Anthony Leads NBA MVP Race

Posted by Mark Barnes Dec 3, 2006

Since coming into the NBA, Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony has always played second fiddle to LeBron James and Dwayne Wade. This season, Anthony has surpassed both of the aforementioned superstars and earned the top spot in Suite101's NBA MVP Watch.

Top 5 NBA MVP Candidates

1. Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets – Anthony leads the NBA in scoring at better than 32 points per game. He’s adding 5 rebounds and 4 assists, while shooting a nifty 52% from the field and 83% from the line. More important than his superior stats, Anthony is helping Denver (10-5) compete. So far, Anthony is certainly deserving of the top spot in our NBA MVP Watch.
2. Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic – The third-year power forward has emerged as one of the best bigs in the NBA. Howard is scoring 17 points per night, while averaging an NBA-best 13.7 rebounds. He’s shooting a staggering 58% from the field and blocking 2 shots per game. Meanwhile Howard has led Orlando to a Southeast-leading 13-4 mark and made the Magic the team to beat in the NBA’s Eastern Conference.
3. Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns – Nash has won the NBA MVP the last two years. Many experts, present company included, felt Nash was just the beneficiary of good surrounding talent. With Nash posting even better numbers this year (20.5 points, 11 assists on 51% shooting), it’s hard to blame Nash’s greatness on his teammates. Steve Nash might just win the NBA MVP for a third-straight year.
4. Yao Ming, Houston Rockets – It’s no secret how much we love Yao Ming. This guy was more of a circus show in his first year in the league, and many experts felt he’d never outgrow the celebrity and become a star. Yao has silenced the critics and is now a viable NBA MVP candidate. The 7-6 center can dominate with his shooting, passing, rebounding and shot-blocking. He’s a cinch for 25 points and 10 boards every night, but what goes unnoticed, is how Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy runs the offense completely through Yao. Not many big men are good enough to run the show and lead a team to consistent wins. Yao Ming is definitely good enough.
5. LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers – A shockingly low ranking for the Cavaliers superstar small forward, arguably the best player in the NBA. LeBron makes the top 5, just because his numbers are spectacular, compared to everyone else in the NBA. Plus, LeBron’s Cavs are winning, even though they often look listless and confused. The NBA MVP, though, is about guys with big numbers on winning teams, and LeBron James with his 27 points, 7 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1 block per game certainly deserves to be on the NBA MVP Watch list.

Second Tier

1. Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
2. Vince Carter, New Jersey
3. Carlos Boozer, Utah Jazz
4. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
5. Chris Paul, NO/Oklahoma City Hornets