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 4.2 APG
Durant’s career-high of 52 points, in an overtime win against the Mavericks, illustrated why the 6’11 forward belongs amongst the favourites for this year’s MVP award. ‘Durantula’ has been connecting on 52% of his shots, the most accurate of his career. Not only has KD done the scoring, he has done much of the facilitating for Oklahoma, averaging 4.2 assists per game.
Last season’s leading scorer has increased his intensity on the defensive end, registering a career-high in blocks at 1.3 per game, whilst remaining one of, if not the best, offensive player in the league. He has a huge impact on every game he plays, whether it be scoring surges to get his team the win, or blocks on the other end of the court to galvanise his team’s defensive effort. Durant has led his team to a joint league-best 32-9 record, as of 21st January. KD will need to maintain his supreme play to have a chance at being crowned MVP.
Chris Paul
17 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 9.7 APG
Chris Paul almost single-handedly reversed the atmosphere surrounding the Clippers organisation, from one of successive losing, to an atmosphere where winning was the only option. CP3is the driving force behind one of the most spectacular teams in the league. However, his game transcends statistics, his leadership cannot be quantified. The will to win is perhaps the most contagious part of his game. Even with Paul’s recent absence due to injury, his presence is still felt, the team have embraced his ‘win at all costs’ mentality.
His intangible qualities and extraordinary skill has resulted in the Clippers now possessing a joint league-best 32-9 record. Paul is the best all-round point guard in the game and now has a legitimate chance to win a championship. However, stiff competition from LeBron James and Kevin Durant, means that Chris Paul will remain in third place in MVP talks for much of the season.
Honourable Mentions: Carmelo Anthony, Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, James Harden and Russell Westbrook