Top 100 NBA Players: #71 - Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin has only played 6 seasons so far in his short career, but he has already compiled some impressive achievements, which is why he has already risen to #71 on the list of all time greats. He was the #1 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, but missed his entire rookie season after fracturing his kneecap in the final game of the preseason.

When he finally made his debut in 2010, it was worth the wait. He was voted to the All-Star team by the coaches, the first rookie so honored since Tim Duncan 13 years earlier. He also reached 40 points in a game twice during the season, becoming the first rookie since Allen Iverson to achieve that. He was the unanimous Rookie of the Year, which hadn't happened in 21 years, and was last achieved by David Robinson. He also had 27 straight double-doubles during the season, the first rookie to do so in 43 years, and Sports Illustrated named it one of the 15 greatest rookie seasons of all time. Here are his numbers from that season:

Griffin (2011) - 22.5 pts, 12.1 reb, 3.8 ast, .506 FG%, .642 FT%

Griffin has been very consistent throughout his career, averaging at least 20 points per game 5 times in 6 seasons and at least 8 rebounds per game 5 times as well. His biggest failing so far is that he has not yet reached the Conference Finals, but he came close in 2015, when he had his best overall playoff performance in 14 games against the Spurs and Rockets. Here are his overall stats from those series:

Griffin (2015) - 25.5 pts, 12.7 reb, 6.1 ast, .511 FG%, .717 FT%

Those stats were all improvements over improvements over his regular season numbers, other than free throws, which were one point lower. The Clippers may have fallen to Houston in Game 7, but without Griffin they wouldn't have even gotten there. With a little more playoff success, he could have risen higher, but he's not doing to badly for a 26-year-old with plenty of good years ahead.

NBA Preseason Rankings

The NBA season is only 3 days away, and things have sure changed. LeBron James has returned to Cleveland, where he played his first 7 seasons, and Kevin Durant, last year's MVP, is hurt and will miss several weeks to open the season. One thing that hasn't changed is the Spurs' lineup, which is as strong as it has always been and will keep San Antonio in contention for yet another season. Here are my preseason ranks, including each team's projected final record and playoff seed:

				Rec		Proj
TW	LW	Team	Rating	W	L	W	L	PO Seed
1	1	San Antonio	-9.3268	62	20	64	18	1W
2	2	LA Clippers	-8.27899	57	25	62	20	2W
3	4	Golden State	-4.84046	51	31	54	28	3W
4	9	Toronto	-4.61172	48	34	55	27	1E
5	20	Cleveland	-4.29087	33	49	53	29	2E
6	11	Memphis	-3.42563	50	32	50	32	4W
7	7	Dallas	-3.31462	49	33	50	32	5W
8	10	Washington	-3.11928	44	38	51	31	4E
9	15	New York	-3.0017	37	45	51	31	3E
10	8	Phoenix	-2.98438	48	34	49	33	6W
11	5	Oklahoma City	-2.46164	59	23	48	34	7W
12	12	Chicago	-2.43301	48	34	49	33	5E
13	3	Miami	-2.19292	54	28	49	33	6E
14	14	Portland	-1.39374	54	28	45	37	8W
15	6	Houston	-1.17206	54	28	44	38
16	16	Charlotte	-0.94113	43	39	44	38	7E
17	17	Indiana	-0.36741	56	26	43	39	8E
18	24	Detroit	0.100418	29	53	42	40
19	19	Atlanta	1.155735	38	44	39	43
20	13	Minnesota	1.459585	40	42	37	45
21	21	Denver	1.475349	36	46	37	45
22	23	Sacramento	2.213746	28	54	35	47
23	25	Boston	3.929506	25	57	31	51
24	18	Brooklyn	4.235746	44	38	31	51
25	22	New Orleans	5.905425	34	48	25	57
26	29	Milwaukee	6.656739	15	67	25	57
27	26	Orlando	6.74096	23	59	24	58
28	28	Utah	6.894136	25	57	22	60
29	27	LA Lakers	10.7863	27	55	15	67
30	30	Philadelphia	17.9761	19	63	10	72

The biggest story of the offseason has been the Cleveland Cavaliers, who brought back LeBron James, the greatest player of his generation, then traded for Kevin Love, a great scoring and rebounding big man, which made them an immediate championship favorite. Those two moves weren't the only ones made by the Cavs, who also brought in Mike Miller and James Jones, 3-point specialists who have played with LeBron in the past, and Shawn Marion, a former All-Star who is still a solid NBA player.

