2013 / 2014 NBA MVP Contenders – An NBA Futures Preview

Will LeBron James win his third straight MVP (and fifth overall)?

Will Kevin Durant finally win an MVP after coming in second twice?

Will Derrick Rose reclaim his MVP after sitting out last year?

Who are the other player/s that will get in the conversation?

These are the questions to be most likely talked about during the upcoming 2013-2014 season. Superstars have their eyes on the prize as teams are loading up in hopes of winning or at least contending for the NBA Championship.

Contenders to Win the 2014 NBA MVP

As training camp looms in, there are a few select superstars who are very much favorites to win the Maurice Podoloff Trophy this season.

Let’s break them down:

LeBron James

Obviously, LeBron James will be the clear favorite to win the award. He’s already won it four times and his team is looking to repeat as the defending NBA champs. ‘King James’ finished with 26.8 points, eight rebounds and 7.3 assists last year. The man can do it all on the court: drive, shoot, pass, defend. Clearly? LeBron is an easy choice for MVP.

Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant is tired of coming in second… maybe this is his year he’ll win the coveted NBA MVP award.

Kevin Durant. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.

Durant is a scoring machine who has led the Thunder to the best record in the West last year. He finished second in scoring and entered the esteemed 50/40/90 club last season with shooting splits of 51% from the field, 42% from three-point range and 91% from the free throw line.

‘Durantula’ is worthy of MVP conversation year-after-year as soon OKC is still a team to beat in the West.
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After finishing 2nd in MVP voting twice-in-a-row, he should still have the sympathy of many of the voters. Nonetheless, with his relative youth, scoring prowess, leadership and other MVP-like qualities, Durant deserves to be in the running for the Maurice Podoloff Trophy.

Derrick Rose

After sitting out more than a year and receiving a lot of criticism because of it, Derrick Rose is ready to silence his critics and take back his MVP award.

Before he tore his knee, Rose was one of the most feared NBA players. His blazing speed and bursting explosiveness have many opponents on their heels. The only question for him is will he still be the same player from his MVP season in 2011.

But if he leads the Bulls to the Eastern Conference’s (or the league’s) best record, he can win both the MVP and the unofficial title of “Comeback Player of the Year.”

One way to get fans back and to clear his name is by winning. Just ask LeBron.

Chris Paul

When it comes with court leadership, other than LeBron,  you have to give serious props to Chris Paul.

Paul has been in the conversation as soon as he established a winning culture in Clipper Nation. He is ready to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to bigger goals this year. With Doc Rivers at the helm and an upgraded supporting cast, all of the pieces are in place for the 28-year-old to capture his first career MVP award.

Paul can realistically average 20 points and 10 assists and he has led the NBA in steals per game the last three years.

It’s going to take flawless performances on both ends of the court for Paul to steal the award from LeBron or Durant, but the opportunity will present itself for the league’s best point guard to do so.

Stephen Curry

Last year’s playoff sensation, Stephen Curry, is ready to show he belongs among the elite.

Stephen Curry exploded last season to the tune of 272 three-pointers, a new single-season NBA record.

With the exception of Kevin Durant, Curry is the league’s most lethal and feared marksman. He showed why, hitting 45.3 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc.

The key for his success is his health and how far the Warriors have gone from last year. But if Curry keeps up his performance and leads the Warriors to another level, he might be able to snag the award.

Paul George

Paul George looks to show next year how far he has come.

The reigning Most Improved Player rose up to become the Pacers’ bonafied superstar and he proved that in the 2013 Playoffs when he led his team one win shy of the NBA Finals.

Entering this season, George will look to continue last year’s success and bring the Pacers to the next level. He will still be solid on offense but he will make sure he improves on defense.

His game has improved in the last two years, and at the tender age of 23, the best is yet to come from George.

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