Which NBA player is most deserving of MVP award at this point?

The whirlwind 66-game NBA season is more than halfway through. At this point, who is most deserving of the MVP award? Here are some leading candidates.

Kobe Bryant: He leads the league in scoring with 28.7 points a game and has helped guide a team with a new coach and a new system to fifth place in the Western Conference. Bryant has soared even though he’s been hampered by multiple injuries, including a torn ligament in his right wrist, a concussion and a broken nose. In January, he scored at least 40 points in four consecutive games. After the All-Star break, during which he sustained the nose and head injury, he averaged 34 points in his first three games while wearing a plastic mask. After posting 33 points in a win over Miami earlier this week, Magic Johnson tweeted: “Kobe has been playing incredible & in my opinion is even w/ @KDTrey5 & @KingJames in the MVP race.”

LeBron James: Typically the best player on the best team wins this award and many basketball experts have favored the Heat to win the title this season. James is third in the league in scoring with 27.7 points a game on efficient 55.5% shooting and averages 8.4 rebounds and 6.7 assists. James, the NBA’s villain, has not yet won a ring despite his astronomical output during his NBA career. This year, there’s a chance he could put an MVP award next to a Larry O’Brien trophy.

Kevin Durant: This highly athletic, pure shooter has turned the Oklahoma City Thunder into a dangerous team that currently is in first place in the Western Conference with a 31-8 record. Durant is second in the league in scoring at 28.1 points a game. He was named MVP of the All-Star game after scoring 36 points and grabbing seven rebounds to lead the West to a 152-149 victory over the East.

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