LeBron JamesCameron Ross

The NBA season has concluded and playoffs have begun. Teams will now see their true leaders and most valuable players emerge with clutch performances when they matter most.

LeBron James is the most valuable player because without him his team would most definitely be a bottom-dweller.

While James got a lot of help at the trade deadline with the additions of Ben Wallace and Joe Smith, he is still the heart and soul of the Cleveland Cavaliers.He may wear No. 23 like Michael Jordan, but James has his own individual elements he brings to the game. Scoring may come from power or finesse but one way or another he will put points on the board, get assists and rebound.

His main competition is Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics.

Bryant and Garnett have scoring help from their teams and a richer talent pool. More high draft picks and better stats show that their rosters are obviously deeper, meaning less pressure on the stars.

James averaged 30.0 points-per-game this season, tops in the league. The next highest total on the Cavaliers was Zydrunas Ilgauskas with 14.1. Following him was Wally Szczerbiak with 11.5, who only played with the team part of the year.

Garnett was not even the top scorer on his team and Bryant had help from Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Derek Fisher – all accomplished veterans with scoring presence.

James had a free throw percentage of 71.2 and averaged 8.0 assists per game. He didn’t shy away from the boards either, as he averaged 7.9 rebounds per game, with 6.1 of them on defense, showing prowess in his own half of the court.

The Cavaliers averaged 96.4 points per game while their opponents averaged 96.7.

Without James and his league-high average of scoring per game, his team would have been in trouble and probably would not competing in the playoffs right now.

Chris PaulDavid Green

I say Chris Paul for President! Well, at least for MVP. He has turned the whole Hornets franchise around, especially this season. He has been a force since his name was called fourth in the 2005 draft and gave that big smile on signing day – probably thinking, soon I am going to get that MVP. Well, this year is his year.

During the season the Hornets carried the second-best record in the Western Conference, right behind the Lakers by one game and ahead of the Spurs, the most dominate team of the millennium. It is because Paul is leading the charge.

During the season he averaged a double-double, and I am not talking about the burgers you can get at IN-N-OUT folks; Paul averaged 21 points and 11.6 assists per game, not to mention an average of almost 3 steals a game – this guy is a beast!

He has risen his game to a whole new level for the playoffs. His field goal percentage went up almost 20 percent and he is carrying his team like he has been at the helm since Larry Johnson was on the team.

They are now two games ahead on the Mavericks, who are one of the better teams in the playoffs. In his game on April 22 against Dallas, Paul scored 32 points and kindly assisted 17 dimes to his teammates, and does not look like he is going to slow down.

He is not only making himself look good by dazzling the fans and commentators, but he is also making his players step their games up. Tyson Chandler, who has been a limited factor in other years, is controlling the boards with an average of 11 boards this season, and is muscling down in the paint like he can bench his own weight 10 times.

The Hornets are following Paul’s lead and taking the league by surprise. The Pistons have Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace. The Celtics have Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. The Hornets have one leader, and he is doing a damn good job leading his team this season and through the playoffs.

There is really no reason why he should not get MVP. The panel would be whacked out of its mind to not give Paul this recognition.

Kobe BryantAndrew Eggers

In a memorable basketball season that included quality teams with dominating star power, my choice for the Most Valuable Player Award has to be the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant. I think he edges out other contenders by a close margin, but ultimately gets the nod because he was the most important player on the top team in a thick Western Conference.

I know Kobe has been put on Jordan-like performances in the past, like when he scored 81 points and won those three rings, but this year he has stepped his game up to a new level. He has always been able to score at will, but with weapons at his disposal this year, he has managed to show that he is at his best when he gets his teammates involved. His passing has made him an elite all-around player and instilled confidence in his co-workers to make plays.

I think Bryant, the 30-year-old veteran now in his 12th season, has figured out how to manage a basketball game. With Bryant playing quarterback in Phil Jackson’s offense and the Lakers’ scoring threats like Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, he can pick defenses apart like Tom Brady did last season with New England. I think for a guy who has yet to win the MVP, he should win it this year more than in any year past. This season’s Lakers have a better supporting cast around Kobe than in recent years and his player/coach role is a big reason why they have developed.

Regardless of what the critics of Bryant think, we know he can dunk on anyone in the league and then shove the dagger in a team’s heart with a fade-away jumper to win the game. Look for him to lead his guys against another quality MVP candidate Kevin Garnett and the Boston Celtics.

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