The Lakers have started to heat up now that the season is entering its final stages, and it hasn't been just one player pulling the load. Although they have had just one representative on this list for the majority of the season, their current resurgence is due to a couple of big men who have now made this upper echelon as well. The top few players have not changed in quite a while, but there a many players trying to sneak into the top 5 and possibly displace one of the favorites, and they still have over a month to get there, so nothing is set in stone yet. Here are my latest MVP and Most Improved Rankings, with rising players in green and falling players in red and a description of their best recent game.
Most Valuable Player
1. LeBron James - MIA - 27.0 pts, 8.4 reb, 6.7 ast, 2.0 stl, .539 FG%, .375 3P%, .766 FT%
March 16 at PHI - 29 pts, 7 reb, 8 ast, 2 blk, 2 stl, 12-20 FG (W 84-78)
Miami nearly blew a 20-point lead against a strong 76ers team, but LeBron scored 4 points in the final 90 seconds, two on a pull-up jumper and another two on free throws, to prevent the upset and keep Miami in the hunt for the best record in the East, where they are currently 2.5 games behind the Chicago Bulls.
2. Kevin Durant - OKC - 27.9 pts, 8.1 reb, 3.5 ast, 1.2 blk, 1.5 stl, .498 FG%, .366 3P%, .852 FT%
March 23 vs. MIN - 40 pts, 17 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl, 15-26 FG, 3-6 3P, 7-7 FT (W 149-140)
Incredibly, Durant's 40 points were the third-highest output in this game, and it was the second time this season that Durant and Westbrook had each eclipsed the 40-point mark on the same night. His 17 rebounds were a season-high, and he was very efficient shooting the ball from everywhere, which nearly allowed them to win the game in regulation after his 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds remaining, but Love matched him a couple seconds later and the game continued.
3. Russell Westbrook - OKC - 24.3 pts, 4.5 reb, 5.4 ast, 1.6 stl, .475 FG%, .338 3P%, .823 FT%
March 23 vs. MIN - 45 pts, 4 reb, 6 ast, 2 stl, 17-28 FG, 2-4 3P, 9-9 FT (W 149-140)
Westbrook was also not the highest scorer in this game, but his 45 points were a career high, and his steal and 3-point play to open the second overtime may have been the play that decided the game. Like Durant, he was perfect from the free throw line for the night, and he also shot over 60% from the field, which is an incredible feat for any point guard, and proof that he belongs this high.
4. Kobe Bryant - LAL - 28.5 pts, 5.6 reb, 4.7 ast, 1.3 stl, .429 FG%, .845 FT%
March 13 at MEM - 34 pts, 9 reb, 5 ast, 11-25 FG, 11-12 FT (W 116-111)
Despite scoring only 12 points in the first half, Bryant turned it on in the second half, scoring or assisting on nearly every important basket as the Lakers came back from an early deficit to defeat the Grizzlies in double overtime. The game kept LA ahead of Memphis in the Western Conference standings, and gave Kobe his fifth 30-point game of the month, a number which has now reached 7.
5. Dwight Howard - ORL - 21.0 pts, 14.8 reb, 1.9 ast, 2.2 blk, 1.5 stl, .582 FG%, .484 FT%
March 13 vs. MIA - 24 pts, 25 reb, 2 blk, 3 stl, 9-13 FG, 6-18 FT (W 104-98)
Not only did Howard notch his 8th 20-20 game of the season and the 40th of his career, he also led the Magic back from a big deficit to defeat the visiting Miami Heat in overtime. After the game, he announced that he would remain with the Magic for the remainder of the season and that he would not opt out of his contract when the season ends, which seems to have taken a big load off of the entire team.
6. Dwyane Wade - MIA - 22.9 pts, 4.9 reb, 4.8 ast, 1.3 blk, 1.6 stl, .505 FG%, .801 FT%
March 18 vs. ORL - 31 pts, 6 reb, 4 ast, 13-25 FG, 5-7 FT (W 91-81)
Wade scored 14 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter and made back-to-back baskets to stretch a 1-point lead to 5 late in the game as he helped Miami avenge their loss earlier in the week to Orlando. Wade is starting to look like the great player we've know him to be for years, and there is a good chance we'll see him up in the top 3 before too long.
7. Kevin Love - MIN - 26.2 pts, 13.7 reb, 1.8 ast, .452 FG%, .381 3P%, .812 FT%
March 23 at OKC - 51 pts, 14 reb, 16-27 FG, 7-11 3P, 12-16 FT (L 140-149)
Even though Minnesota lost the game, it was a night to remember for Kevin Love. He scored a career-high 51 points, 8 more than his previous high, and his 7 three-pointers were also the most he has ever made. He hit a 3-pointer with less than 1 second remaining in regulation that forced the first overtime, then scored 8 straight in the first extra period before the Wolves collapsed.
