The Top 10 NBA MVP Candidates, Week 7

The regular season is coming to an end and the playoffs are right around the corner. The last few weeks in this MVP race are the most important, as each superstar works to put their team in the best position to contend in the Playoffs. For Dwight Howard and Derrick Rose, the MVP is the least of their concerns. Both players are usually top candidates in the MVP conversation, however they both have gone through rough times this season and are focused solely on the playoffs.

The Bulls have played really well without Rose, which isn’t great for his MVP argument, and with all the distractions Dwight Howard has given Orlando, it’s hard for him to argue for votes as well.

But Carmelo Anthony and Andrew Bynum are deserving of those votes. ‘Melo has reminded us he’s one of the league’s best by taking over just in time for New York, who are fighting to stay alive. Bynum has been playing his best basketball of the season at a time when the Lakers need him most. With the absence of Kobe, he’s had some time as the number one option for the Lakers and looks pretty comfortable being the guy.

Hopefully for the Lakers sake, it can stay that way while Kobe’s out, because Chris Paul‘s Clippers are making noise in April. They currently sit one game behind the Lakers in the Pacific Division. There’s a chance that CP3 and his Clips could finish as the division leaders and the third seed, which is better than most expected. If he could make that happen, he deserves to finish in the top three in voting. He’s successfully done what he’s set out to do, which is turn the Clippers into one of the best teams in the West.

Here are the results for this week’s “Race to the MVP” Watch (Monday through Sunday)…

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10. CARMELO ANTHONY – Last week: 30.3 ppg/3.0 apg/6.5 rpg Last Week: N/A, Rising
With Derrick Rose’s regular season status up in the air, it’s hard to imagine him making a legitimate case for MVP votes even though the Bulls are still the league’s best team. When it almost appears your team is better without you, as ridiculous as it may sound, that’s a really tough knock on a star player, and in Rose’s case, the reigning MVP.

That same argument was made against Carmelo Anthony. While he was injured earlier this year, Jeremy Lin had Knick fans and the media speculating about whether the Knicks were a better team with or without Carmelo Anthony on the floor. Well, its safe to say Carmelo has put all that talk to a screeching halt. Maybe the absence of Jeremy Lin has something to do with it, but ‘Melo has absolutely taken over for New York. After his ridiculously clutch 43-point night against Chicago last Sunday, he’s averaged 30 points a game, including a 42-point, 9-rebound game against his arch-nemesis: LeBron and the Heat.

If the Knicks can finish anywhere above the eighth seed, Anthony deserves some sort of recognition. He’s willed them to a number of close victories, and has really bought into the trend of defending. Hopefully they can translate that into a competitive playoff run.

9. ANDREW BYNUM – Last week: 21.7 ppg/16.3 rpg/1.0 bpg
LW: N/A, Rising
There’s no question that once the smoke clears, Dwight Howard will be back to playing like an MVP. But right now, he just simply isn’t in the conversation. He’s only played two games in the month of April, one of which was an atrocious eight-point, eight-rebound performance in 40 minutes in a loss against New York. The fact of the matter is Andrew Bynum has been the best center in the league this season. He deserves to be the center on the All-NBA First Team, and deserves some MVP votes.

With Bryant being out, Bynum has turned it up. He put together three double-doubles in four of his games last week, including that 16-point, 30-rebound game in a convincing win over the Spurs. In the one game he didn’t have a double-double, he still had 30 points on 11-for-19 shooting in a close win against Denver. The Lakers have been one of the best teams since the All-Star break and it has a lot to do with Andrew Bynum.

8. TONY PARKER – Last Week: 9.8 ppg/6.8 apg/2.2 rpg
LW: No. 7, Falling
Gregg Popovich has been known to rest his veterans around the end of the season, and that’s exactly what he’s been doing. Because he’s armed with the strongest bench in the NBA and one of the best benches he’s had as a coach, the Spurs have been able to win games with their starters resting. Their streak of 10 straight wins came to an end on Wednesday against the Lakers, but the Spurs picked it right back up, with three straight wins against Memphis, Phoenix and Golden State, with Popovich monitoring Parker’s minutes in each game.

7. KEVIN LOVELast week: 25.0 ppg/8.0 rpg/2.0 apg
LW: No. 6, Falling
Kevin Love suffered a concussion in a loss against Denver last Wednesday. He will likely miss the remainder of the season. However, he’s put together a remarkable individual effort this season and he will, without a doubt, receive a few MVP votes. If this were a statistical race, Kevin Love would be at the top. The voters know that, so expect to see Love get a vote or two, although his chances of finishing in the top three have gone down the drain.