New York is also looking to make the playoffs this year after falling just short last year, but they didn't make a ton of big offseason moves like the Cavs. The biggest move was a swap of centers and point guards with Dallas, bringing in Samuel Dalembert and Jose Calderon for Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton, and while there is a small step down at center, Calderon is a more consistent and trustworthy point who should help the Knicks get over the hump this year.

Phoenix is the third team to miss last year's playoffs that I am picking to make it this season. The Suns made very few moves in the offseason, with the resigning of Eric Bledsoe taking most of the headlines, but they also acquired Isaiah Thomas from the Kings, giving them yet another point guard who can score 20 points per game and will allow them to play with two point guards on the court at almost all times.

Playoff Predictions

First Round

(1) Raptors over (8) Pacers
(2) Cavaliers over (7) Hornets
(6) Heat over (3) Knicks
(5) Bulls over (4) Wizards
(1) Spurs over (8) Trail Blazers
(2) Clippers over (7) Thunder
(6) Suns over (3) Warriors
(5) Mavericks over (4) Grizzlies

Second Round

(1) Raptors over (5) Bulls
(2) Cavaliers over (6) Heat
(1) Spurs over (5) Mavericks
(2) Clippers over (6) Suns

Conference Finals

(2) Cavaliers over (1) Raptors
(2) Clippers over (1) Spurs

NBA Finals

(2) Clippers over (2) Cavaliers

Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, and the Clippers will each earn a championship for the first time, taking out LeBron James and the Cavs in the Finals, with James making his 5th straight Finals appearance and 6th overall, but losing for the 4th time in those 6, but the first loss to a team from outside Texas.

NBA MVP Rankings and All-Star Picks - 15 Dec

For the first time in over a year, there is a new face at the top of my MVP rankings. LeBron James is still the best player in the NBA, but there is another player who has his team outplaying the Heat and has led his team to the league's best record, landing him at the top of the MVP rankings for the first time in his career. Here are my current rankings, with players grouped by similar level of performance.

TW. (LW) Player - Team - Stats
1. (2) Kevin Durant - OKC - 27.5 pts, 8.4 reb, 4.2 ast, 1.3 blk, 1.6 stl, .515 FG%, .439 3P%, .897 FT%

2. (1) LeBron James - MIA - 25.5 pts, 8.6 reb, 6.8 ast, 1.4 stl, .542 FG%, .444 3P%

3. (4) Russell Westbrook - OKC - 20.8 pts, 4.7 reb, 8.7 ast, 2.0 stl, .365 3P%, .769 FT%

4. (3) Carmelo Anthony - NYK - 27.9 pts, 6.4 reb, 2.0 ast, .455 3P%, .808 FT%

5. (7) Kobe Bryant - LAL - 29.3 pts, 5.3 reb, 4.9 ast, 1.6 stl, .382 3P%, .864 FT%
6. (10) Tim Duncan - SAS - 17.8 pts, 10.2 reb, 2.4 ast, 2.6 blk, .513 FG%, .792 FT%

7. (8) Chris Bosh - MIA - 18.5 pts, 8.3 reb, 1.5 ast, 1.4 blk, .540 FG%, .822 FT%

8. (NR) David Lee - GSW - 19.2 pts, 11.5 reb, 3.3 ast, .516 FG%, .802 FT%
9. (NR) Blake Griffin - LAC - 18.2 pts, 8.9 reb, 3.3 ast, 1.4 stl, .527 FG%
10. (5) Zach Randolph - MEM - 17.2 pts, 12.4 reb, 1.2 ast, .502 FG%

Dropped Out: (6) Marc Gasol - MEM, (9) Rudy Gay - MEM

Honorable Mention: Tony Parker - SAS, Chris Paul - LAC, Marc Gasol - MEM, Al Horford - ATL

After leading the league in scoring for 3 straight seasons, wouldn't it be ironic if Kevin Durant finally won an MVP in the season when he didn't score the most points? That's exactly what he's looking at right now, with the Thunder on the first 10-game winning streak in Oklahoma City history. Durant fell off his 50-40-90 pace this week by missing one free throw too many, and just to show how difficult a feat it is to accomplish, he will have to make his next five straight just to get back on pace. I wouldn't bet against him, though.

