After a summer spent hoping he would be traded and a preseason during which the Lakers tried to grant his wish, Bryant has shown why he's the best in the business at putting aside distractions. The Lakers started stronger than expected and really took off when Andrew Bynum -- a subject of Kobe's offseason wrath -- started playing like one of the best centers in the league. Bryant has entered the MVP conversation not because of his numbers -- his 28.7 scoring average is his lowest in four years -- but because he has become a better leader. Bryant's increased confidence in his teammates has allowed the team to far exceed its preseason expectations.
";
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The Lakers need to win the Pacific Division and finish with one of the top three records in the West. In Kobe's favor: He can expect to garner \"lifetime achievement\" support because he has never finished higher than third in the voting.";
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When the Celtics bolted to the league's best start, coach Doc Rivers had a simple explanation: Garnett. When your best player is as hard-working and as unselfish as KG, everyone else falls in line. When the Celtics emerged as the league's best defensive team, Rivers had a simple explanation: Garnett. He can guard anyone on the court, and his intensity is contagious. Who cares if Garnett's numbers are down from previous seasons (except for his career-best .540 field goal percentage)? He not only has been the best player on the league's best team but also its heart and glue. The MVP award was his until he missed a stretch before the All-Star break with an abdominal strain.";
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The Celtics need to win 65 games for Garnett to separate himself from the pack again. With their last four games against losing teams in the East, don't count them -- or Garnett -- out.";
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spt_NBA_MVP_race[i++] = new Array("","His case ...","LeBron James","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Williams%2C%20Ed/Tough%20Guys/080313_lebron.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Ronald Martinez", "Getty Images", "268", "423", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
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No player shoulders more of the load for his team than James who, in his first 65 games, led the Cavs in scoring 60 times. He has missed six games this season, and the Cavs have lost all six. No player is better equipped to carry such a burden. James is 6-8, somewhere around 250 pounds and arguably the best athlete in the game. He would be a runaway winner if the award were based solely on numbers. He is averaging a league-leading 30.2 points and career bests in rebounds per game (7.9), assists per game (7.3) and field goal percentage (.482). James sat out five games in December with a sprained finger, then put himself on the shortlist of candidates by leading the Cavaliers to an East-best 11-3 record in January. He has been even better since the All-Star break, though the Cavs are fourth in the conference.";
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spt_NBA_MVP_race[i-1].body = "
He needs to somehow nudge up his numbers and for the Cavaliers to finish as close to 50 victories as possible (they're on pace for a total in the mid-40s). Another 50-point game or two wouldn't hurt.";
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What do you call a player who is his team's undisputed leader, averages 21.2 points and 11.5 assists, has more steals than turnovers yet rarely is mentioned as an MVP favorite? Easy: A player who still isn't well-known enough to go by one name, even a nickname as cool as CP3. But if you study the numbers and value team success, you will see that Paul deserves to be mentioned in the same sentence as Kobe, LeBron and K.G. Paul's profile finally started to rise when the Hornets jumped to the top of the West in late January. They have remained at or near the top since.";
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spt_NBA_MVP_race[i-1].body = "
He must keep up his spectacular post-All Star break averages -- 24.4 points, 12.0 assists with 55.8 percent shooting -- and have the Hornets finish first in the West by a head-turning margin. Even if that happens, Paul likely is another season like this one away from earning MVP -- and one-name -- status.";
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spt_NBA_MVP_race[i-1].body = "
He was cruising along in typical T-Mac fashion: He'd have a huge game, followed by an underwhelming week, while everyone waited for another injury to put him in street clothes. When Yao Ming's season ended, the basketball world quickly predicted a fast fall for the Rockets. Well, surprise: The Rockets won their first 10 games without Yao while running their winning streak to 22 games overall (second-best in NBA history). And McGrady, healthy since mid-January, entered the MVP picture. Why not? If the Rockets are one of the best teams in the West -- they sat atop the conference for a time last week -- shouldn't their best player get MVP consideration?";
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spt_NBA_MVP_race[i-1].body = "
Considering how many deserving candidates he has to climb over, the Southwest Division title and another 22-game winning streak might not even be enough.";
// END editorial data