8. Pau Gasol - LAL - 16.8 pts, 10.4 reb, 3.4 ast, 1.3 blk, .512 FG%, .762 FT%
March 21 at DAL - 27 pts, 9 reb, 13-16 FG, 1-1 3P (W 109-93)
Pau had a great night from the field, shooting the ball at over 80% for the night, and the Lakers beat the Mavericks for the third time in three tries this season, ending Dallas' 4-game winning streak. One of the biggest shots of the game was a 3-point shot from Gasol, only his fifth of the season, that gave LA a 14-point lead with 8 minutes to go and pretty much sealed the fate of both teams.
9. Blake Griffin - LAC - 20.9 pts, 10.9 reb, 2.9 ast, .527 FG%, .544 FT%
March 11 vs. GSW - 27 pts, 12 reb, 3 ast, 2 blk, 10-19 FG, 7-15 FT (L 93-97)
Griffin's best game over the past two weeks came in a loss to the lowly Golden State Warriors, which kind of sums up how the Clippers' season has been going lately as well. His struggles from the line prevented them from making a comeback, and Griffin has begun to slide downward just like his team.
10. Andrew Bynum - LAL - 18.0 pts, 12.5 reb, 1.5 ast, 2.0 blk, .582 FG%, .664 FT%
March 13 at MEM - 37 pts, 16 reb, 15-18 FG, 7-8 FT (W 116-111)
Bynum has not even been on my honorable mention list before today, but this game at Memphis showed what a dominant player he can be. The 37 points established his season-high, and he only missed three shots from the field all night as the Lakers held off Memphis' attempt to pass Los Angeles for the West's third-best record. Bynum has reached 30 points three times this month, after never reaching it in the first 2+ months of the season.
Dropping Out
Derrick Rose - CHI
Tony Parker - SAS
Honorable Mention
Tony Parker - SAS
Josh Smith - ATL
James Harden - OKC
Marc Gasol - MEM
Carlos Boozer - CHI
Derrick Rose - CHI
Chris Bosh - MIA
Most Improved Player
1. Jeremy Lin - NYK - +12.1 pts, +1.8 reb, +4.8 ast, +0.5 stl, +.057 FG%, +.110 3P%, +.037 FT%
March 17 at IND - 19 pts, 7 reb, 6 ast, 6-10 FG, 7-8 FT (W 102-88)
You may think that Linsanity has ended now that Carmelo Anthony has returned, and while Lin's overall numbers have dropped a little this month, the Lin Dynasty is just beginning in New York. In the 25 games since he was inserted into the lineup, he has scored in double digits 22 times, and he has reached 10 assists in six games as well.
2. Jeff Teague - ATL - +7.1 pts, +0.8 reb, +2.4 ast, +1.1 stl, +.031 FG%
March 23 vs. NJN - 17 pts, 3 reb, 6 ast, 5-8 FG, 1-2 3P, 6-7 FT (W 93-84)
Teague led the Atlanta Hawks in assists last night and scored an uncontested layup that gave them a nine-point lead, their largest of the game, with just under 4 minutes remaining. He appears to be getting back on track, scoring at least 10 points in 5 of his last 6 games.
3. Andrew Bynum - LAL - +6.7 pts, +3.2 reb
See MVP #10 above.
4. Greg Monroe - DET - +6.9 pts, +2.4 reb, +1.2 ast, +.145 FT%
March 14 at SAC - 32 pts, 11 reb, 3 ast, 15-20 FG, 2-3 FT (W 124-112)
Monroe matched his career-high with 32 points, and made up for the last time he faced Sacramento, when he finished with only 3, as Detroit won a road game for the first time in nearly a month. Some night Monroe can be a total beast, but other nights he finished with lines of 5 points and 6 rebounds, as he did last night against Miami.
5. Ryan Anderson - ORL - +5.3 pts, +2.2 reb, +.015 3P%, +.043 FT%
March 21 vs. PHX - 29 pts, 4 reb, 9-16 FG, 7-12 3P, 4-6 FT (W 103-93)
Anderson 7 three-pointers marked the first time this month that he made more than 3 in a game, and he played just as well in the first half as the second, splitting his scoring 15-14 and his 3-pointers 4-3, keeping it consistent all night. His 3-point percentage, which had been far above 40% for the first two months of the season, has been only 34% this month, so this night was much needed.
Dropping Out
Marcin Gortat - PHX
Honorable Mention
Marcin Gortat - PHX
Paul George - IND
James Harden - OKC
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