Tim Duncan, already a legend, is hoping to break an incredible record this season: longest time between two MVP awards. Kareem currently holds the mark, winning his first and last awards 9 years apart in 1971 and 1980, but a Duncan win this season would put his first and last 11 seasons apart. It probably won't happen even if the Spurs end up with the best record, but it's impossible to ignore just how great the big man is still playing in his 16th pro season.

David Lee and the Golden State Warriors just completed the 6th game of a 7-game road trip on which the team has won 5 games and Lee put up at least a 20-10 in each game. Lee's been putting up this kind of numbers for several seasons now, but never for a winning team, and right now the Warriors are sitting at #5 in the West and are 7 games above .500.

The Clippers are heating up, and so is their star, Blake Griffin. He has scored at least 19 points in 6 straight games, which has been a big reason for LA's current 8-game winning streak. The Clippers are now the #3 team in the East and have a 7-game lead on the rival Lakers, who would miss the playoffs if they started today.

All-Star Picks

Moving up in bold.
Dropping in italics.

East

F LeBron James - MIA (9th game, 9th start)
F Carmelo Anthony - NYK (6th game, 5th start)
F Anderson Varejao - CLE (1st game, 1st start)
G Dwyane Wade - MIA (9th game, 8th start)
G Rajon Rondo - BOS (4th game, 1st start)

C Joakim Noah - CHI (1st game)
C Al Horford - ATL (3rd game)
F David West - IND (3rd game)
G Jrue Holiday - PHI (1st game)
G Evan Turner - PHI (1st game)
G Kyrie Irving - CLE (1st game)
F Chris Bosh - MIA (8th game)

Honorable Mention: Josh Smith - ATL, Paul Pierce - BOS
Dropped: Kyle Lowry - TOR

West

F Kevin Durant - OKC (4th game, 3rd start)
F David Lee - GSW (2nd game, 1st start)
F Tim Duncan - SAS (14th game, 13th start)
G Kobe Bryant - LAL (15th game, 14th start)
G James Harden - HOU (1st game, 1st start)

F LaMarcus Aldridge - POR (2nd game)
F Kevin Love - MIN (3rd game)
F Blake Griffin - LAC (3rd game)
G Russell Westbrook - OKC (3rd game)
G Tony Parker - SAS (5th game)
F Zach Randolph - MEM (2nd game)
C Al Jefferson - UTA (1st game)

Honorable Mention: Stephen Curry - GSW, Chris Paul - LAC
Dropped: Chris Paul - LAC, Dwight Howard - LAL

There are 7 players who deserve to be first time All-Stars, two of them starters, and 4 overall that deserve to be starters for the first time. James Harden replaced former teammate Russell Westbrook in the starting lineup this week, and David Lee passed Kevin Love as my favorite for the second forward spot in the West. Rajon Rondo has entered the starting lineup for the East, which would be the first time Boston's youngest star would play at the beginning of the All-Star Game.

Predictions

Upset picks are in italics.

NBA

Golden State at Atlanta - Hawks by 6
Orlando at Charlotte - Magic by 4
Cleveland at New York - Knicks by 17
Washington at Miami - Heat by 12
Indiana at Detroit - Pacers by 1
Brooklyn at Chicago - Bulls by 5
Dallas at Minnesota - Timberwolves by 6
LA Clippers at Milwaukee - Clippers by 5
Boston at San Antonio - Spurs by 12
Memphis at Utah - Jazz by 1

College Basketball

(1) Indiana at Butler - Hoosiers by 11
West Virginia vs. (3) Michigan - Wolverines by 10
Canisius at (4) Syracuse - Orange by 25
(5) Florida at (8) Arizona - Gators by 4
(6) Louisville at Memphis - Cardinals by 9
North Carolina-Asheville at (7) Ohio State - Buckeyes by 31
Belmont at (9) Kansas - Jayhawks by 4
(11) Cincinnati vs. Marshall - Bearcats by 22
Kansas State at (14) Gonzaga - Bulldogs by 11
West Carolina at (15) Georgetown - Hoyas by 13
(16) Creighton at California - Bluejays by 6
New Mexico State at (17) New Mexico - Lobos by 6
San Diego at (18) San Diego State - Aztecs by 19
Tuskegee at (19) Michigan State - Spartans
East Carolina at (21) North Carolina - Tar Heels by 25
Purdue vs. (22) Notre Dame - Fighting Irish by 6
Norfolk State at (25) North Carolina State - Wolfpack by 15
Bethune-Cookman at Pittsburgh - Panthers by 28
Alabama at VCU - Rams by 17
Lipscomb at Kentucky - Wildcats by 21

