Top 100 NBA Players: #22 - Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade

Teams

Miami Heat - 2003-16, 2018-19

Chicago Bulls - 2016-17

Cleveland Cavaliers - 2017-18

Playoffs

Appearances - 13 (2004,2005,2006,2007,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2016,2017,2018)

Conference Finals - 6 (2005,2006,2011,2012,2013,2014)

NBA Finals - 5 (2006,2011,2012,2013,2014)

Championships - 3 (2006,2012,2013)

Awards and Honors

Finals MVP - 1 (2006)

All-NBA First Team - 2 (2005,2006,2009,2010)

All-NBA Second Team - 3 (2005,2006,2011)

All-NBA Third Team - 3 (2007,2012,2013)

*(actual in bold, deserved in italics)

All-Time Ranks

Total Steals - #32

Total Points - #35

Points Per Game - #38

Total Assists - #43

Steals Per Game - #79

Assists Per Game - #93

League Leads

Points Per Game (#1-2009, #4-2011, #5-2006,2010)

Total Steals (#2-2009, #5-2010)

Total Points (#1-2009, #3-2010)

Steals Per Game (#2-2009, #4-2010)

After averaging 21.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game as a junior at Marquette and leading the Golden Eagles to the Final Four, Dwyane Wade was selected by the Miami Heat with the #5 overall pick in 2003.

Wade had a strong rookie year, averaging 16.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists, which would make him a frontrunner for the Rookie of the Year most year, but not when LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony are in the same class. Wade was able to lead Miami to the playoffs, and past the Hornets in the first round before falling to the top-seeded Pacers in the second round.

Miami traded for Shaquille O'Neal before Wade's second season, and the team shot straight to the top of the Eastern Conference. Wade averaged 24.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 6.8 assists on the season and was named to the All-NBA Second Team. He led the team to the Conference Finals, averaging 27.4 points per game to Shaq's 19.4, but they fell short of the Finals when Wade suffered a rib injury in Game 5 of that round, eventually falling in 7 games to the defending champion Pistons.

Wade continued to improve the next year, when he averaged 27.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game, which was his career high. This time, he led Miami all the way to the NBA Finals, where he put on a show. After falling behind 2-0, Wade scored at least 36 points in each of the remaining games, leading the Heat to the championship with averages of 34.7 points and 7.8 rebounds in the Finals, taking home the Finals MVP award as well.

Wade missed 31 games due to injury the next year, including a dislocated shoulder that caused him to miss 23 games, but he worked hard to return for the playoffs, which turned out to be short, as they lost in the first round to Chicago. He struggled with knee problems the next year, and ended up sitting out 31 games again, and Miami finished with the worst record in the league.

Wade was healthy in time for the 2008 Olympics, when he led the USA in scoring on its way to a gold medal, then continued his high level of play into the season. He led the league in scoring with 30.2 per game, and also averaged 5.0 rebounds and 7.5 assists, while leading the Heat back to the playoffs, a huge accomplishment for a team that won only 15 games the year before.

After another strong season from Wade that ended in another first-round playoff exit, Miami added LeBron James and Chris Bosh in free agency, and finished with the #2 record in the East. They made it all the way to the NBA Finals, but fell to Dallas in 6 games, with Wade outscoring James in the Finals 26.5 to 17.8.

Wade was still a star player in the next two seasons, averaging 22.1 and 21.2 points per game playing alongside LeBron, and Miami advanced to the NBA Finals both times, defeating Oklahoma City in 5 games in 2012 and the Spurs in 7 games in 2013 while Wade struggled somewhat with injuries.

The team started to rest Wade more in 2013-14, hoping to preserve him for the playoffs, and he averaged less than 20 points per game for the first time since his rookie year. Wade was able to turn it on again in the playoffs, helping Miami to their 4th straight Finals appearance, but this time they lost to San Antonio in a rematch.

LeBron left Miami after that season, leaving Wade to take on a bigger load again, and he averaged 21.5 points per game, but missed 20 games due to hamstring issues throughout the season, and Miami missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008. He played one more year with Miami, averaging 19.0 per game, before leaving to sign with his hometown Chicago Bulls as a free agent.

Wade averaged 18.3 points in his only season in Chicago, then reached a buyout agreement with the team to allow him to become a free agent and try to win another title. He signed with Cleveland to reunite with LeBron James, but was put on the bench, which made him unhappy, and he was traded at the deadline back to Miami for a future draft pick.

After his late-season acquisition, Wade decided to play one final season with the Heat before retiring. He agreed to take on a bench role, but still averaged 15.0 points per game, up from 11.4 the year before, and he closed out his career with a triple-double in his final game, only the 5th of his career.

