So with about 30% of the NBA season remaining, the MVP race is as close as its ever been the past few years. Legit arguments can be made for several different guys. In order, this is how I would rank them right now, with a little under 2 months left to play

1. ) Chris Paul - Well there's not much else to say if you've followed mine and Nas's exchange in the Chandler vs Wallace thread. I think he's the best PG in the game, he's developed an outside shot thats much better than most thought, tremendous in the halfcourt, locks down on defense, consistently gets open looks for everyone on his team, competitive as hell, has shown the ability to get it done in the closing seconds of a game. The only player in the league this year to get 40+ points and 20+ assists in seperate games. Only flaw I've really noticed is he seems to struggle against Deron Williams.

2.) Kobe Bryant - This is basically 1A to CP's #1. He might be playing the best ball of his career, which is really saying alot. IMO, he's the best player in the world, I'd have him slightly above Lebron at this point(See Nas, Im not always all about the young guys). Seems to have reconciled very nicely with Phil and Bynum, gets along well with other young guys like Farmar and Turiaf. Seems to be the true leader of that team, instead of just the best player.

3.) Lebron James - The commitment to playing All World defense this year is the biggest story from Lebron this season. He has always been able to do whatever he wants on the court, the one knock on him always being that he tends to take games off and thats a bad sign for a really young player. He seems to try hard almost every single night now a la Kobe. Supposedly he is 100% in favor of the trade, and right now he is the best player in the Eastern Conference, and that could be enough to topple the C's or Detroit in a 7 game series, shades of game 5 last season.

4.) Steve Nash - Not much new to add here if you have followed the NBA the past few seasons. A terrific offensive guard who doubles as one of the most competitve players in the league. Makes all of his teammates better, has the ability to score 30 any given night or dish out 20 assists, and probably even both in the same game. The one knock I always have on him is his defense, I just dont think its good enough to keep him in the race, considering the three above him are about as good as it gets.

5.) Tim Duncan - I need to mention here that Manu is playing some unbelievable ball the past few weeks, and Duncan's stats are lower than usual. He still has the Spurs right in the mix in the West and his leadership abilities have improved greatly since 2003. He's more vocal with teammates and the refs(ask Joey Crawford). He struggled the first couple months but since January 1st he has led this team on both ends of the floor and has them in a good position to win his 5th title, which would leave him one shy of MJ.

Honorable mentions

Baron Davis - having a career year, the unquestioned leader of Golden State, a team noone wants to see in the first round this year

Dwight Howard - The sky is the limit for this kid. I would not be surprised to see him average 25-15 over the next several seasons.

Brandon Roy - The center of what has been a feel good season for the Blazers, although they have been fading too much lately for him to be up higher

Chris Bosh - Hes been great since the beginning of the new year, an excellent overall shooter, one of the most efficient players in the game. Could use a bit of work on his acting abilities though.

As far as the Lakers having the best team 1-12, that's debatable too.

No love for Garnett?

Of course it's debatable, just out of curiousity, if you were a GM, who's roster would you rather have?

Are we talking about Lakers vs. Hornets?

I'd have to say the Hornets....In the long term, Kobe has a lot of hard miles on his body from the playoffs whereas Paul is relatively fresh and doesn't totally play a reckless style like Wade where you figure he won't last too long. West has had broken ankles but again, he's relatively young too as is Chandler. And I'd say Peja is really the only bad contract the Hornets have, and it's not like with Paul feeding him for wide open 3's that he's useless or anything- just overpaid. The Lakers are more of a veteran team built for winning now. Bynum is really the only young star they have (I know, Vucachick and Farmar but I'm not buying that) and he's coming off serious surgery.

The only question is, like you say, when is Kobe going to start breaking down. He's making a ridiculous amount of money, so he better be capable of carrying the team and playing at an elite level for several more years

I have a feeling though that his descent will be more gradual...he's a very good outside shooter and post-up player, so it's not like he totally depends on his speed like Iverson or something. Therefore I think when his physical skills begin to decline he'll still be able to score

450. Stephon MarburyEven before the season, Marbury looked like the favorite for my annual LVP ("Least Valuable Player") Award thanks to some peculiar TV interviews, a prominent role in the sexual harrassment suit against the Knicks and the inspiration for at least 50,000 fantasy team names that somehow involved the words "truck" and "party." Then the season started and he splintered the Knicks during a vicious argument with Isiah Thomas that included the reported threat, "He thinks he can [bleep] me, but I'll [bleep] him first." He was immortalized on YouTube with the superb "Night At The Starbury" parody. He played 24 games and participated in a whopping six victories (considering he makes $20 million, that's more than $3.3 million per victory), then took an extended leave of absence after his father's death and nobody cared if he came back. And finally, he opted for season-ending ankle surgery when he easily could have waited until the summer. We've had nuclear leaks that were remembered more positively than Marbury's 2007-08 season.

(You know it has been memorable when you're asking with a straight face, "Do you think he'll even be alive in two years?" Did I mention that he's on the books for $21 million next season and might be the single most untradeable professional athlete since Rae Carruth's final days on the Panthers' roster? Now that, my friends, is an LVP.)

It has to be Kobe. I think this past weekend sealed the deal for him. I think the torch of the best player in basketball will be passed to LeBron next year. I don't think Kobe's body will allow him to play at a consistent level on both ends of the court again.

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