Prediction Results

NBA: 8-3 (.727) 227-108 overall (.678)
Upsets: 3-0 (1.000) 44-30 overall (.595)
College Basketball: 1-0 (1.000) 262-54 overall (.829)

NBA MVP Rankings - 14 Apr

There are only two weeks left in the NBA season, and the MVP race is as close now as it has been all season, so the next two weeks will be extremely important in deciding which player most deserves the award. It's probably a two-man race at this point, but there are several other players who should at least be mentioned for their play this season. Players who have moved up since my last rankings are in green, and falling players are in red.

Most Valuable Player

1. LeBron James - MIA - 26.8 pts, 7.9 reb, 6.4 ast, 1.9 stl, .530 FG%, .363 3P%, .763 FT%

James has been picking up his game this month, but the Heat have not been following suit. Miami has now lost 6 of their last 12 and appear to be locked into the #2 seed in the East yet again, which means that they will have to beat the Bulls in Chicago in order to advance to the Finals again. LeBron's 41 points against Philadelphia were a season high and led Miami to a very important victory over a potential first-round foe.

2. Kevin Durant - OKC - 27.6 pts, 7.9 reb, 3.5 ast, 1.2 blk, 1.4 stl, .500 FG%, .377 3P%, .856 FT%

Just when LeBron and Miami started to look beatable, Oklahoma City also went into a lull, losing 4 of their past 7 games and actually losing their lead in the West for a day. The Thunder, unlike the Heat, rebounded and regained their lead in the conference, and Durant could end up as the MVP favorite if they win the West, and especially if they are able to overtake Chicago for the league's best record.

3. Russell Westbrook - OKC - 24.1 pts, 4.6 reb, 5.4 ast, 1.7 stl, .466 FG%, .328 3P%, .819 FT%

Westbrook does not have much of a chance of being named MVP, especially since most people recognize that Durant is the Thunder's best player, but the great season he's had may end up being the thing that prevents his teammate from winning it, because he may siphon off just enough votes to throw the voting in LeBron's favor.

4. Kobe Bryant - LAL - 28.1 pts, 5.4 reb, 4.6 ast, 1.2 stl, .430 FG%, .845 FT%

Kobe's candidacy took a hit with him missing four games with a shin injury, especially since the Lakers seem to be playing better in his absence. They have won 3 of their four games, with the only loss coming against a hot Suns team that it fighting for its life right now, and impressive wins over Denver and San Antonio without Bryant in the lineup.

5. Blake Griffin - LAC - 20.6 pts, 10.9 reb, 3.1 ast, .543 FG%, .524 FT%

Griffin hasn't been at his most effective lately scoring points, but he's been doing the other things well, missing fewer shots (except at the free throw line, where he's looking like Shaq), grabbing more rebounds, and turning the ball over less. The Clippers have also moved into the #4 slot in the West, and with the tiebreaker over Memphis in hand, they will probably have home court advantage in the first round.

6. Dwyane Wade - MIA - 22.5 pts, 4.9 reb, 4.7 ast, 1.3 blk, 1.7 stl, .497 FG%, .788 FT%

Wade has not been at full strength lately, and trying to play through the pain seems to be hurting his team. In the three games he has sat out this month, Miami is 3-0, with an average margin of victory above 17, but they are only 1-4 in the five games he has played, with all four losses coming against teams that will be in the playoffs, so if Miami wants to prove that it's better than the rest of the league, it needs to beat the playoff teams more than 20% of the time.

7. Pau Gasol - LAL - 17.3 pts, 10.5 reb, 3.4 ast, 1.4 blk, .506 FG%, .770 FT%

Pau is stepping up his game in April, and has played even better with Kobe out of the lineup, taking his season average from 17 before this month to 18.5 in the first four games of the month to 22.5 in four games without Bryant, and the Lakers have strengthened their hold on the #3 spot in part due to the strong play of the Spaniard.

