The Top 10 NBA MVP Candidates: Vol. 2

Last week, we opened up our official Race to the MVP ladder with a ranking based upon how each player performed from the beginning of the season through last Monday. From now on, each weekly ranking will be focused upon each candidate’s performance from the previous week. So the stats listed for each player will be their averages from the previous week as well.

There was a lot of movement on the ladder this week. It’s not often you’ll see two players fall out of the top 10 in the same week. It’s hard for players to really separate themselves from the rest of the pack at the beginning of the season, so early on it’s more of a “what have you done for me lately?” deal. The last three out of the top 10 this week are Jrue Holiday, Rajon Rondo and Deron Williams.

Holiday has been having a great individual year. So far he’s averaging about 18 and nine on the season, but the Sixers are currently a middle-of-the-pack team sitting three games above .500 – not quite good enough for Holiday to be in the conversation just yet, but he’s definitely on the outside looking in.

Rajon Rondo is averaging an unreal 13 and 13 so far this year. But it just hasn’t been good enough for the Celtics. They’re currently looking very average at 11-9 and lack a go-to scorer. For Rondo to jump back in the MVP race he’ll have to show people that he can be that go-to scorer in addition to the playmaker he’s always been. The key for him going forward is to improve those scoring numbers and translate that into wins for the Celtics.

We had Deron Williams ranked at No. 6 in our Week 1 Ladder. At the time the Nets were 11-5. A week later, the Nets are now 11-8. For a second there, people were starting to wonder if the Nets could contend for the best record in the East. Now they’re falling behind to the middle of the pack. D-Will hasn’t really found his rhythm yet (he’s shooting a dismal 28 percent from long range this year) but when he really gets it going, and the Nets start winning again he’ll be back in the top 10 without question.

With that, here are this edition’s top 10 candidates.

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10. STEPHEN CURRY
Last week: 24.0 ppg/5.0 apg/3.3 rpg
Vol. 1 rank: UR
Stephen Curry deserves some recognition. He’s only scored in single-digits twice this season. Besides a 6-point game against Denver on November 23 (a game where he only took five shots), he hasn’t scored under 20 points since November 16. On top of his remarkable scoring numbers, Curry has improved at distributing the basketball as well. Two weeks ago he had a streak of four double-doubles. If Curry can deliver these numbers consistently, he might just be in the conversation for an All-Star spot. The Warriors are 13-7 right now, which is good enough for fifth-best in the West. So if some of you were scratching your heads as to why Deron Williams falls out of the top 10, Stephen Curry is your answer.

9. JOSH SMITH
Last week: 21.0 ppg/12.0 rpg/3.3 apg
Vol. 1 rank: UR

The Hawks are definitely a surprise team this season. After losing Joe Johnson for basically nothing, nobody really expected them to get off to such a good start. However, Josh Smith has stepped up as the leader they needed him to become and has really taken control of the team so far this year. Guys like Lou Williams and Al Horford have definitely helped him along the way, but Smith is currently on pace for his first All-Star season. He’s averaging 17 and eight on the season and his Hawks aren’t far behind Miami for the division lead. If the Hawks (12-6) had beat the Heat (14-5) last night, they would’ve taken the lead. Unfortunately LeBron and co. weren’t about to let that happen at home. If Smoove can take his Hawks to the top of the division, he’ll make a case for himself to be in this conversation.

8. TONY PARKER
Last week: 20.3 ppg/8.6 apg/2.3 rpg
Vol. 1 rank: 8

The San Antonio Spurs have been looking very sharp lately. After putting up 110-plus points in each of their three wins last week, including a 132-102 route over the Charlotte Bobcats, the Spurs are now 18-4. Tony Parker has been playing some of the most efficient basketball in the league. He’s shooting 51 percent from the field, including a surprising 37 percent from long range. His teammates haven’t spoken so highly of him in a long time and are really confident that this year is his year. Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan have allowed TP to really take control of the team and he’s been doing a great job leading them so far. Being tied for the league’s best record backs that claim up.

7. RUSSELL WESTBROOK
Last week: 26.3 ppg/7.6 apg/3.3 rpg
Vol. 1 rank: 9

Westbrook jumps up to number seven in this week’s ladder after helping the Thunder to three big wins last week. Through each of their wins, the Thunder averaged 111 points, including their 114-108 win over the Lakers on Tuesday. What’s actually funny about that is recently word got out that Kobe Bryant was talking a lot of trash during the Olympics this summer after finding out his Lakers got Dwight Howard. Also, apparently in an effort to stir up some drama between Kevin Durant and Westbrook, Kobe was excessively hyping up Westbrook’s play and encouraging him to feel like the best player on the team, knowing how heavily criticized Westbrook is for exactly that. If this game was any indication of how that worked out for Kobe, I’m sure he regretted it instantly as Durant and Westbrook combined for 79 that night.

