Top 10 NBA MVP Rankings With One Month To Go

By Jerry Landry

Top 10 NBA MVP Rankings With One Month To Go

Kevin Durant 2014 NBA MVP 2015 MVP Candidates
Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

Just one month to go in the NBA season and it is shaking up to be another year where LeBron James might not be the all-out MVP favorite. Here’s a rundown of the top 10 most valuable player candidates as the NBA hits the stretch run and MVP voters deal with fatigue.

10. Draymond Green

Draymond Green Golden State Warriors NBA MVP Candidate
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

10. Draymond Green

Draymond Green Golden State Warriors NBA MVP Candidate
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Behind the scenes, Draymond Green is the glue that keeps the Golden State Warriors adhering to the Western Conference’s best record. Look beyond the stat sheet and watch the games, and it’s easy to see Green’s immense value.

9. Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving Cleveland Cavaliers NBA MVP Candidate
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

9. Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving Cleveland Cavaliers NBA MVP Candidate
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Putting Kyrie Irving on this short list could short-circuit LeBron’s claim to MVP. But I argue, isn’t Irving’s improved play a testament to LeBron’s value? Irving’s improved stat line -- 22 points, 5.2 assists and just 2.4 turnovers per contest -- is impressive, with the latter being an 11 percent improvement from last season.

8. Pau Gasol

Pau Gasol Chicago Bulls NBA MVP Candidate
Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

8. Pau Gasol

Pau Gasol Chicago Bulls NBA MVP Candidate
Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

The 34-year-old Chicago Bulls center is having arguably the best year of his long career. For the depleted beasts of the East, Gasol is ripping more rebounds per game (12.1) than he has in any season; add in his 18.4 PPG and he belongs right here on this list.

7. LaMarcus Aldridge

LaMarcus Aldridge Portland Trail Blazers NBA MVP Candidate
Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports

7. LaMarcus Aldridge

LaMarcus Aldridge Portland Trail Blazers NBA MVP Candidate
Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports

Finding comfort in his ninth year with the Portland Trail Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge has put up the requisite MVP numbers: 23.3 points per game and an impressive 10.6 rebounds per night. If Portland gets past the first round of the playoffs, Aldridge could move up this list.

6. Jeff Teague

Jeff Teague Atlanta Hawks NBA MVP Race
Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

6. Jeff Teague

Jeff Teague Atlanta Hawks NBA MVP Race
Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Jeff Teague’s numbers are lower than what you’d see if he played for a more selfish team (he’d probably average 30 PPG with the New York Knicks). Running the team with the league’s best record in the Atlanta Hawks is no easy task and deserves consideration for MVP honors.

5. Anthony Davis

Anthony Davis New Orleans Pelicans NBA MVP Race
Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

5. Anthony Davis

Anthony Davis New Orleans Pelicans NBA MVP Race
Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Anthony Davis should only climb higher and higher on this ladder in coming years. The lengthy forward with point-guard handles has steadily improved throughout 2015, and if this award were decided on the last month alone, Davis could rank even closer to the top.

4. Stephen Curry

Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors NBA MVP Race
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4. Stephen Curry

Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors NBA MVP Race
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Explosive, quick, deadly -- insert any hyperbolic adjective and it’s sure to fit the play of Stephen Curry. With one of the quickest releases in the game, this deep-range assassin is nearly impossible to keep pace with and impossible to not consider for NBA MVP.

3. Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook Oklahoma City Thunder NBA MVP Race
Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

3. Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook Oklahoma City Thunder NBA MVP Race
Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Oklahoma City is now Russell Westbrook’s town. The freakish point guard has been on a tear in the last month and is closing out the MVP race like a Kentucky thoroughbred.

2. James Harden

James Harden Houston Rockets NBA MVP Race
Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

2. James Harden

James Harden Houston Rockets NBA MVP Race
Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

James Harden makes the best non-LeBron case for MVP, and does so with his numbers: 26.8 points, 7.1 assists, 5.8 rebounds and two steals per game. It’s just too bad he can’t also guard four positions like King James.

1. LeBron James

LeBron James Cleveland Cavaliers King James MVP Race NBA
Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

1. LeBron James

LeBron James Cleveland Cavaliers King James MVP Race NBA
Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Although LeBron likely won’t win the trophy in what will become an MVP upset — a la Karl Malone in 1999, and Steve Nash’s back-to-back trophies — his value to the Cleveland Cavaliers far exceeds the input of any other player with their current team. Look at what happens to his former teams when he departs, and look at what’s happened to the Cavaliers since he’s arrived.

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