Dwyane Wade was often overshadowed by more famous teammates during his career, whether it was Shaq early on or LeBron a little later, but Wade was definitely better than Shaq when he Heat had their two deep playoff runs and won their first title, and Wade definitely deserved his Finals MVP. He outplayed LeBron during their first playoff run together, though he was in more of a sidekick role during the second and third titles. He averaged over 20 points per game 10 times and led the league in scoring once, and is one of the best to ever play the game.

Top 100 NBA Players: #9 - Shaquille O'Neal

Shaquille O'Neal

Shaq was one of the most physically imposing players in the history of any sport, and for a few years in his prime, he was absolutely unstoppable. He wasn't always the best player during the regular season, and he did battle a lot of injuries over the years, but he always turned his game up a notch during the playoffs, and he has plenty of rings to show for it.

When Shaq was drafted, there was no doubt that he would be the #1 overall pick, and the Rookie of the Year was practically a foregone conclusion as well, as the big man averaged 23.4 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game as a rookie. It was also the first of only 2 times in his career that his team would fail to make the playoffs, losing the tiebreaker to the Indiana Pacers and landing back in the lottery.

His third season in the NBA was a memorable one. He led the league in scoring, led Orlando to the NBA Finals for the first time, and earned the distinction of being the last player to win a playoff series against Michael Jordan, although it should be noted that Jordan had just returned two months earlier from his baseball retirement. He should have won the MVP that year, but it was given to David Robinson instead, because he led the Spurs to the league's best record, but Shaq's numbers in leading Orlando to the top seed in the East were a bit better:

O'Neal - 29.3 pts, 11.4 reb, 2.7 ast, 2.4 blk, .583 FG%, .533 FT%
Robinson - 27.6 pts, 10.8 reb, 2.9 ast, 3.2 blk, .530 FG%, .774 FT%

Robinson certainly had a strong argument for the MVP, but Shaq was slightly better, and he proved it in the playoffs, although he was severely outplayed in the Finals by Hakeem Olajuwon as Orlando was swept. The next time he reached the Finals, he made sure the outcome was different.

Shaq struggled through a few injury-plagued years before finally hitting his stride in 2000 with the Lakers, and what a stride it was. He set career-highs is scoring and assists, and nearly beat his career highs in rebounding and blocks. That was also the year he won his only MVP award, and it wasn't even close. Karl Malone was arguably the next best player that year, but look at the difference in production:

O'Neal - 29.7 pts, 13.6 reb, 3.8 ast, 3.0 blk, .574 FG%, .524 FT%
Malone - 25.5 pts, 9.5 reb, 3.7 ast, 0.9 blk, .509 FG%, .797 FT%

The only category in which Malone was superior was free throw shooting, which comes as no surprise to anyone who ever saw Shaq play. The next season he should have won another MVP, but it was awarded to Allen Iverson, who led the league in scoring and earned Philadelphia the top seed in the East, even though they finished with the same record as the Lakers. Here are their stats from that season:

O'Neal - 28.7 pts, 12.7 reb, 3.7 ast, 2.8 blk, .572 FG%, .513 FT%
Iverson - 31.1 pts, 3.8 reb, 4.6 ast, 2.5 stl, .420 FG%, .814 FT%

Once again, Shaq was horrible from the line, but Iverson was equally bad from the field, so those cancel each other out. Shaq's blocks and Iverson's steals are also nearly equal, and Iverson scored a few more points, but the difference is in rebounds and assists. Iverson was just average in both categories, even though he played point guard, while Shaq was a great rebounder. This award should have been Shaq's, but he got his revenge in the Finals, where they dominated the 76ers and took home their second straight title in 5 games.

The Lakers would again win the championship in 2002, which put Shaq in some very exclusive company. Only 3 players had ever led teams to 3 consecutive titles, and O'Neal was the fourth, joining George Mikan, Bill Russell, and Michael Jordan. And though he was never the best player on a champion again, he did lead the Lakers back to the Finals once more, in 2004, and won a title as D-Wade's sidekick in 2006 for Miami.

Overall, despite his shortcomings at the line and the relatively short period that he was on top, O'Neal dominated the game at a level not seen since Wilt's heyday, and when he put everything into it, nobody could stop him. He retired with 4 championships, 3 Finals MVP's, one regular MVP, and 8 seasons as one of the top 5 players in the league.

Top 100 NBA Players: #14 - Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade is one of the greatest players still active in the NBA, at #2 among currently active players, and he has the accolades to prove it. He is an Olympic Gold Medalist, three-time NBA Champion, former scoring leader, and Finals MVP. In his thirteen seasons in the NBA, he has ranked as one of the top 5 players seven times.

