Top Candidates for NBA MVP Halfway Through the Season

As of January 20th, most of the NBA's teams have played around 41 games this season, meaning that we have reached the midway point of the 2012-2013 regular season.  This is a fitting time to reflect on the top candidates for one of the most prestigious awards in all of sports, the NBA Most Valuable Player award.

Kevin Durant (ESPN.com)

The top candidate to win the Maurice Podoloff trophy for league MVP is Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder.  Durant's Thunder have a league best record of 32-8, and six of the past ten MVP winners have come from the team with the league's best record.  Durant has led the league in scoring the past three seasons, and currently ranks second in the league with a 29.3 points per game average.  Durant is having one of the most efficient seasons in the history of the league and one of the greatest shooting seasons of all time.  He is on pace to become just the 8th player to ever convert on greater than 50% of his field goal attempts, 40% of his three point attempts, and 90% of his free throw attempts.  Even more ridiculous, Durant is able to maintain this efficiency despite ranking third in the league in both field goal attempts and free throw attempts.  Durant is the single most unstoppable scorer in the NBA today, which he demonstrated in putting up 52 points, including the game winner in overtime, on the Dallas Mavericks on January 18th.  He possesses limitless shooting range, an extremely diverse arsenal of offensive moves, and the athleticism to get out in transition.  What has elevated Durant's game and that of his team are the improvements he has made as a passer, rebounder and defender.  Durant is averaging a career high 4.2 assists per game and has proven time and again that he will find the open man and create plays for his teammates.  The most noticeable improvement Durant has made is on the defensive side of the ball.  When he is on the court, opposing small forwards have a player efficiency rating of just 8.0, well below the average of 15.  Durant uses his length to disturb his opponents and is averaging nearly 3 combined steals and blocks.  

Chris Paul (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Durant's main challenger for league MVP is Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers.  Paul's Clippers have a record of 31-9, the league's second best mark, and have had a 17 game win streak this season.  Since arriving in Los Angeles in 1984, the Clippers have been a perennial laughingstock, lying in the shadow of tinseltown's more glamorous team, the Los Angeles Lakers.  Paul's trade to the Clippers in the summer of 2011 instantly turned them into Lob City, the NBA's most entertaining, high-flying act.  With Paul running the point, and athletic specimens Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan in the front court, the Clippers became a highlight reel of endless alley-oops, and overtook their rival Lakers as the main attraction at the Staples Center.  Paul ranks second in the league with 9.7 assists per game and scores just under 17 points per game.  Paul possesses an uncanny understanding of the game of basketball, and is arguably the best in the world at creating open shots and opportunities for his teammates.  His court vision, ability to make any pass, and unselfishness make him the archetype for how a point guard should play.  One of Paul's most unique attributes is the way in which he takes care of the ball.  Paul averages only 2.1 turnovers per game, and averages an absurd 4.53 assists per turnover, demonstrating how much he maximizes each possession.  Paul is among the most unguardable players, and can put up a shot whenever he pleases, converting on a high percentage of them.  His handle of the basketball is second to none, and his ability to lull a defender to sleep before blowing by him with a change of pace move is truly breathtaking.  On the defensive end, Paul is an absolute terror, despite being listed at only 6 feet tall.  Paul currently leads the league in steals with an average of 2.62 per game.  If he keeps it up, this will be the 5th season in which he leads the league in the category.  Paul's ability to read the opposing offense, anticipate where the ball is going, and instinctually play the passing lanes, make him a truly disruptive force and among the league's best perimeter defenders.  Paul is known as the greatest leader in the sport of basketball, and it is this intangible quality that has elevated the Clippers to true title contenders.

I expect that either Durant or Paul will be crowned league MVP based on whichever team finishes with the better record.