8. Kevin Love - MIN - 26.0 pts, 13.3 reb, 2.0 ast, .448 FG%, .372 3P%, .824 FT%

Minnesota's season is pretty much over, with the team nearly eliminated from playoff contention already, and Love's season may be done as well due to a concussion he suffered against Denver on Wednesday. Even though the Timberwolves will not make the playoffs, Love has had a great season, joining only Shaq and Hakeem in the past 25 years as players who have averaged at least 26 points and 13 rebounds for a full season.

9. Chris Paul - LAC - 19.3 pts, 3.5 reb, 8.9 ast, 2.5 stl, .479 FG%, .368 3P%, .856 FT%

The biggest difference in the LA Clippers this year is Chris Paul, who came to the team right before the season began and led them to a winning season, a rarity for one of the worst franchises in history. Paul showed what makes him so great last Saturday against Sacramento, when he scored 19 points, handed out 15 assists, and came up with 7 steals while making all 6 of his free throws in the victory over the Kings.

10. Andrew Bynum - LAL - 18.6 pts, 12.1 reb, 1.4 ast, 2.0 blk, .564 FG%, .680 FT%

Bynum looked like he was headed out of the MVP rankings after spraining his ankle and sitting out a game and a half, but he has come back strong, grabbing 30 rebounds against San Antonio on Wednesday, the most any player has earned in any game this season, and the Lakers were able to cool off the surging Spurs. The following game, against a Nuggets team that is right on the edge of missing the playoffs, Bynum stepped up with 30 points and the Lakers won their third in a row.

Dropping Out

Dwight Howard - ORL

Honorable Mention

Josh Smith - ATL
Carlos Boozer - CHI
Dwight Howard - ORL
Tony Parker - SAS
James Harden - OKC
Chris Bosh - MIA
Paul Pierce - BOS

NBA MVP Rankings - 24 Mar

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

NBA MVP Rankings - 10 Mar

There are 7 active players in the NBA who have a Maurice Podoloff Trophy at home for winning an MVP award, and three of those players are in the running to add to their collection this season. Two of them happen to be leading the two teams with the league's best records so far, which is a major component in determining the winner in most cases, so they should remain near the top of the standings for a while, barring injuries. Here are the latest top 10, along with my top five Sixth Man candidates, with players in red dropping since last time and players in green rising.

Most Valuable Player

1. LeBron James - MIA - 27.7 pts, 8.4 reb, 6.7 ast, 1.8 stl, .555 FG%, .390 3P%, .769 FT%


LeBron James is currently posting numbers higher than his already impressive career averages in every category but assists, which is very close, and Miami is one of three favorites to win this season's NBA title, so how can he not be the MVP? Add in his performance since the All-Star Break, where he has put in 30 points per game while grabbing 11 rebounds and shooting over 60% from the field, and you're looking at a player who has no equal for his size in any era.

2. Kevin Durant - OKC - 28.0 pts, 7.9 reb, 3.4 ast, 1.2 blk, 1.4 stl, .499 FG%, .358 3P%, .836 FT%

Durant is also putting up MVP-caliber numbers this season, and he has his team atop the Western Conference, where they have been for almost the entire season. His shooting percentage has dipped slightly lately, but he is still putting up the scoring numbers, and it's been an entire month since he failed to reach 20 points in a game.

3. Russell Westbrook - OKC - 23.7 pts, 4.8 reb, 5.6 ast, 1.8 stl, .466 FG%, .316 3P%, .817 FT%

Westbrook, who only reached double digits in assists once before the All-Star Break this season, has already done it twice since midseason, both of which were victories for the Thunder. But he wasn't just distributing the ball in those games, he was also putting it in the hoop themselves, averaging 30 points between the two wins for Oklahoma City.

4. Kobe Bryant - LAL - 28.9 pts, 5.7 reb, 4.8 ast, 1.3 stl, .434 FG%, .833 FT%

Kobe has been scoring a little more since the break, averaging 31 points per game and leading the Lakers to victories every time he reached that mark. One reason for that increase could be his improved free throw shooting. He has made 20 in a row right now, and he has the Lakers in the running for another Pacific Division title and home court in the first round.