Wade's career highlight came in his third season, when he led the Heat to their first NBA Championship as the team's best player, which earned him the Finals MVP award. John Hollinger rated his performance as the best in NBA Finals history, even better than anything that Michael Jordan ever did. Here are his numbers from those playoffs:

Wade - 28.4 pts, 5.9 reb, 5.7 ast, 2.2 stl, 1.1 blk, .497 FG%, .378 3P%, .808 FT%

In addition to the overall totals, Wade had some amazing performances in the Finals. In three straight games he scored at least 36 points, all leading to Heat victories, which were much needed after they began with an 0-2 deficit. There was no doubt that Wade was the reason they were able to overcome the Mavericks and win the title, even with Shaq, the most dominant player of the previous decade, playing beside him.

Wade spent a good portion of the next two season on the injured list, leading many to think that he was destined to become the next Penny Hardaway rather than the next Michael Jordan, but he bounced back strong, missing six games or fewer in each of the next three years and ranking in the top 5 players in the league for 5 straight years.

In 2010, Wade relinquished his role as the best player in Miami in order to bring LeBron James into the fold, and the move paid off, as Miami finally returned to the NBA Finals, losing in six games in a rematch with the Dallas Mavericks. Although he was only the #2 player on his team, he was also the #2 player in the league during the regular season, behind only LeBron, although in the playoffs, Wade regained his role as the best Heat player and was the biggest reason for their run to the Finals. Here are his and LeBron's stats for the regular season and the playoffs:

Wade (Regular) - 25.5 pts, 6.4 reb, 4.6 ast, 1.5 stl, 1.1 blk, .500 FG%, .306 3P%, .758 FT%
Wade (Playoffs) - 24.5 pts, 7.1 reb, 4.4 ast, 1.6 stl, 1.3 blk, .485 FG%, .269 3P%, .777 FT%

James (Regular) - 26.7 pts, 7.5 reb, 7.0 ast, 1.6 stl, 0.6 blk, .510 FG%, .330 3P%, .759 FT%
James (Playoffs) - 23.7 pts, 8.4 reb, 5.9 ast, 1.6 stl, 1.2 blk, .466 FG%, .353 3P%, .763 FT%

Overall, Wade played at almost exactly the same level in the playoffs as during the regular season, while James saw large dips in both scoring and shooting percentage, both very important categories for a team's leading scorer. The following season he was nearly as good, and this time the Heat were able to get it done in the playoffs, with LeBron earning his first title while Wade got his second, with a scoring average of more than 20 points per game in both the regular season and the playoffs.

He was still a decent player on the next year's championship team, earning a third title while LeBron got even better. They reached the Finals again the next season, but Wade's contributions had decreased, although he was still a solid star player. He has continued to score over 19 points per game, which he has done for 12 straight seasons. In all, he has reached 5 NBA Finals, with 4 of those coming while he was a superstar, and three of those coming with rings. 

Top 100 NBA Players: #19 - Clyde Drexler

Clyde Drexler

Clyde Drexler is considered by most experts to be a second-tier star, not an all-time superstar, but these are misconceptions due to the fact that he was never able to measure up to Michael Jordan when they faced each other in the 1992 NBA Finals, but is there anybody who could?

Drexler was a great all-around player, averaging over 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in 6 straight seasons during his prime, and during that same period he led the Trail Blazers to some of the best seasons in their history. In 1990, he led the Blazers from the third seed in the West to the NBA Finals, where they fell to the Detroit Pistons in 5 games. The next season Portland had the best regular season record, but lost in the Western Conference Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers.

In 1992, he again led the Blazers to the Finals, but they once again lost, this time to the Chicago Bulls. Many people remember Drexler for losing in those years, but he averaged over 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists per game during all three of those playoff campaigns and was by far the best player on his team, while the teams he lost to had great supporting stars.

Drexler suffered injuries during the next season, which caused people to forget about him as other teams began to dominate in the West, and when he became healthy again, Portland was no longer a championship contender, so he requested a trade and was sent to his hometown of Houston to be reunited with college teammate Hakeem Olajuwon. That season, the two superstars led the Rockets from the sixth seed in the West to their second straight NBA title, which finally earned Drexler his ring.

Many people try to discount Clyde's NBA championship by saying that he was no longer a star player when he won his title, and while he was no longer in his prime, he was definitely still a player capable of dominating. If you look at his stats in 1992, his best season, and 1995, when he won his title, you'll see that the dropoff isn't that big:

Drexler (1992) - 25.0 pts, 6.6 reb, 6.7 ast, 1.8 stl, .470 FG%, .337 3P%, .794 FT%
Drexler (1995) - 21.8 pts, 6.3 reb, 4.8 ast, 1.8 stl, .461 FG%, .360 3P%, .824 FT%

Drexler also played much bigger than his position. He is the all-time leader for offensive rebounds among guards, and is fourth all-time in overall rebounds and fifth in blocked shots for guards. The only guards with more rebounds are Jason Kidd, Oscar Robertson, and Kobe Bryant, and the only guards with more blocks are Ron Harper, Michael Jordan, Dwyane Wade, and Vince Carter. He is also one of five players in history to reach 20,000 points, 6,000 rebounds, and 6,000 assists during his career, joining John Havlicek, Oscar Robertson, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James.

