Derrick Rose broke up LeBron James' two-year run as the winner of the NBA's MVP Award last season, but is the Heat forward in line to reclaim that crown in 2012? With James' Heat and Rose's Bulls both amongst the elite teams in the league once again this season they'll be in the thick of the MVP conversation – but they won't be the only candidates discussed. Let's take a look at the leading MVP contenders right now, and their teams' title futures.
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Candidate: LeBron James
Team (Title Odds): Miami Heat (8/5)
James was the NBA MVP in both 2008/09 and 2009/10 – but as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Playing for the Miami Heat adds an extra wrinkle to James' MVP chances, as he shares the spotlight with another superstar (Dwyane Wade) and a near-superstar (Chris Bosh); in Cleveland James was deemed solely responsible for any success his team had in a season, while in Miami he gets only partial credit no matter how good his stats look. Still, James is the driving force behind the Heat being the 8/5 title favorites, and his stats line this season borders on the ridiculous – 28 PPG, 8.2 RPG, and 6.8 APG through 29 games.
Candidate: Kevin Durant
Team (Title Odds): Oklahoma City Thunder (9/2)
Trailing only James and Kobe Bryant in points per game, Durant has the Thunder atop the Western Conference standings and right up behind the Heat on the NBA futures board at Bovada. Like James, Durant has another superstar on his roster (Russell Westbrook), but he still gets most of the attention – and accolades – in Oklahoma City. Plus, people like Durant more than they like James, which could give him an edge when it's time to vote.
Candidate: Chris Paul
Team (Title Odds): Los Angeles Clippers (12/1)
A well-publicized move to Los Angeles before the season started had everyone talking about Paul, and he hasn't disappointed as he's led the Clippers to first place in the Pacific Division standings – putting them ahead of their big brother, the Lakers. Paul, though, could see some vote-splitting with teammate Blake Griffin, and the inexperienced Clippers could also go into a late-season slump that would push him out of the NBA MVP picture.
Candidate: Kobe Bryant
Team (Title Odds): Los Angeles Lakers (12/1)
Bryant won the MVP award in 2007/08, and he hasn't shown many signs of slowing down this season as he leads the league in points per game. The emergence of the Clippers has managed to take some of the shine off the Lakers this season, and if they don't end up ahead of them in the standings then Bryant likely has no shot at the MVP award this year.
Candidate: Derrick Rose
Team (Title Odds): Chicago Bulls (5/1)
Rose's sore back might be his biggest obstacle to winning a second consecutive MVP award, as he's been missing games lately with the ailment. The Bulls, though, are hanging with the Heat in the battle for first place in the Eastern Conference, and they're third on the NBA championship futures at Bovada. As Rose goes, so go the Bulls (and their title odds), so if he stays healthy he'll be back in the hunt for the award again this spring.
Candidate: Dwight Howard
Team (Title Odds): Orlando Magic (35/1)
The league's leading rebounder, Howard is a monster at both ends of the floor and would be a high-end MVP candidate if his team was great instead of just good. There's also still the possibility that Howard gets dealt from the Magic during the season; not only would that sink the Magic's NBA championship odds, it would significantly boost whichever team managed to scoop him up. As it stands, Howard is looking up at the top contenders now.
Candidate: The Best of the Rest
Kevin Love has developed into one of the best players in the league, but his Minnesota Timberwolves are 125/1 longshots to win the NBA championship as they struggle to get into the Top 8 in the West. Wade, Westbrook, and Griffin are playing second-fiddle on their teams right now, while the Sixers' Andre Iguodala and the Blazers' LaMarcus Aldridge aren't household names. And what of the New York Knicks' Jeremy Lin? His lightning-in-a-bottle routine has his team at 18/1 on the NBA futures at Bovada, but he's only been superhuman for a couple of weeks – let's take a wait-and-see approach on his candidacy.
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