5. Dwight Howard - ORL - 20.9 pts, 15.0 reb, 1.9 ast, 2.2 blk, 1.5 stl, .567 FG%, .490 FT%

Last week, Dwight Howard had two separate games in which he eclipsed the 30 point plateau, and it was even more impressive because he only took 20 shots in each of those two games. His shooting percentage between those games was an incredible 75%, so we can forgive him for losing to the Thunder in one of those games.

6. Blake Griffin - LAC - 21.2 pts, 11.2 reb, 2.9 ast, .529 FG%, .554 FT%

Griffin came into March more like a lamb than a lion, averaging only 15 points and 9 rebounds through the first three games, but he did redeem himself somewhat in the past two, putting up a 26-12 and a 28-17, although those numbers were somewhat tainted by the fact that the Clippers lost both, one to the lowly New Jersey Nets.

7. Kevin Love - MIN - 25.5 pts, 13.8 reb, 2.0 ast, .448 FG%, .368 3P%, .831 FT%

Minnesota has won 4 of 7 since the All-Star Break, with two of those losses coming to the Los Angeles Lakers. The common denominator in those two losses? Kevin Love missed both games with back problems. Put Love in the lineup for yesterday's game, and the Timberwolves might not have lost, which would have put Minnesota on the inside of the playoff picture for the first time in years.

8. Dwyane Wade - MIA - 22.4 pts, 4.4 reb, 4.9 ast, 1.3 blk, 1.7 stl, .501 FG%, .804 FT%

Wade has been struggling with an ankle injury lately, which could be part of the reason that Miami has lost two games this month, but he has been playing through the pain, and he's still putting up 22 points per game. He hasn't been the same player he was last season, when there was some debate over which player was the best on the Heat, but if he gets healthy by the playoffs, the East better watch out.

9. Derrick Rose - CHI - 22.5 pts, 3.4 reb, 7.8 ast, .449 FG%, .317 3P%, .821 FT%

It's no coincidence that Chicago started an 8-game winning streak in the first game after Derrick Rose returned from injury, and it's also no coincidence that the streak ended after Rose had his worst shooting night since December, hitting only 6 of 22 shots against the Magic. He has, however, helped the Bulls regain the top record in the league, and he is making a strong case for MVP again despite having missed 10 games already this year.

10. Tony Parker - SAS - 19.5 pts, 2.9 reb, 7.9 ast, 1.1 stl, .465 FG%, .799 FT%

Parker improved steadily after the All-Star Break, scoring 11, 15, 25, and 32 in consecutive games, before sitting out last night's loss to the Clippers with a thigh injury. Parker has returned the Spurs to prominence without the need for rebuilding by taking over leadership of the team, which is now solidly in second place in the West and could cause trouble for the top-ranked Thunder in the playoffs.

Dropped Out

Chris Bosh - MIA
LaMarcus Aldridge - POR

Honorable Mention

Pau Gasol - LAL
Marc Gasol - MEM
Chris Paul - LAC
Rudy Gay - MEM
Carlos Boozer - CHI
James Harden - OKC
Chris Bosh - MIA

Sixth Man of the Year

1. James Harden - OKC - 16.8 pts, 4.3 reb, 3.5 ast, .479 FG%, .361 3P%, .853 FT%

Harden scored a season-high 30 points against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday as he helped lead the Thunder back from one of their largest deficits of the entire season to a comfortable win. There is no better bench player in the league this season, and he is guaranteed to be a finalist because he's only started twice so far this season.

2. Lou Williams - PHI - 15.9 pts, 2.3 reb, 3.7 ast, .407 FG%, .369 3P%, .816 FT%

Williams has been very consistent over the past 8 games, putting up double digits in scoring in 7 of those games. In the other game, against Chicago, he went 0 for 7 from the field and ended up with only 6 points as the 76ers lost a close one against the top-ranked Bulls, which is a time when they could have really used his regular contributions off the bench.

3. Thaddeus Young - PHI - 13.4 pts, 5.3 reb, 1.2 ast, 1.1 stl, .499 FG%, .763 FT%

Young has been the 76ers best bench player lately, putting up at least 20 points off the bench 3 times in the last month, and he's been shooting over 80% from the free throw line over that stretch as well, which has earned him more playing time. He's now getting over 30 minutes per game, even without starting any games.