Top 100 NBA Players: #100 - Antoine Walker

5 years ago I posted my rankings for the top 100 NBA players of all time. A lot has happened since then, so I have added in the five new seasons of data, as well as adding in a bonus for winning a championship that awards more points than just reaching the Finals. As before,

players are awarded points based on their performance in each season of their career, as long as they are in the top 10 percent of players in that season. The factors that were taken into account were domination, longevity, all-around skill, and playoff success. Missing games for any reason counts against a player, meaning that several players whose careers were cut short by injuries are either ranked lower than you might expect or may have missed the top 100 altogether. Without further ado, here is the player who comes in at #100 in the all-time rankings:

Antoine Walker

It's easy to write off Antoine Walker when you see what happened to his promising career, as he allowed weight problems, financial difficulties, and indifference to hijack his career and cause an early exit from the NBA, but when he put everything out on the floor, he was one of the top players there was.

In 1997-98, just his second season in the league, he had already established himself as one of the top 10 players in the NBA. Despite missing the playoffs with Boston, he racked up some huge numbers, averaging 22.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists. While the averages were always impressive, his shooting percentages rarely were. His career averages of .414 FG% and .633 FT% would be considered below average for players at any position, let alone a big man.

He missed half of the following season, and after one year to get back in the groove, he had his two best seasons as a pro in 2001 and 2002. It was around this time that Paul Pierce came into his own and became recognized as the best Celtic, but the two of them formed a very potent 1-2 punch and led the Celtics all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2002. Here are their stats from those two seasons:

Walker - 22.8 pts, 8.9 reb, 5.3 ast, 1.6 stl
Pierce - 25.7 pts, 6.7 reb, 3.2 ast, 1.8 stl

Those two players represented more than half of the points scored by the Celtics over those two seasons, and it was the most successful time enjoyed in Boston in nearly a decade, but it didn't last. Walker played one more good season in Boston before being shipped off to Dallas, where he was unhappy with his reduced role, which is where a lot of the bad opinions of him may have started.

Two years and three trades later, he landed in Miami, where, despite coming off the bench for the first time in his career, he was finally able to reach the ultimate goal and win an NBA Championship. Even though he was not a starter, he ended up ranking as the #3 player on that championship team, behind only Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal, guaranteed Hall of Famers.

After that his stock dropped quickly, and he was out of the league within two years, after which stories of gambling debts and robberies started to put his name back in the news. It turns out that he was a horrible manager of money, and despite earning over $100 million during his career, he was completely broke less than two years after retirement.

Walker may not have ever achieved the popularity of some players, but he did manage to maintain a high level of performance for 8 seasons at the beginning of his career, which included a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. Walker also owns a championship ring, and he was actually an important member of that team, not just someone who was along for the ride. His time with the Celtics was the biggest reason he is in the top 100, but he could not have made it without the championship in Miami.

Top 100 NBA Players: #6

Shaquille O'Neal

(Kalb: #1, Simmons: #11, BBR: #11)

Shaq was one of the most physically imposing players in the history of any sport, and for a few years in his prime, he was absolutely unstoppable. He wasn't always the best player during the regular season, and he did battle a lot of injuries over the years, but he always turned his game up a notch during the playoffs, and he has plenty of rings to show for it.

When Shaq was drafted, there was no doubt that he would be the #1 overall pick, and the Rookie of the Year was practically a foregone conclusion as well, as the big man averaged 23.4 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game as a rookie. It was also the first of only 2 times in his career that his team would fail to make the playoffs, losing the tiebreaker to the Indiana Pacers and landing back in the lottery.

His third season in the NBA was a memorable one. He led the league in scoring, led Orlando to the NBA Finals for the first time, and earned the distinction of being the last player to win a playoff series against Michael Jordan, although it should be noted that Jordan had just returned two months earlier from his baseball retirement. He should have won the MVP that year, but it was given to David Robinson instead, because he led the Spurs to the league's best record, but Shaq's numbers in leading Orlando to the top seed in the East were a bit better:

O'Neal - 29.3 pts, 11.4 reb, 2.7 ast, 2.4 blk, .583 FG%, .533 FT%
Robinson - 27.6 pts, 10.8 reb, 2.9 ast, 3.2 blk, .530 FG%, .774 FT%

Robinson certainly had a strong argument for the MVP, but Shaq was slightly better, and he proved it in the playoffs, although he was severely outplayed in the Finals by Hakeem Olajuwon as Orlando was swept. The next time he reached the Finals, he made sure the outcome was different.

