Midseason NBA MVP

My thoughts on the NBA MVP race

1) Dirk - Best player on best team and I would argue he has less help than Nash - Marion and Stoudemire have been all-stars and will likely be again this year while Josh Howard has not and will be hard pressed to make it this year. You can't ignore the best record and Dirk has become a better all around player. They are 34-4 since starting 0-4 and have beaten all of the top teams.

2) Nash - They have won 30 of 32 games and he's putting up the best numbers in his career. Has a chance to average 20 pts and 11 dimes which has only be done by a few players. They have had 2 15 game win streaks in the same season before the all star break which has never been done before. If I looked at the schedule right game 33 in the streak would be against the Lakers. It will be very fitting for the Suns to try to tie the longest win streak against the franchise that has it.

3) Kobe - Most talented player in the league and has the Lakers' with the 5th best record in the league while missing Odom for a long stretch, Kwame for a little bit, and Mihm for the entire season. Has become a better leader (assists have gone up every month and shooting a career high percentage) and has the Lakers on a 50 win pace. He still knows when to take over (52 against Utah while dropping 30 in the 3rd quarter to take control) If Dallas and Phoenix weren't so ridiculous this year I would argue he's #1. If they pass San Antonio for the 3 seed and end up with 55+ victories he would have a great chance. That would be at least a 10 victory improvement from last year with essentially the same team

4) Hibachi - Arenas has mastered the art of the unnecessary buzzer beating 3 to win games. Averaging over 30 and has dropped 60 Besides Butler and Jamison (who I think is overrated) the Wiz are garbage yet he has them leading the East. I would have him higher if he shot a higher percentage and the Wiz had a better record. If they can somehow get to 50 victories and win the east he might have an outside shot.