Will Durant take home his first NBA MVP, or will it be all Paul?
It takes a lot of hard work to be the best, whether you’re a bass fisherman, a bass player, or a basketball player.
You can be sure the likes of Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose have put in countless hours honing their skills from their youth to now.
Last season, Rose won the NBA’s MVP award, as his stellar play led Chicago to the league’s best record. D-Rose will be a leading candidate for the award again this season, but even with Chris Paul’s trade to the Los Angeles Clippers, many see Durant as the favorite, with big things being expected of Oklahoma City, who won the Northwest Division title and advanced to the Western Conference finals last season only two seasons after finishing 23-59.
Whatever happens this season, you can expect to see Rose and Durant in the MVP conversation every year for the foreseeable future. They’re already two of the best in the biz, but because they’re daily putting in the work required to make the most of their talent and potential, they’re only going to get better and better.
But looking short term, who else will challenge those two for the MVP this season, and how will the race likely shake out? In all likelihood, it will come down to a trio of stars.
1. Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
Durant has led the league in scoring each of the last two seasons, and the only person who could keep him from three straight is Kobe, as the Lakers’ current lack of options could force the Black Mamba into having to score 35-odd every night out of necessity.
But KD has started his season with hauls of 29 and 33 in wins over Orlando and Minnesota, and he should average close to or above 30 points per game this season.
If he does – and he will – and the Thunder have the excellent season they’re expected to – and they will – Durant should take home MVP honors for the first time.
2. Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers
Whatever one thinks of how Paul became a Clipper, all that matters for their long-suffering fans (and the many bandwagoners that have hopped on in the last few weeks) is that he is, and it could prove to be one of the most pivotal moves in recent NBA history, more so than ’The Decision’, for the mere fact that the NBA’s longtime lovable losers are now seemingly a championship contender overnight.
Take out the Paul deal, throw in their acquisitions of Chauncey Billups and Caron Butler, and the Clippers could very well have been a playoff team this season. But throw in what Paul offers with his skills and as a leader, and the Clippers’ NBA title futures odds are as low as they’ve been since…ever.
If the Clippers fulfill the high expectations, or even come close to doing so, it’ll be a tight race between KD and CP3, but KD wins out for now.
3. Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls
Can the reigning MVP pull off the repeat? There are a few elements in his favor. The Bulls could be even better this season than they were last season, thanks in part to the addition of Rip Hamilton, and in the previous ten seasons, there were three back-to-back MVP winners (Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, and LeBron James).
However, the top two favorites appear to reside in the West, and they’re going to be riding the hype wave all season long.
But Rose will dazzle again, and he will finish no worse than third in the race. And even if he doesn’t take home a second straight MVP, he’ll continue to reign supreme as the league’s most self-deprecating (a.k.a. humble) player, by a wide, wide margin.
Best of the Rest
4. LeBron James, Miami Heat: Bron Bron has started the season with two excellent performances, which could be a sign that he’s back at his best. If he is, and his head’s in the right place – it wasn’t last season – then he’ll be in the thick of the MVP race, and the Heat will be better equipped to fulfill their lofty expectations than they were last season.
5. Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks: Who knows what the Knicks will deliver this season? Anthony will certainly put up lofty stats no matter what, but the only way he’ll be a legitimate MVP contender is if the Knicks do more than just barely make the playoffs.
