by William Menna

Created on: April 30, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

While the media is restricting the 2008 MVP race to Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul, the NBA has boasted several franchise players who have made compelling cases for their candidacies. In addition to Bryant and Paul, Kevin Garnett, LeBron James, and Deron Williams have had excellent performances to lead their teams to great years.

While Kobe Bryant has had an excellent season, he has not been the catalyst that has brought the Lakers back to the top of the west. A breakout season by Andrew Bynum and later the acquisition of star big man Pau Gasol along with Bryant's performance have been in large part responsible for the Lakers' newfound success. Bryant averaged 28.3 points as he was one of only two players to average more than twenty shot attempts per game. He posted just over six rebounds and five assists per game along with nearly two steals per contest.

For those who prefer to select their candidates by the numbers, LeBron James actually outperformed Kobe in 2008, topping him in scoring, rebounding, assists, blocks, and shooting percentage. James led the league averaging an even 30 points per game. He added eight rebounds, seven assists, and just fewer than two steals per game. While he will lose votes for team performance, he has clearly not had the same type of help from his supporting cast as Bryant has had.

Deron Williams of the Jazz has put up numbers similar to recent two-time MVP Steve Nash while leading his team to a division title. With 18.8 points and 10.5 assists per contest, Williams was one of only three players (Williams, Chris Paul and Jason Kidd) to average at least fifteen points and ten assists per game. What hurts his chances is that Chris Paul's numbers are slightly better than Williams in most categories, with Paul's Hornets outperforming Williams's Jazz.

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard has quickly become one of the league's elite players just four years out of high school. Consistently improving at a high pace, Howard has started putting up top-tier numbers. He finished the 2008 season as the league's leading rebounder with 14.2 per game. He added 2.2 blocks, ranking fifth, and he shot 59.9 percent from the field, good for third. More importantly, he led the Magic to their first division title since 1996 when they were still led by Shaquille O'Neal.

Not to be outdone is the player who Dwight Howard grew up idolizing - Celtics' forward Kevin Garnett. Sacrificing numbers and individual recognition in favor of team unity and success, Garnett

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>