1. LeBron James, Cavs	G	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	STL	BLK	RPG	AST	PTS	PER
		65	39.1	.503	.345	.770	1.7	1.0	7.2	8.5	29.9	31.8
	The last player to win DPOY and MVP in the same season was Hakeem ('93-94). LBJ's ability to guard multiple positions and jump passing lanes is why he'll be next one day. (Last week: 1 | Team record: 52-15)

	2. Kevin Durant, Thunder	G	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	STL	BLK	RPG	AST	PTS	PER
		65	39.6	.480	.380	.888	1.3	0.9	7.5	2.8	29.8	25.5
	If the 21-year-old, who is hearing MVP chants at home games, can leapfrog LBJ to finish first in the scoring race, he'll become the youngest NBA scoring champ. (Last week: 2 | Team record: 41-24)

	3. Kobe Bryant, Lakers	G	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	STL	BLK	RPG	AST	PTS	PER
		62	38.9	.459	.315	.825	1.7	0.3	5.3	4.9	27.7	22.7
	Leadership is part of being an MVP. The fact that Bryant, who has seven game winners this season, didn't retaliate after Pau Gasol's verbal attack speaks volumes. (Last week: 3 | Team record: 49-18)

	4. Dirk Nowitzki, Mavs	G	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	STL	BLK	RPG	AST	PTS	PER
		66	37.9	.475	.344	.908	0.8	1.1	7.7	2.6	25.0	22.6
	Of all the teams that could've snapped the Mavs' 13-game winning streak, I'm sure the Knicks weren't the first to come to mind. Dirk had 20 points and 12 boards but failed to prevent a slow start from his club. (Last week: 4 | Team record: 45-22)

	5. C. Anthony, Nuggets	G	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	STL	BLK	RPG	AST	PTS	PER
		54	37.9	.464	.329	.830	1.3	0.4	6.4	3.4	28.8	23.4
	After his 45-point (on 18-of-35 shooting), 10-rebound performance in a loss to the Rockets on Monday night, Melo now has a staggering seven 40-point outings this season. (Last week: 5 | Team record: 45-22)

	6. Dwight Howard, Magic	G	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	STL	BLK	RPG	AST	PTS	PER
		68	35	.611	.000	.607	1.0	2.7	13.2	1.7	18.7	24.3
	He is as dominant defensively as the players listed above him are offensively. "He can impact virtually every play that happens at that end," Stan Van Gundy said. (Last week: 6 | Team record: 47-21)

	7. Deron Williams, Jazz	G	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	STL	BLK	RPG	AST	PTS	PER
		61	37.1	.477	.373	.786	1.2	0.2	4.0	10.3	18.6	20.6
	He has 35 double-doubles, including five in the past six games, and after Monday's win over the Wiz, the Jazz trail the Nuggets by just two games for Northwest supremacy. (Last week: 8 | Team record: 43-24)

	8. Steve Nash, Suns	G	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	STL	BLK	RPG	AST	PTS	PER
		66	33.5	.507	.416	.940	0.5	0.2	3.2	11.2	16.9	21.7
	The last back-to-back MVP winner played his 1,000th game on Sunday. Despite all the mileage on his body, he is putting together one of his best seasons. (Last week: 7 | Team record: 41-26)

	9. Dwyane Wade, Heat	G	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	STL	BLK	RPG	AST	PTS	PER
		63	35.9	.467	.294	.761	1.9	1.0	4.7	6.5	26.5	28.0
	Talk about peaking at the right time. Wade is playing better than anyone, averaging 30.6 points, 7.9 assists and 5.0 boards during the Heat's current 6-1 stretch. (Last week: 9 | Team record: 35-32)

	10. Brandon Roy, Blazers	G	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	STL	BLK	RPG	AST	PTS	PER
		54	37.6	.479	.347	.781	1.0	0.2	4.5	4.8	22.3	22.2
	Those 14 games he missed to injury temporarily knocked him out of the top 10, but it is no coincidence that as his game returned to normal, the Blazers started rolling again. (Last week: NR | Team record: 41-28)

Nov. 17 | 24 | Dec. 1 | 8 | 15 | 22 | 29 | Jan. 5 | 12 | 19 | 26 | Feb. 2 | 9 | 23 | March 2 | 9

Brooks

1. Aaron Brooks, Rockets: I don't know what the Rockets' PR staff has in store for Brooks' MIP campaign, but his performance against Denver (31 points, nine assists, winning shot) is a good place to start. (Last week: 1)

2. Marc Gasol, Grizzlies: For some reason I can't write Gasol's name in this column without mentioning Zach Randolph. I wonder whether the Memphis duo will split the votes for this honor. (Both are deserving.) (Last week: 3)

3. Carl Landry, Kings: The third-year forward is averaging career highs in only points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. (Last week: 4)

4. Andrew Bogut, Bucks: The recently named Eastern Conference Player of the Week has 32 double-doubles this season. (Last week: NR)

5. Josh Smith, Hawks: I know what you're thinking: J-Smoove was pretty good last season, too. But how often does someone win an award for improving not physically, but mentally? (Last week: 2)

Howard

1. Dwight Howard, Magic: We all know what makes him special -- the rebounds, the blocks, covering teammates' defensive errors. When he's on the floor, teams just don't score in the paint against Orlando. (Last week: 1)

2. Ron Artest, Lakers: Critics say he is older and has lost a step. I say when he's dialed in, he's still the leauge's best perimeter defender. (Last week: 1)

3. Gerald Wallace, Bobcats: He may miss a couple of games with a sprained ankle. But when Wallace is on the court, he sets the tone for the league's stingiest defense. (Last week: 3)

4. Andrew Bogut, Bucks: I admit, I was late getting on the bandwagon of the Bogut-led Bucks. Now the league's second-leading shot-blocker (2.51) is a DPOY and MIP candidate, and I even thought about putting him at No. 10 for MVP. (Last week: 2)

5. (tie) Josh Smith, Hawks, and Anderson Varejao, Cavs: This video says it all for Smith.

Another game, another opponent -- this time the Celtics -- getting a firsthand look at just how dominant the always-hustling Varejao can be. (Last week: 4 and 5)

Brooks

1. Scott Brooks, Thunder: Oklahoma City extended its win streak to five thanks to a defense that surrenders 96.6 points per game. (Last week: 1)

2. Scott Skiles, Bucks: The Bucks already have won two more games than they did all last season. They have reeled off six straight victories and come out on top of 12 of their past 13 games. (Last week: 2)

3. Nate McMillan, Blazers: Maybe it's because Portland plays in the toughest division in basketball, but how come there aren't a lot of people talking about the red-hot Blazers, who have won nine of their past 11? (Last week: 3)

4. Larry Brown, Bobcats: Charlotte has won six in a row, already has established a franchise record for home wins (24) in a season and needs just one more victory to tie the franchise mark (35) for most total wins in a season. Not bad. (Last week: NR)

5. (tie) Lionel Hollins, Grizzlies, and Rick Adelman, Rockets: Neither one of these coaches has a team headed to the playoffs (the eight playoff teams in the West -- Lakers, Nuggets, Jazz, Thunder, Blazers, Suns, Mavs and Spurs -- are set), but both deserve kudos for getting their overachieving teams three games over .500. (Last week: 5 and NR)