Shaq struggled through a few injury-plagued years before finally hitting his stride in 2000 with the Lakers, and what a stride it was. He set career-highs is scoring and assists, and nearly beat his career highs in rebounding and blocks. That was also the year he won his only MVP award, and it wasn't even close. Karl Malone was arguably the next best player that year, but look at the difference in production:

O'Neal - 29.7 pts, 13.6 reb, 3.8 ast, 3.0 blk, .574 FG%, .524 FT%
Malone - 25.5 pts, 9.5 reb, 3.7 ast, 0.9 blk, .509 FG%, .797 FT%

The only category in which Malone was superior was free throw shooting, which comes as no surprise to anyone who ever saw Shaq play. The next season he should have won another MVP, but it was awarded to Allen Iverson, who led the league in scoring and earned Philadelphia the top seed in the East, even though they finished with the same record as the Lakers. Here are their stats from that season:

O'Neal - 28.7 pts, 12.7 reb, 3.7 ast, 2.8 blk, .572 FG%, .513 FT%
Iverson - 31.1 pts, 3.8 reb, 4.6 ast, 2.5 stl, .420 FG%, .814 FT%

Once again, Shaq was horrible from the line, but Iverson was equally bad from the field, so those cancel each other out. Shaq's blocks and Iverson's steals are also nearly equal, and Iverson scored a few more points, but the difference is in rebounds and assists. Iverson was just average in both categories, even though he played point guard, while Shaq was a great rebounder. This award should have been Shaq's, but he got his revenge in the Finals, where they dominated the 76ers and took home their second straight title in 5 games.

The Lakers would again win the championship in 2002, which put Shaq in some very exclusive company. Only 3 players had ever led teams to 3 consecutive titles, and O'Neal was the fourth, joining George Mikan, Bill Russell, and Michael Jordan. And though he was never the best player on a champion again, he did lead the Lakers back to the Finals once more, in 2004, and won a title as D-Wade's sidekick in 2006 for Miami.

Overall, despite his shortcomings at the line and the relatively short period that he was on top, O'Neal dominated the game at a level not seen since Wilt's heyday, and when he put everything into it, nobody could stop him. He retired with 4 championships, 3 Finals MVP's, one regular MVP, and 8 seasons as one of the top 5 players in the league.

Magic ended his career with one more title than Shaq, and a few more Finals appearances, but Magic was never as dominant as O'Neal was, especially from 1999-2001, where you can see the peak on the graph above. He also earns points for longevity, but in the end what set O'Neal apart from Magic was that for a couple of years there was no doubt who the best player in the league was, and during Magic's era there was always argument about that.

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

NBA MVP Rankings - 19 Feb

There are two new players joining the MVP rankings this week, one that has been here a lot in years past, and one that has not because of a more famous teammate with multiple MVP trophies, but who has established himself as the team leader and is leading his team on the longest winning streak of any team this season. Here are my updated MVP and Most Improved Player Rankings, with rising players in green and falling players in red.

Most Valuable Player

1. LeBron James - MIA - 28.0 pts, 8.1 reb, 6.7 ast, 1.7 stl, .546 FG%, .390 3P%, .764 FT%

Miami has won 5 straight road games by at least 15 points, and LeBron has been leading them in his typical outstanding fashion. At Milwaukee on Monday he scored 35 points on 16-21 shooting as Miami won in the second of three games in three nights. They were the first team in over 30 years to win three road games in three nights, and the first team in over 40 years to win all three by at least 10 points.

2. Kevin Durant - OKC - 26.8 pts, 8.2 reb, 3.3 ast, 1.3 blk, 1.2 stl, .508 FG%, .343 3P%, .828 FT%

Durant has been great this year, and he has the Thunder sitting at the top of the West, as they have all year, but he is probably going to have to settle for another second place finish if LeBron and Miami continue to dominate the East. Durant's best game of the week came in their lone loss at Houston, but he did have a perfect week from the free throw line, where he hasn't missed since February 9th.

3. Russell Westbrook - OKC - 22.6 pts, 4.9 reb, 5.4 ast, 2.0 stl, .469 FG%, .803 FT%

Thunder fans received a scare on Friday when Westbrook went down with a sprained ankle in a blowout victory over Golden State, but Westbrook says he is fine and will play today against Denver, so Oklahoma City can breathe a sigh of relief. Westbrook hit exactly half of his shots this week, but he has not been passing the ball as well lately, handing out fewer than 5 assists in each of his last 5 appearances.

