Top 5 NBA MVP Candidates

It may be a bit premature to do a "Top 5 NBA MVP Candidates" piece but I'm bored so I'm doing it anyway.


1.Lebron James: Being the reigning NBA MVP gives you some leeway on this list. Other than that Lebron James should be on the top of every ones list just because he is the best all around player in the game. In his career he has consistently been a top scorer in the league and he's one of the best passing forwards we've seen since Bird. He's also an elite player on the defensive side of the ball consistently guarding and shutting down the other team's best player whether it's out on the perimeter or in the post. If Miami can have the same regular season success they did last year then expect Lebron to claim his 4th MVP trophy.

2.Kevin Durant: Kevin Durant is undoubtedly the best scorer in the world. He can score from literally anywhere on the court. As long as Westbrook and Harden aren't dominating the ball you can expect anywhere from 25-35 points on any given night from him. Part of what makes him so good on offense is he's unusually tall and long for a SF and with his high release point it makes it hard for players to contest let alone block his shot. Although he is an elite scorer his lack of defense is what gives Lebron the edge. It's not that he can't play defense it's just that his body isn't built to guard guys down in the post. OKC would have to win  at least 62 games next year for Kevin Durant to win the MVP

3.Chris Paul: Last year Chris Paul turned a perennial losing franchise into a top 4 playoff team in the west. It was truly remarkable what CP3 did. He is without a doubt the league's most talented point guard. He makes everyone better around him and that is the mark of a true great point guard. For CP3 to win this award the Clippers would have to finish with a top 2 seed in the west.

4.Rajon Rondo: If there was a national tv game MVP award Rondo would have definitely won it last year. As a C's fan I've watched just about every game of his career and last year there were a lot of inconsistencies. He played exceptionally well in the nationally televised games against big time opponents but against teams like Cleveland and Milwaukee he looked despondent and uninterested. In a game against Cavs Rondo was held scoreless on a night where he took just 6 shots. That can't happen this year if Rondo wants to included in the Elite group of points guards. While he already made a case for that in the playoffs with a magical playoff run. During that run he averaged 17.3 pts, 11.9 and 6.7 rebs. If he can carry those averages in to the regular season Rondo could climb in these rankings.

5.Dwight Howard: I don't know if Dwight will be healthy at the start of season but what I do know is that this guy is the single most dominant force in the NBA at his position. Any team he is on is guaranteed at least 50 wins. He's the pick and roll finisher in the league playing with the best pick and roll passer in the league. If Dwight can come back before the All-Star break and return to his dominant ways then expect him and the Lakers to make a late season surge