5 Dark Horse Candidates for 2014-15 NBA MVP

The first player on this list who could force his way into the MVP discussion, LaMarcus Aldridge, has proven he’s one of the toughest matchups in the NBA. The Portland Trail Blazers are an up-and-coming team in the Western Conference that relies on him to produce significant numbers each night. The power forward had his breakout performance in the playoffs last season against Houston, and he should build on that incredible success this year.

The New York Knicks' forward is a serious dark horse this season, but with Phil Jackson running the organization now and Derek Fisher as the new head coach, Carmelo Anthony is in a fresh and promising environment. He’ll have to carry the load every night for this team, but if he puts up video-game numbers and his team can surprise some people, look for him to move up the MVP board.

After finishing in third place of the MVP voting last season, Blake Griffin remains a serious threat to dethrone Kevin Durant of the award this year. The Los Angeles Clippers' power forward is a consistent highlight reel night after night and plays alongside arguably the best point guard in the NBA. He’s also improved his game every year since he was drafted in 2009 and is now one of the best all-around players in the league.

Perhaps the most popular dark horse selection, Anthony Davis is primed for another outstanding season at the young age of 21. If the Pelicans are able to jump into the playoff race in the tough Western Conference, the Chicago-born big man will garner significant momentum for the award. Davis is coming off a monster season in which he posted 20.8 PPG, 10 RPG, 2.8 BPG and a PER of 26.5.

The leading dark horse candidate for most valuable player goes to Warriors guard Steph Curry. His ability to play both guard positions and catch fire from three-point land at any point in time are unique skills. He was snubbed out of the top-five voting last season, as he put up similar stats to Derrick Rose when he won the MVP in 2010-11. Golden State will also likely be a rising contender this season, which will definitely help Curry’s case.