4. Kobe Bryant - LAL - 28.9 pts, 5.9 reb, 5.0 ast, 1.2 stl, .440 FG%, .842 FT%

Kobe went off against Phoenix on Friday night, scoring 36 points in 35 minutes of action while grabbing 9 rebounds and handing out 6 assists and generally looking like the MVP he once was. However, in his previous game against Atlanta, he scored only 10 points on 5-18 shooting while turning the ball over 5 times.  One MVP performance and one crappy performance cancel each other out, leaving Kobe at #4.

5. Dwight Howard - ORL - 20.3 pts, 15.3 reb, 1.9 ast, 2.2 blk, 1.4 stl, .553 FG%, .501 FT%

Howard did not put up his usual gaudy numbers during the first 3 games of Orlando's current winning streak, but he more than made up for it against Milwaukee on Friday, recording his 7th 20-20 game of the season and shooting a better percentage from the free throw line than from the field (it's true, you can look it up). He also blocked 4 shots against the Bucks in each of their 2 games this week, making a strong case for his 4th straight Defensive Player of the Year award.

6. Blake Griffin - LAC - 21.2 pts, 11.4 reb, 2.9 ast, .532 FG%, .533 FT%

Griffin scored at least 20 points in all 5 of LA's games this week, hitting over half of his shots in each of those games as well, while hitting nearly 60% of his free throws, which is a major accomplishment for him this year. Last night against the red-hot Spurs, he put up a 20-20 game of his own, although it wasn't quite enough to prevent San Antonio from winning their 10th straight game.

7. Chris Bosh - MIA - 18.5 pts, 8.3 reb, 2.1 ast, .490 FG%, .816 FT%

I thought that Bosh would be gone by now, with Wade back in the lineup, but he has been reinventing himself as a big man lately, grabbing more than 10 rebounds per game over the past week and shooting only one shot from beyond the three-point line, where he used to shoot much more often. He did struggle to hit shots this week, but with two of the best scorers in the NBA on his team, he doesn't really have to.

8. Kevin Love - MIN - 25.8 pts, 14.2 reb, 1.8 ast, .464 FG%, .366 3P%, .835 FT%

Since returning from suspension, Love has scored at least 30 points in 4 of Minnesota's 5 games, and he has grabbed an average of 16.6 rebounds in those games as well while lighting it up from all over the court. It almost seems that he is trying to prove that he deserves the spot he was given on the All-Star team, and you won't hear any arguments from me.

9. Tony Parker - SAS - 19.4 pts, 2.8 reb, 7.8 ast, 1.0 stl, .456 FG%, .800 FT%

Parker has been incredible all month, scoring over 30 points 4 times, including 42 points in San Antonio's huge upset of the Thunder on the eve of their long road trip, and he's not slowing down. You would think that scoring all those points would prevent him from sharing the ball, but he's also recorded at least 10 assists in each of the last two games to go along with those 30+ points, and San Antonio has won 10 games in a row.

10. Dwyane Wade - MIA - 21.9 pts, 4.3 reb, 4.7 ast, 1.4 blk, 1.6 stl, .493 FG%, .805 FT%

Wade is rounding into shape for Miami, scoring over 20 points per game over their current 5-game winning streak while playing only 26 minutes per game. Once his minutes get bumped back up to the 36 he's used to, look for his stats to take a nice jump as well. For now, he has to be mentioned here, even if he's not anywhere near the player he has been in the past.

Dropping Out

LaMarcus Aldridge - POR
Derrick Rose - CHI

Honorable Mention

James Harden - OKC
Pau Gasol - LAL

Most Improved Player

1. Jeremy Lin - NYK - +10.9 pts, +1.2 reb, +3.7 ast, +.102 FG%, +.080 3P%

Entering this month, Jeremy Lin's career high in scoring was 13 points, a figure he has now eclipsed 7 times in 8 games. There has never been a player who has suddenly emerged like this from the end of the bench to become a star in such a short period, and it just seems like the script of a Hollywood sports movie, but this is happening. Unless it turns out that these two weeks have been a fluke, which I highly doubt, there is no competition for this award.

2. Ryan Anderson - ORL - +6.2 pts, +1.7 reb, +0.1 ast, +.022 FG%, +.047 3P%, +.036 FT%

In a normal season, Anderson would be a very strong contender for this award, as he has improved across the board in a big way and become a great outside complement to Dwight Howard, but this is not a normal season in any way, but he is still the leader in the Second Most Improved Player Rankings.

3. Greg Monroe - DET - +6.8 pts, +2.1 reb, +1.1 ast, +.193 FT%

Monroe played his way into a starting role toward the end of his rookie year, and this year he has been even better. He has proven to be a real starting power forward, crashing the boards and scoring points in the paint, but he has been very inconsistent this week, with his scoring looking like a roller coaster, going from 27 to 4 to 22 to 3 over four games.

