Kevin Durant is the unstoppable offensive force and fan favorite, while LeBron James does just enough over the course of a game to make up for his perceived shortcomings in crunch time.
Minor late-season slides by the Oklahoma City Thunder and Miami Heat have opened the door for a few other players to enter the picture. Some, such as Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo, have surged into the discussion by having a two months unlike any others, while others have been steady producers whose consistency is starting to be rewarded.
Since we are all tired of the yearly debate over what "valuable" means, we keep it simple: The MVP goes to the best player over the course of the season. Period.
With reigning MVP Derrick Rose hobbled by a groin injury and unlikely to repeat, here is a look at the top 10 candidates for the award as the season winds down.
