2013 NBA Power Rankings: Top 5 MVP Contenders – The All-Star break is about a week away, and while plenty of players earned spots on the All-Star team, only one player can end up winning the MVP. The battle for the top individual honor in the NBA has been heating up lately, and a strong argument can be made for any of the top four in the latest addition of the power rankings. Of course, there is plenty of time for any of the four to separate themselves from the pack or for other players to sneak up and contend. In the meantime, here is a look at the top five NBA MVP candidates as the All-Star game approaches.
2013 NBA MVP Power Rankings: Top 5 Contenders
1. LeBron James, Forward, Miami Heat
Miami has the best record in the Eastern Conference, and the defending MVP is averaging 26.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 7.0 assists. He leads the Heat in all three categories, and he is also shooting a career-best 55.6 percent from the field and a career-best 40.8 percent from 3-point range while averaging a career-low 2.9 turnovers per game. Throw in the fact that he defends every position on the court and does so at an elite level, and there just isn’t a player that impacts that game at both ends of the court at such a high level.
2. Tony Parker, Point Guard, San Antonio Spurs
While stars like Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili have been hurt, the Spurs have been starting Parker and four random guys and winning games. In fact, San Antonio has reeled off 11 straight wins and has the best record in the NBA. Parker ranks 11th in scoring and seventh in assists, posting 20.3 points and 7.6 helpers per night. Meanwhile, his field goal percentage is the second highest of his career, and he is shooting a career-best 81.6 percent from the foul line. San Antonio asks Parker to shoulder more and more of the load each year, and he has once again responded by improving his numbers and putting the Spurs atop the standings. It’s time he gets some recognition.
3. Kevin Durant, Forward, Oklahoma City Thunder
He is without a doubt the most versatile and dominant scorer in the NBA, and he is powering to his fourth straight scoring title. More impressively, his field goal percentage, free throw percentage and 3-point percentage are all career highs. His 7.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game are more than respectable, as well. On the stat sheet Durant can’t do much more. On the flip side, Oklahoma City currently has the second-best record in the Western Conference, and he can give his MVP chances a serious boost if he helps the Thunder overtake the Spurs when all is said and done.
4. Chris Paul, Point Guard, Los Angeles Clippers
His 9.7 assists per game are the second most in the NBA, and Paul leads the league with 2.6 steals per game. More importantly, he is the ultimate floor general and knows when to look for his shot and when to distribute and does both at an elite level. If you need any more proof of his value, look no further than the Clippers’ recent stretch. This is the same team that ripped off 17 wins in a row with Paul running the show, and they are just 3-7 in their last 10 games while he has been sidelined with an injury. Los Angeles still has the third-best record in the Western Conference, and if he returns soon and guides the Clippers back to the top of the standings, he will vault up the rankings.
5. Carmelo Anthony, Forward, New York Knicks
Anthony currently ranks second in the NBA in scoring, and he has the Knicks sitting second in the Eastern Conference. His prolific scoring is needed on a team that doesn’t have many guys that can create their own shot, and he deserves credit for making New York a relevant franchise once again. That being said, he just doesn’t have the impact on the defensive end of a guy like LeBron James, Kevin Durant is an even better scorer, and his teammate Raymond Felton has probably been just as crucial in getting the Knicks off to a fast start. In other words, Anthony is on the edge of the MVP conversation, but he is going to have to do something spectacular the rest of the way to leapfrog the other frontrunners.
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