For the last couple of seasons the debate in basketball has been who the better player is: Kobe Bryant or LeBron James. However, this season there is no debate, as James has separated himself from Bryant to establish himself as the game’s best player and a lock as this seasons MVP.
There have been questions in the past as to what the MVP award means. Does it really mean the player who is most valuable to their team, or does it mean the best player? Either way, the award belongs to James. If James were taken off the Cleveland Cavaliers they would not make the playoffs.
The Cavs currently have the best record in the NBA, yet take a look at the Cavs roster and you find names like Daniel Gibson, Anderson Varejao and J.J. Hickson. Sure they have former All-Stars in Shaquille O’ Neal, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, but they are both on the downside of their careers. Even without the injured Mo Williams the Cavs are currently on a 13-game winning streak. The reason for the Cavs league best record is because of the dominance of James.
When it comes to being most valuable to their team, the two other players that belong in the discussion alongside James is Chris Paul and Kevin Durant.
Paul leads the Hornets in scoring at 20.4 points a game and leads the league with 11.2 assists a game and is one of the league leaders in steals. Just look at the way the Hornets have struggled without Paul. The Hornets are 21-17 with Paul, and 7-8 without Paul.
However, there is no chance that Paul wins the MVP, as the MVP is usually always awarded to players on teams that usually win over 50 games. The Hornets will be lucky to win 45 games this season.
Durant will have a realistic shot at league MVP in a couple of seasons. Durant is putting up monster numbers now with 29.7 points a game, which is second in the league and 7.4 rebounds a game. Durant and guard Russell Westbrook are the reason the Thunder are 30-21. The Thunder will probably finish this season as the five or six seed in the Western Conference, which is too low for the MVP voters.
The Lakers recent success without Bryant may have clinched the MVP for James, and while Carmelo Anthony is having a great season for the Nuggets this season, the Nuggets were able to play well this season when he missed a few games with a bad ankle.
Not only is James the most valuable to his team, but he is the best player in the game. His only competition for that title is Bryant. Just take a look at James’ numbers this season: tops the league with 29.9 points per game, 7.1 rebounds a game, and 8.3 assists a game. He has a legitimate shot to average a triple double in a season.
This does not mean that James and the Cavs are a lock to win the championship this June. There is a good chance that come this June Bryant and the Lakers will repeat as champions.
The MVP is a regular season award, and not only is James a lock for the award this season, but he has a legitimate chance to surpass the five MVP’s that Michael Jordan won. The scary thing for the rest of the league is that James is only 25-years-old, which means he has not yet reached his prime.