4. Jeff Teague - ATL - +7.0 pts, +0.5 reb, +2.7 ast, +1.1 stl, +.027 FG%, +.063 3P%

Teague seems to be slipping back into reality a bit, showing inconsistency everywhere but beyond the three-point line. Atlanta has been doing the same lately, losing 3 of their four games this week and falling behind Orlando in the race for home court in the first round. Atlanta's fortunes seem to follow Teague.

5. Marcin Gortat - PHX - +5.2 pts, +2.4 reb, +0.1 ast, +0.5 blk

Though many have yet to realize it, Marcin Gortat is the best player on the Phoenix Suns, despite the fact that a certain former MVP was named to the All-Star team instead of him. Gortat is leading Phoenix in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots, and shooting percentage even though just one year ago he was not even a starter and was getting only 15 minutes a game for Orlando.

Dropping Out

Marc Gasol - MEM

Honorable Mention

Paul George - IND
James Harden - OKC
Marc Gasol - MEM

Top 100 NBA Players: #26

Moses Malone

(Kalb: #14, Simmons: #12, BBR: #15)

Moses Malone is the greatest offensive rebounder in the history of the NBA, and was a trailblazer for many of today's players, becoming the first player to successfully jump directly from high school to the pros. He also had an incredibly long career, playing 19 NBA seasons and 21 professional seasons overall.

As I stated above, Malone was easily the best offensive rebounder to ever set foot on a basketball court. He has the three highest single season totals of all time, and is also the owner of 6 of the top 10 offensive rebounding seasons. He led the league in offensive rebounds in each of his first 7 seasons, and in total rebounding six times in his career. In 1978-79, he averaged 7.2 offensive rebounds per game, and 17.6 overall. He was truly a monster on the boards.

Malone was among the top 5 players in the league for five straight seasons early in his career, from 1978-1983. During that stretch, he was awarded the MVP award three times, but he may not have been the best player during those seasons. I'm going to break down the best players from four of those seasons and show my pick for each season's MVP

Gervin (1979) - 29.6 pts, 5.0 reb, 2.7 ast, 1.7 stl, 1.1 blk, .541 FG%, .826 FT%, .585 Win%
Malone (1979) - 24.8 pts, 17.6 reb, 1.8 ast, 1.0 stl, 1.5 blk, .540 FG%, .739 FT%, .573 Win%

Gervin led the league in scoring, while Malone led the league in rebounding. Gervin was the better shooter, despite being the smaller player, and his team finished ahead of Malone's in the overall standings. They also advanced farther in the playoffs than the Rockets, all of which make a strong case for Gervin deserving that season's MVP.

Erving (1981) - 24.6 pts, 8.0 reb, 4.4 ast, 2.1 stl, 1.8 blk, .521 FG%, .787 FT%, .756 Win%
Malone (1981) - 27.8 pts, 14.8 reb, 1.8 ast, 1.0 stl, 1.9 blk, .522 FG%, .757 FT%, .488 Win%

Statistically, Malone was a much better player, but Erving had the advantage of playing for the team with the best record, which is probably why he won the MVP, but in retrospect, the 76ers fell in the Eastern Conference Finals, while Malone led the Rockets all the way to the NBA Finals, where they fell to Boston in 6 games. This one's not completely clear-cut, but I believe Malone was the better player that season.

Johnson (1982) - 18.6 pts, 9.6 reb, 9.5 ast, 2.7 stl, 0.4 blk, .537 FG%, .760 FT%, .695 Win%
Malone (1982) - 31.1 pts, 14.7 reb, 1.8 ast, 0.9 stl, 1.5 blk, .519 FG%, .762 FT%, .561 Win%

Malone had an amazing season, leading the league in rebounding again while averaging over 30 points for the only time in his career, but Magic came closer to a triple-double average than anybody since Oscar Robertson and led Los Angeles to the best record in the West and eventually an NBA Championship, while Houston lost in the first round. This should have been Johnson's first MVP.

Johnson (1983) - 16.8 pts, 8.6 reb, 10.5 ast, 2.2 stl, 0.6 blk, .548 FG%, .800 FT%, .707 Win%
Malone (1983) - 24.5 pts, 15.3 reb, 1.3 ast, 1.1 stl, 2.0 blk, .501 FG%, .761 FT%, .793 Win%

Johnson nearly matched everything he had done the year before, even upping the Lakers' winning percentage and shooting much better than big man Malone, while Moses saw a huge dip in his scoring numbers, which he made up for by winning more games with his new team, the 76ers. The two teams met in the Finals, with Malone's Rockets winning in 4 games, but I still think Magic was slightly better overall, because he could pass the ball and take it away from the other team.