6. KOBE BRYANT
Last Week: 34.2 ppg/4.0 apg/3.7 rpg
Vol. 1 rank: 7

Overall last week was a memorable one for Kobe after joining the 30,000 points club. In addition to that, he tore it up through his four games, averaging 34 points a game. However, despite all that, the Lakers only came away with one W last week. Lucky for Kobe, it was at New Orleans on the same night of his milestone. Things have been far from easy for the Lakers this year. They’re currently 9-12, and much hasn’t changed since the firing of Mike Brown and the hiring of Mike D’Antoni. Despite Kobe’s stellar play so far, the Lakers still aren’t winning. They are 4-7 under D’Antoni and have been struggling on defense, allowing 104.4 points a night since he was hired.

5. CHRIS PAUL
Last week 15.3 ppg/9.3 apg/3.0 spg
Vol. 1 rank: 5

The Los Angeles Clippers are currently the best team in Los Angeles and it’s pretty obvious. Right now they’re on a six-game win streak, and have scored over 100 points in each of their last six wins. Chris Paul is just simply cooling it right now, going 5-for-10 from the field in each of his three games last week. The Clippers have a great rhythm going, and he isn’t going to play more aggressively until he has to. He’s still getting his guys involved, and that’s proven to be all he has to do for the Clippers to win games. So that’s what he’s going to continue doing until they start to lose again.

4. ZACH RANDOLPH
Last week 23.6 ppg/14.0 rpg/1.3 bpg
Vol. 1 rank: 4

Zach Randolph is back like he’s never missed a step. After missing most of last season with a knee injury, he’s come back this season looking like the same player he’s always been. Z-Bo is a straight savage, and he showed everyone why against Phoenix last Tuesday, pouring in 38 points and grabbing 22 rebounds. There’s no question he’s capable of having games like this on any given night and he’s quickly emerged as the best power forward in basketball right now. At 14-4, Memphis has still taken the least amount of losses in the league, although they only have 15 wins compared to the Spurs and the Thunder at 17-4. If Z-Bo can continue playing this type of basketball and keep the Grizzlies among the top teams in the West, he’ll warm up his seat in the top five of our MVP ladder.

3. CARMELO ANTHONY
Last week: 28.5 ppg/4.5 rpg/1.5 apg
Week 1 rank: 3

Despite missing Thursday’s game against Miami and Saturday’s game at Chicago, Carmelo returned Sunday against Denver, dropping 34 points and grabbing six rebounds. Had he played in that huge win over Miami on Thursday and out-performed LeBron James, he would’ve made a good case for himself for that number two spot on the ladder. Unfortunately for him, his cut finger got in the way of that, and he sits tight in the number three spot this week. After being on the outside looking in for most of the season last year, Carmelo has established himself as a leader so far in this year’s MVP race. The Knicks are playing nearly the league’s best basketball, and at 15-5, they have a chance to become the league’s best team this upcoming week.

2. KEVIN DURANT
Last week: 31.6 ppg/7.3 rpg/4.6 apg
Week 1 rank: 2

Kevin Durant is a hair behind LeBron James on the MVP ladder this week only because LeBron had a better all-around week individually. The Thunder had an incredible week last week, lighting it up for 100-plus points in each of their three games. KD has been nothing short of unstoppable, averaging almost 32 points a game through the week, and the Thunder are currently contending for the league’s best record with San Antonio. This upcoming week, if the Thunder take over the best record and Kevin Durant’s greatness has a lot to do with it, while the Miami Heat continue to struggle, the number one spot will have Kevin Durant’s name all over it.

1. LeBRON JAMES
Last week: 27.0 ppg/9.3 rpg/9.0 apg
Vol. 1 rank: 1

LeBron James stays on top of this week’s MVP ladder by the skin of his teeth. It’s early in the season and with the way Miami has been playing compared to the way Oklahoma City has been playing, LeBron isn’t sitting too comfortably here. After suffering back-to-back losses against the Wizards and the Knicks last week – even as he did his part against the Knicks by scoring 31 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out nine assists – LeBron went through an extensive workout in MSG immediately after the loss. The main reason he stays on top of this week’s ladder is his triple-double effort against Washington, and his efficient shooting, staying over 50 percent from the field in each of last week’s three games.

Who is most likely to usurp LeBron?

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