Lebron James (John W. McDonough/SI)

The third most worthy candidate for league MVP is Lebron James of the Miami Heat.  James is already a three time MVP award winner, and is unquestionably the league's best player.  His blend of size, strength, speed and athleticism along with an incredible basketball IQ make him the most talented player in the history of the sport.  James is coming off a season in which he won his first NBA championship by defeating Durant's Thunder in the NBA finals.  James ranks 4th in the league in scoring, averaging 26.3 points per game, and has had only 1 game with under 20 points this season.  This is the 9th consecutive season in which James has averaged at least 26 points per game, and he recently became the youngest player in the history of the league to reach 20,000 career points.  Amazingly, he has made 55% of his field goal attempts, and 40% of his three point shot attempts.  James is the league's best defender, and has the unprecedented ability to defend players at all 5 positions.  James is hands down the best passing forward in the league, averages 7 assists per game, and his court vision rivals that of the league's top point guards.  James' Miami Heat currently has a record of 26-12, the best in the Eastern Conference, yet has won only 6 of its past 12 games.  The Heat have appeared to be disinterested in several games this season, which is understandable given that they are the defending NBA champions and are on pace to have home court advantage in the playoffs through the Eastern Conference finals.  Despite James' brilliance, the fact that he has already won three league MVP awards, and the fact that his team lies several games behind the Thunder and Clippers, place the the world's top basketball player at number three on my rankings.

Carmelo Anthony
(Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks sits at number 4 on my NBA MVP rankings.  Anthony's emergence from one dimensional scorer to dominant force on both ends of the court, has made the Knicks the top challenger to the Heat in the Eastern Conference.  Melo's Knicks are second in the East with a record of 25-13, and have already beaten the Heat twice by 20 points this season.  Anthony has long been considered one of the world's most explosive scorers and has averaged nearly 25 points per game for his career.  This season Carmelo has taken it up a notch, averaging a career high 29.2 points per game.  He is shooting lights out from three point range, converting on 42% of his 6.6 attempts per game.  Anthony's major improvements this season have been in his willingness to pass the ball, and his effort on the defensive end.  Rather than forcing up tough shots in isolation as he may have in the past, Anthony has instead shown trust in his teammates by swinging the ball to the open man.  Anthony's defensive intensity, inspired by teammate Tyson Chandler, the reigning defensive player of the year award winner, has finally made him the well rounded player that most expected he would become when he entered the league in 2003.  

Russell Westbrook (Getty Images)

At number 5 on my list is Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder.  Westbrook is arguably the most athletic point guard of all time, and is impossible to contain.  He ranks 7th in the league in scoring with an average of 22.7 points per game, ranks 5th in assists with 8.3 per game, is among the league's best rebounding guards with an average of 5.3 boards per game, and finally ranks 3rd in the league in steals by averaging 2 per game.  As mentioned earlier, his Thunder have the best record in the league.  The one thing that prevents Westbrook from being ranked higher on this list is that his teammate Kevin Durant is widely considered to be the second best player in the league.  

Kobe Bryant
(Howard Smith/USA Today Sports)

Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers is ranked 6th on the MVP rankings.  Bryant is leading the league in scoring this season at the age of 34.  His 29.7 points per game average places him on this list despite the disappointing performance his team has put on thus far this season.  The Lakers, expected to contend for a title after adding all-stars Dwight Howard and Steve Nash over the offseason, are 11th in the Western Conference with a record of 17-22.  They are currently 3 games out of the 8th and final playoff spot and have not been over 0.500 since November 20th.  If the Lakers demonstrate considerable improvement over the second half of the season, Bryant will climb up my rankings, but as of right now this is as high as I am willing to place the Black Mamba.

Dwight Howard Trade Analysis

Dwight Howard is going to Hollywood (news444.com)

After an entire year of constant drama, the Dwight Howard free agency saga is finally and thankfully over.  The NBA's top big man has been traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, following in the footsteps of legendary centers Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O'Neal each of whom was traded to the Lakers during his respective career.  The 4 team deal that sent Howard to L.A. also included the Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets.  In addition to acquiring Howard, the Lakers also received guard Chris Duhon and forward Earl Clark from the Magic.  The 76ers got center Andrew Bynum from the Lakers and shooting guard Jason Richardson from the Magic.  The Nuggets received small forward Andre Iguodala from the 76ers.  The Magic got shooting guard Arron Afflalo and forward Al Harrington from Denver, center Nikola Vucevic and forward Moe Harkless from Philly, Josh McRoberts and Chritian Eyenga from the Lakers, along with 3 future first round picks and 2 future second round picks.