It was during that championship run of 1983 when Moses famously predicted that Philly would sweep through the playoffs in "fo, fo, fo," which they came within one game of accomplishing, losing just once in the second round. Moses ran away with the Finals MVP award and took home his only championship during that season.

You may have noticed that most experts have Malone ranked a bit higher all-time, but there are several reasons to rank him a bit lower. The first is that he really didn't have that much playoff success. He had the one magical and dominant season in 1983, and he took his team to the Finals in 1981, but other than that, he only saw the Conference Finals two other times in 19 seasons. That equals 15 seasons of losing in the first round or missing the playoffs altogether.

Another problem with Malone is that he was traded often during the prime of his career. Usually when one of the best players in the league is traded, it's because there is some sort of problem with the player, and Malone was traded not just once, but 5 times during the best years of his career. In fact, more than half of my top 20 players played for only one team during their prime years. One mark of a truly great player is that he is untradeable.

Moses was also not a great shooter, especially for a big man. His career average was under 50%, which is unacceptable for a center, and he only shot over 50% five times in his 19 seasons. His longevity, durability, and dominance in one category for a long period of time certainly help him out here, but he is not one of history's top 25.

Malone and Wade each have one championship, one Finals MVP, and two Finals appearances in their careers. Malone had a lot fewer injury problems than Wade has had, but Wade was a better all-around player than Malone, who was more of an inside-only star. The thing that keeps Malone ahead was that he was a star player of 14 years, which is longer than Wade has been in the league so far. I'm not sure how much longer he can hold him off, though.

Top 100 NBA Players: #27

Dwyane Wade

(Simmons: #53, BBR, #35)

Dwyane Wade is one of the greatest current players in the NBA, and he has the accolades to prove it. He is an Olympic Gold Medalist, NBA Champion, former scoring leader, and Finals MVP. In his eight seasons in the NBA, he has ranked as one of the top 5 players five times, which includes every season in which he was not a rookie and did not suffer a major injury.

Wade's career highlight came in his third season, when he led the Heat to their only NBA Championship as the team's best player, which earned him the Finals MVP award. John Hollinger rated his performance as the best in NBA Finals history, even better than anything that Michael Jordan ever did. Here are his numbers from those playoffs:

Wade - 28.4 pts, 5.9 reb, 5.7 ast, 2.2 stl, 1.1 blk, .497 FG%, .378 3P%, .808 FT%

In addition to the overall totals, Wade had some amazing performances in the Finals. In three straight games he scored at least 36 points, all leading to Heat victories, which were much needed after they began with an 0-2 deficit. There was no doubt that Wade was the reason they were able to overcome the Mavericks and win the title, even with Shaq, the most dominant player of the past decade, playing beside him.

Wade spent a good portion of the next two season on the injured list, leading many to think that he was destined to become the next Penny Hardaway rather than the next Michael Jordan, but he has bounced back strong, missing six games or less in each of the last three years and ranking in the top 5 players in the league.

Last season, Wade relinquished his role as the best player in Miami in order to bring LeBron James into the fold, and the move paid off, as Miami finally returned to the NBA Finals, losing in six games in a rematch with the Dallas Mavericks. Although he was only the #2 player on his team, he was also the #2 player in the league during the regular season, behind LeBron, although in the playoffs, Wade regained his role as the best Heat player and was the biggest reason for their run to the Finals. Here are his and LeBron's stats for the regular season and the playoffs:

Wade (Regular) - 25.5 pts, 6.4 reb, 4.6 ast, 1.5 stl, 1.1 blk, .500 FG%, .306 3P%, .758 FT%
Wade (Playoffs) - 24.5 pts, 7.1 reb, 4.4 ast, 1.6 stl, 1.3 blk, .485 FG%, .269 3P%, .777 FT%

James (Regular) - 26.7 pts, 7.5 reb, 7.0 ast, 1.6 stl, 0.6 blk, .510 FG%, .330 3P%, .759 FT%
James (Playoffs) - 23.7 pts, 8.4 reb, 5.9 ast, 1.6 stl, 1.2 blk, .466 FG%, .353 3P%, .763 FT%

Overall, Wade played at almost exactly the same level in the playoffs as during the regular season, while James saw large dips in both scoring and shooting percentage, both very important categories for a team's leading scorer. Over the next several years we'll be able to see if Wade's penchant for performing in the big moments escalates him into the ranks of the greatest players of all time with his boyhood idol, Michael Jordan.

Hayes was a lot more durable than Wade early in his career, never missing more than 2 games in any season during his career, and he was the best player on three teams that made the NBA Finals, one more than Wade can currently claim. Wade, however, rose to the occasion in the Finals, while Hayes shrunk from the spotlight. Wade has also spent more time as a top 5 player than Hayes, who was content to be top 15 for the majority of his career, so Wade's desire to be the best puts him one step ahead of Hayes.