4. Nicolas Batum - POR - 14.1 pts, 4.4 reb, 1.2 ast, 1.1 blk, 1.0 stl, .460 FG%, .414 3P%, .835 FT%

Batum's 29 points against the Timberwolves last week weren't enough as Portland continued to slump by losing at home to Minnesota. Portland has lost 11 of their last 16 games, which is the main reason LaMarcus Aldridge is no longer an MVP candidate, but there's nothing that says you have to play for a winning team to be named Sixth Man of the Year.

5. Kemba Walker - CHA - 12.7 pts, 3.5 reb, 3.9 ast, 1.1 stl, .372 FG%, .323 3P%, .805 FT%

One year removed from leading the Connecticut Huskies to the NCAA championship, Walker is in a very different situation in the NBA, playing for the 4-win Charlotte Bobcats, but he has been a very solid player at the higher level, despite having no other player worth guarding on his team.

Dropping Out

Andre Miller - DEN
Jason Terry - DAL

Honorable Mention

Jason Terry - DAL
Al Harrington - DEN

NBA MVP Rankings - 25 Feb

It was a short week for the NBA due to All-Star Weekend, so there wasn't quite as much movement as you would see in a normal week, but there were still a couple of interesting changes among the top 10 players. Kevin Durant has been doing everything he can to overtake LeBron James, but the gap isn't closing very fast, with the streak the Heat is on. Here are the latest MVP and Rookie Rankings, with rising players in green and falling players in red.

Most Valuable Player


1. LeBron James - MIA - 27.4 pts, 8.1 reb, 6.8 ast, 1.8 stl, .547 FG%, .413 3P%, .773 FT%

LeBron was solid in all three games for Miami this week, racking up 8 assists in each, and even though nothing he did was incredibly spectacular, he has the Heat on a league-leading 8-game winning streak heading into the All-Star Break, and he is the best player in the NBA, playing for the best team in the NBA, which has the best record in the NBA. I can't see any way not to give him the MVP at this point.

2. Kevin Durant - OKC - 27.9 pts, 8.1 reb, 3.4 ast, 1.2 blk, 1.4 stl, .513 FG%, .365 3P%, .836 FT%

Durant was incredible this week, scoring a career-high 51 points against Denver last Sunday, and averaging over 30 points in each of his team's other 3 games, but the Thunder are still not as hot as Miami, and Durant isn't quite the all-around player that LeBron is, although he has definitely improved his rebounding and shot-blocking this season, which will make him an MVP candidate for years to come, but not this year, unless LeBron gets hurt or Miami collapses.

3. Russell Westbrook - OKC - 23.5 pts, 4.8 reb, 5.5 ast, 1.9 stl, .471 FG%, .814 FT%

In the same game that Durant put up 51 points, Westbrook had 40 of his own, making his placement up here in the rankings not seem quite so crazy. Three straight 30-point outings this week were a big reason that the Thunder extended their winning streak to 5 games and tied Miami for the league's best record entering the All-Star Break. We could be in for a very star-studded Finals if everything goes the way it looks like it will.

4. Kobe Bryant - LAL - 28.4 pts, 5.8 reb, 4.9 ast, 1.3 stl, .435 FG%, .828 FT%

Kobe's best game of the week came in a loss to the Phoenix Suns, and his worst game came in their come-from-behind win over the Dallas Mavericks, so the disturbing trend of the Lakers performing better without Bryant continues. It just doesn't seem like a trait befitting an MVP.

5. Blake Griffin - LAC - 21.4 pts, 11.4 reb, 3.0 ast, .539 FG%, .539 FT%

Griffin has now scored over 20 points in 7 straight games, and the Clippers are leading the Pacific Division and looking like they will have home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, both situations foreign to this franchise. Against San Antonio he put up a 20-20, but then fouled out and the Clippers lost to the Spurs, but he may be the most valuable player in Los Angeles before long.

6. Chris Bosh - MIA - 18.4 pts, 8.3 reb, 2.0 ast, .494 FG%, .817 FT%

Bosh recorded back-to-back 20-point games this week, a tough feat on a team featuring Dwyane Wade and LeBron James, and although it doesn't appear that he has done much different than last year, he has been very instrumental in keeping the Heat from slipping while Wade was out, and has continued to play well even with him back in the lineup.