The Lakers are the obvious winners in this trade, becoming the team to beat in the Western Conference.  The Lakers had already acquired 2-time MVP point guard Steve Nash in a trade with the Phoenix Suns this offseason, and small forward Antawn Jamison, who has averaged 19.5 points per game for his career.  The Lakers starting lineup of Nash, future hall of fame shooting guard Kobe Bryant, small forward Metta World Peace, 4 time All-Star power forward Pau Gasol, and Howard, is now arguably the top starting 5 in the league.  Howard, the NBA's best center, is a perfect fit for the Lakers on the court.  Howard is the NBA's top defender and won the NBA's defensive player of the year award three consecutive times.  With Howard protecting the paint, Bryant and Nash, each of whom has 16 years of NBA milage, will not have to worry as much about staying in front of the league's younger and speedier guards.  Offensively, the Lakers have acquired a perfect fit for their Princeton offense.  The Howard-Nash pick and roll will be one of the most effective plays in the league this season, utilizing one of the best pick and roll ball handlers in the history of the league in Nash and the insanely athletic Howard who is very efficient scoring off rolls to the basket.  Gasol has proven in the past that he can work extremely well with a dominant post up center like Howard, and when they build chemistry on the court the Lakers offense will be impossible to stop.  With Bryant, a top 10 player in NBA history, waiting on the wing, defenders will not be able to double team Howard as they often did in Orlando.  Needless to say, anything but a championship trophy will be considered a disappointment in Hollywood.

Nuggets' general manager Masai Ujiri has done a masterful job rebuilding the team over the past two seasons.  His latest acquisition, the ultra athletic Iguodala, is the quintessential player for Denvers' run and gun style of play.  The Nuggets' average the 2nd most possessions per game in the NBA, the most fast break possessions and are among the most efficient teams in the league in transition.  Iguodala is one of the league's single most effective players in transition, scoring on over 79% of his field goal attempts on the fast break when he is not the primary ball handler.  Iguodala is also one of the league's top perimeter defenders, and has demonstrated great instincts playing the passing lanes.  Iguodala will thrive in Denver now that he is not being asked to be the primary focal point of the offense.

Philadelphia is the third major winner in this deal.  By acquiring Bynum, the 76ers have acquired their first bonafide NBA star since the team traded Allen Iverson to the Nuggets back in 2006.  Bynum is the 2nd best center in the league, behind Dwight Howard, and gives the Sixers an advantage in the paint over all the other teams in the East.  Bynum appeared to be unsatisfied with the number of touches he received on the Lakers; in Philly the offense will revolve around his ability to post up.  Jason Richardson joins a logjam at the shooting guard position.  With 2010 number 2 overall pick Evan Turner and recently signed Nick Young vying for minutes, Richardson will not receive as much playing time as he has in the past.  Bynum will be a free agent at the end of the season and will most likely resign with the team because it can offer him more money and years than an other team.

While I wouldn't call the Magic losers in this trade, it appears that they could have certainly received much more for Howard who is undoubtedly a top 5 player in the league.  Afflalo is the best player Orlando received in the deal; he can be penciled into the role of starting shooting guard for the team.  Afflalo, an excellent perimeter defender, is coming off a career year in which he averaged 15.2 points per game.  By acquiring Harkless and Vucevic, the Sixers' first round picks the last two seasons, along with the future draft picks, the Magic have begun their rebuilding process in earnest.  While the Magic received much less than the Hornets did in the Chris Paul trade, or the Nuggets did in the Carmelo Anthony deal, it is possible that the front office intended to do so.  The Magic have realized that in order to avoid being a mediocre team that either drafts at the end of the lottery or loses in the first round, an organization has to have elite players.  The Magic are unlikely to be a destination for top free agents, and therefore must rebuild through the draft.  This process will take years, and the Magic will likely be awful for several seasons, but if the team is fortunate it may luck into the next Dwight Howard.

Team USA Wins Gold

The United States men's basketball team defeated Spain in the gold medal game 107-100 on the final day of the London Olympics.  Team USA completed an extremely entertaining Olympic tournament by winning its 50th consecutive game, and its 2nd consecutive Olympic gold medal.  

Team USA brought home the gold (sneakernews.com)

The title game was a hard-fought, back and forth affair between the top two teams in the world.  This must watch event was attended by countless celebrities including Henry Kissinger, Tom Cruise, David Beckham, Arnold Schwarzenegger and even the Queen of Spain.  