6. KOBE BRYANTLast week: N/A
LW: No. 4, Falling
The Lakers have been playing well without Kobe Bryant as of late. Kobe’s shin injury is a positive and negative in different ways. It’s a positive because Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol have really come to life while Metta World Peace has found the ball in his hands during crunch time and has made some really great plays. So Kobe’s supporting cast is tuning up for the playoffs in his absence. However, with the Lakers in a tight race with the Clippers for the division right now, it’s an unfortunate time for Kobe to be sitting out. Sure his supporting cast is getting rhythm, but he’s losing his rhythm each day he sits.

If the Lakers fall behind the Clippers, and lose their division lead, Kobe could finish outside of the top five in voting… likely under Chris Paul too, who is clearly the deciding factor in the Clippers’ success this season, turning them into a playoff team for the first time in six years.

5. DWYANE WADE – Last week: 23.0 ppg/4.3 apg/5.3 rpg
LW: No. 5, Maintaining
Miami’s recent struggles have been alarming to say the least. After an 97-82 loss at home against Memphis on April 6, Miami came into last week looking to build momentum. In the rematch against Boston, they lost by nine. Then they went on to lose against Chicago by 10 in overtime, with Wade giving up the game-tying three at the end of regulation. A streak of three crushing defeats would seem to have Miami deflated. However they bounced back against New York on Sunday at the Garden. Wade had 28 points on 10-for-18 shooting, nine rebounds, four assists and also played very well defensively.

If Miami wants to gain some momentum going into the playoffs, Wade is going to have to be a consistent 20-plus-point scorer, which is what he’s been as of late.

4. RUSSELL WESTBROOK – Last week: 25.7 ppg/5.7 apg/4.5 rpg
LW: No. 3, Falling
Russell Westbrook’s role on the Thunder is to score the basketball, and that’s exactly what he’s been doing: 26 points a game through four games last week, and his field-goal percentage hasn’t been bad, aside from that 3-for-14 performance against the Clippers on Wednesday. Poor shooting from Westbrook usually translates to losses for Oklahoma City. After last night, it’s clear that Chris Paul has the upper hand on Westbrook, holding him to 4-for-16 shooting with only nine points and three assists along with five turnovers.

If the two meet in the playoffs, expect CP3 make Westbrook really uncomfortable. The Clippers have been turning it up just in time while the Thunder have fallen off a bit, losing the best record in the West to the Spurs.

3. CHRIS PAUL – Last week: 22.0 ppg/7.7 apg/4.2 rpg LW: No. 8, Rising
Chris Paul has increased his MVP stock immensely over the past few weeks in one of the biggest jumps made by any player this season. Out of nine games so far in April, the Clippers have lost only two, one of which to the Lakers, whom are exactly one game ahead of the Clippers in the Pacific Division. Had the outcome of that game been different, Chris Paul would have the Clippers in third place in the West behind San Antonio and Oklahoma City.

The Clippers haven’t made the playoffs in six years, so that tells you enough about the impact Chris Paul has had on this team. His value to the Clippers is equal to that of any player in the league right now, even if his numbers aren’t up to par with LeBron or Kevin Durant. He’s constantly doing whatever it is they need him to do to win games, whether it’s score the basketball, distribute, or simply just defend.

2. KEVIN DURANT – Last week: 28.2 ppg/7.2 rpg/3.7 apg
LW: No. 2, Maintaining
The Thunder giving up their No. 1 seed is enough to keep Durant in second place for now. Although he’s still putting up stellar numbers, he hasn’t been as consistent with his efficiency. In a tough loss against the Clippers on Wednesday, he was only 7-for-21 with 22 points. He bounced back with 29 against Sacramento and 43 against Minnesota in two wins, but if he wants to make a legitimate run at MVP he’s going to have to turn it up in the home stretch.

1. LEBRON JAMES – Last week: 28.5 ppg/8.1 rpg/5.0 apg
LW: No. 1, Maintaining
LeBron is holding on to his top spot in this week’s MVP race. Despite Miami’s recent struggles in losses against Boston and at Chicago (in which James had zero points in a very important overtime period) he has continued to put up MVP numbers. The fact of the matter is, for Miami to get the job done, LeBron James must be at his best. Miami’s success in the playoffs will ultimately fall upon LeBron James’ shoulders. He knows he has to be in control to give Miami their best shot at winning the championship, so expect him to be in tip-top shape these last few weeks of the regular season.

Even if LeBron wins this year’s MVP race, nobody will care unless he wins a championship.

Do you agree with this list?

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