7. Dwight Howard - ORL - 20.1 pts, 15.3 reb, 2.1 ast, 2.2 blk, 1.5 stl, .554 FG%, .492 FT%

Two losses this week dropped Orlando to fifth in the Eastern Conference playoff race and prevented Howard from passing Kobe Bryant to move closer to Orlando's first MVP, but in both losses Howard scored only 12 points against teams that will likely be in the playoffs, while scoring over 20 points in wins against teams that won't make the playoffs.

8. Kevin Love - MIN - 25.0 pts, 14.0 reb, 1.9 ast, 1.0 stl, .446 FG%, .348 3P%, .833 FT%

The stat line is incredible, but Love is still playing for a team hovering below the playoff line. They have reached the .500 mark, and if they make the playoffs for the first time without Kevin Garnett in franchise history, Love should get serious consideration for this award, as he is the new face of the franchise.

9. Dwyane Wade - MIA - 22.4 pts, 4.4 reb, 4.8 ast, 1.4 blk, 1.7 stl, .502 FG%, .804 FT%

Wade's minutes increased a bit more this week, and so did his production in every major category. He scored 30 points in 30 minutes against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, and handed out 10 assists in the same game while missing only 5 times in 16 field goal attempts. With Wade at full strength, there's no telling how good the Heat will be in the second half of the season.

10. LaMarcus Aldridge - POR - 22.3 pts, 8.3 reb, 2.7 ast, 1.1 stl, .506 FG%, .798 FT%

Aldridge returned from an ankle injury and returned to the top 10 in the same week, and a large part of that was due to his 21 points in 27 minutes against San Antonio on Tuesday in the game that ended the Spurs' 11-game winning streak. He probably would have scored more, but the game was over midway through the third quarter, and Portland coasted to a 40-point blowout of the red-hot Spurs.

Dropping Out

Tony Parker - SAS

Honorable Mention

Tony Parker - SAS
Pau Gasol - LAL

Rookie of the Year

1. Kyrie Irving - CLE - 18.1 pts, 3.5 reb, 5.1 ast, .476 FG%, .415 3P%, .857 FT%

The game might have been meaningless, but Irving was named the MVP of the Rising Stars Game last night that opened All-Star Weekend, scoring 34 points and hitting all 8 of his 3-point attempts in the game. That performance was just more proof that he is the best rookie in the league this year.

2. Ricky Rubio - MIN - 11.3 pts, 4.3 reb, 8.4 ast, 2.4 stl, .375 FG%, .354 3P%, .812 FT%

Rubio has had a great rookie season for the Timberwolves, who waited for two season to get him from Spain, and he has been worth the wait, dominating all facets of the game that a point guard should, with the only noticeable flaw being his shooting percentage, which is among the worst in the league. His passing and defense, however, more than make up for that one weakness.

3. Kemba Walker - CHA - 13.3 pts, 3.8 reb, 3.8 ast, 1.1 stl, .370 FG%, .345 3P%, .800 FT%

Although his shooting percentage is still quite low, Kemba Walker has been steadily improving as his rookie season progresses, even though his team has not. He has had at least 5 assists and 2 steals in each of the last 3 games for Charlotte, and it's looking like he'll become a solid professional point guard.

4. Kawhi Leonard - SAS - 7.0 pts, 4.9 reb, 0.9 ast, 1.3 stl, .464 FG%, .348 3P%, .659 FT%

Leonard has not been getting as much playing time lately as he would like, but when Tim Duncan and Tony Parker sat out against Portland on Tuesday, Kawhi played 43 minutes, racking up 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 steals in a losing effort. For a while back in December he was playing nearly 30 minutes per game, but his minutes have been a little more unpredictable lately.

5. Brandon Knight - DET - 12.8 pts, 3.5 reb, 3.5 ast, .413 FG%, .382 3P%, .817 FT%

Detroit has won 6 games in the last 3 weeks, which is pretty good for them, and Knight has been an important part of the equation for the Pistons. Last Friday he tied his career-high with 23 points while also passing out a career-high 10 assists, then bested his scoring feat 3 nights later with 24 points against Cleveland in a 1-point loss.

Dropping Out

MarShon Brooks - NJN