From the opening tipoff it was clear that the Spaniards had arrived ready to challenge the Americans.  Spain played with a desperation that it had been missing for the entire duration of the tournament, and its defensive effort and intensity was readily apparent.  Offensively, the Spanish game plan centered on exploiting the size advantage of 7 footers Pau and Marc Gasol.  The Gasol brothers combined  for 41 points in the game, with Pau scoring 24 to go along with 8 rebounds and 7 assists.  The Gasols' effectiveness scoring in the paint on an array of jump hooks, turnaround jumpers and dunks forced the Americans to focus their defensive efforts on preventing interior scoring, which created open outside shots for Spain.  Juan Carlos Navarro was the main beneficiary, scoring 14 of his 21 points in the first quarter.

Celebrating the gold medal (business insider)

The U.S. did a fantastic job making the extra pass to find open 3-point shooters on the perimeter.  In the first quarter Team USA converted on 7 of 10 3-point shots which spread out the Spanish zone and created driving lanes to the basket.  Spain was forced to switch to man-to-man defense in order to counter the Americans' scorching outside shooting, which allowed the US to take advantage of the various mismatches it posed.  Kevin Durant was the star of the game for Team USA, scoring a game high 30 points with 5 threes.  Durant was extraordinary in every facet of the game.  His spot up shooting was sensational, he got the Spanish into foul trouble by earning 10 shots at the charity stripe, blew by defenders on his way to the basket, led the break, forced turnovers on defense, and controlled the boards by having a game high 9 rebounds.  Lebron James, who has already won a championship this year with the Miami Heat, had yet another excellent game with 19 points, 7 rebounds and a team high 4 assists.  James had two consecutive baskets with 2 minutes left in the game to put the game out of reach and secure the victory for Team USA.  The first was a mesmerizing dunk  and the second a back breaking 3-pointer with a man in his face.  Kobe Bryant also had a huge game for the US, scoring 17 points including 3 three pointers.  Chris Paul, who earned the game ball, scored 8 of his 11 points in the decisive 4th quarter.

Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis and Carmelo Anthony (USA Today)

While this US team did not dominate their opponents in the manner that the Dream Team did in 1992, its incredible accomplishments against very tough international opponents are worthy of a round of applause and will be remembered for years to come.

Team USA dominates Argentina in the third quarter to remain undefeated

Chris Paul
(Abaca via Si.com)

The United States' men's national basketball team defeated team Argentina 126-97 to remain undefeated in group play heading into Wednesday's quarterfinals.  Team USA had a very poor first half, its third consecutive subpar half following its historic 83 point drubbing of Nigeria.  At halftime the US led by only one, having ceded 59 points to the Argentines, and defensive effort was evidently lacking.  Argentina exploited the US's lackadaisical defense by spreading the ball to create open 3's, and getting the ball to the rim via backdoor cuts.  Manu Ginobili  had a brilliant first half for the blue and white, scoring 16 points and making full use of his dazzling array of crafty moves, including his patented eurostep.  Chris Paul's 14 first half points, among them 4 timely three pointers, kept the Americans in the game.

Kevin Durant (US Presswire)

As soon as the second half began, team USA opened the floodgates, outscoring Argentina 42-17 and demonstrating why it is the most feared team on the planet.  The US began the half by repeatedly posting up Lebron James, the best player on the planet and a mismatch regardless of who is trying to defend him.  Lebron bullied his way inside, scoring 9 of his 18 points in the 3rd quarter, and worked the ball out to shooters on the perimeter.  Kevin Durant caught fire in the quarter, draining 5 consecutive three pointers, and scoring 18 of his game high 28 points.  Durant, the NBA's leading scorer in three consecutive seasons, had previously stated that he was excited to take advantage of the shorter international three point line.  He put his scoring prowess on display for the world with his 8 for 9 shooting performance from downtown.  Carmelo Anthony, whose 37 points in the blowout win over Nigeria set an Olympic record, hit a buzzer beating three pointer at the end of the quarter, and fell over in agony after being punched in the groin by Argentina's point guard Facundo Campazzo.  Campazzo's cheap shot earned him scornful looks from many of the Americans, and an earful from Kobe Bryant.
Durant, James and team USA's swarming defense put the game out of reach by the time the 4th quarter rolled around.  One of the most incredible highlights from the game was a forceful dunk by Andre Iguodala in the second quarter that sailed through the net, bounced off his chest, went back up through the net, and was ruled a missed field goal.
Team USA will meet Australia in the quarterfinals of the Olympic tournament on Wednesday, while Argentina will face Brazil.  If the two sides each win their respective games they will face off in the semifinals on Friday.