1. Derrick Rose Chicago Bulls	G	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	STL	BLK	RPG	AST	PTS	PER
		75	37.5	.441	.334	.854	1.1	0.6	4.2	7.9	25.1	23.7
	He is on pace to become the youngest most valuable player ever (22 years old) and is currently the only player in the top 10 in scoring and assists in the league. (Last week: 1 | Team record: 56-20)

	2. Dwight Howard Orlando Magic	G	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	STL	BLK	RPG	AST	PTS	PER
		74	37.8	.597	.000	.591	1.3	2.4	14.2	1.3	23.2	26.3
	Howard is on pace to become just the 10th player in NBA history to finish in the top 10 in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots and field goal percentage. (Last week: 3 | Team record: 48-29)

	3. LeBron James Miami Heat	G	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	STL	BLK	RPG	AST	PTS	PER
		75	38.7	.510	.328	.759	1.5	0.6	7.5	7.0	26.6	27.2
	Maybe it is time for the NBA to steal a page from the NFL and award both an offensive player of the year (LeBron) and most valuable player (D-Rose). (Last week: 2 | Team record: 54-23)

	4. Kobe Bryant Los Angeles Lakers	G	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	STL	BLK	RPG	AST	PTS	PER
		76	33.9	.452	.317	.827	1.2	0.1	5.2	4.8	25.2	24.0
	The Lakers have the league's best record since the All-Star break (17 wins, two losses), with Bryant, as usual, doing most of the heavy lifting. (Last week: 4 | Team record: 55-21)

	5. Dirk Nowitzki Dallas Mavericks	G	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	STL	BLK	RPG	AST	PTS	PER
		68	34.3	.518	.399	.889	0.5	0.6	7.0	2.5	23.0	23.5
	Dirk and Co. seem to be slipping at a time when most teams are hitting their stride in time for the playoffs. Dallas is just 8-8 in its past 16 games. (Last week: 5 | Team record: 53-24)

	6. Kevin Durant Oklahoma City Thunder	G	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	STL	BLK	RPG	AST	PTS	PER
		72	39.2	.461	.355	.880	1.1	1.0	6.8	2.8	27.7	23.7
	Along with his sidekick Russell Westbrook, Durant, the league's leading scorer, has led the Thunder (fourth in the West) to 50 wins for the second straight season. (Last week: 6 | Team record: 50-26)

	7. Dwyane Wade Miami Heat	G	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	STL	BLK	RPG	AST	PTS	PER
		73	37.2	.500	.312	.750	1.5	1.1	6.5	4.5	25.7	25.7
	With the Heat battling against the Celtics for the second seed in the East, now is not a good time for Wade (sore right quadriceps) to be banged up. (Last week: 7 | Team record: 54-23)

	8. LaMarcus Aldridge Portland Trail Blazers	G	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	STL	BLK	RPG	AST	PTS	PER
		77	39.7	.501	.174	.786	1.0	1.1	8.6	2.1	22.0	21.6
	Nate McMillan deserves coach of the year consideration for keeping the Blazers afloat despite their rash of injuries, but Aldridge was the glue who held it all together. (Last week: 8 | Team record: 45-32)

	9. Chris Paul New Orleans Hornets	G	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	STL	BLK	RPG	AST	PTS	PER
		75	36.2	.469	.392	.883	2.4	0.1	4.1	9.8	16.1	24.3
	CP3 is on this list because without their All-Star point guard, the Hornets would probably be headed to the Draft Lottery instead of a first-round playoff date. (Last week: 9 | Team record: 44-33)

	10. Manu Ginobili San Antonio Spurs	G	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	STL	BLK	RPG	AST	PTS	PER
		76	30.8	.428	.346	.867	1.6	0.3	3.8	5.0	17.6	21.6
	Judging by how far down Ginobili is on this list, I guess the best player on the league's best team rule is not in affect for this season. (Last week: 10 | Team record: 58-19)

Previous: Feb. 1 | Feb. 8 | Feb. 15 | March 1 | March 8 | March 15 | March 22 | March 29

Love

1. Kevin Love, Timberwolves: The double-double streak, the rebounding title, the increase in scoring. ... Love put together a season to remember.

2. LaMarcus Aldridge, Blazers: He took the leap from good player to All-Star caliber, has shown that Brandon Roy isn't the only Portland player that deserves the ball at crunch time and has taken on more of a leadership role.

3. Russell Westbrook, Thunder: For most of the season, he was a better MVP candidate that his superstar teammate Kevin Durant.

4. Dorell Wright, Warriors: He leads the league with 183 3-pointers, in addition to increasing his scoring average by more than nine points.

5. (tie) Eric Gordon, Clippers and Kyle Lowry, Rockets: Gordon averages a team-high 22.9 points and 1.16 steals per game for the Clippers.

Houston's Aaron Brooks won the MIP a season ago. In a bit of irony, Brooks' injury opened the door for Lowry to put together his own career season.

Howard

1. Dwight Howard, Magic: D12 has recorded at least 1,000 rebounds and 100 blocked shots in six consecutive seasons, second only to Moses Malone, who accomplished the feat seven times.

2. Kevin Garnett, Celtics: Rajon Rondo is second in the Association in steals, but the reason Boston has the top-ranked defense starts and stops with KG.

3. Andrew Bogut, Bucks: He has a narrow lead, 2.6 to 2.45, over Washington's Javale McGee for the shot-blocking title.

4. Grant Hills, Suns: The Suns aren't going to the playoffs, but don't blame Hill, who has excelled at locking down the opponent's best player on a nightly basis.

5. Luol Deng, Bulls: Chicago's Tom Thibodeau and Derrick Rose will probably bring home some postseason accolades, but Deng deserves first-team all-defensive honors for the work he has done for Chicago's second-ranked D.

Odom

1. Lamar Odom, Lakers: The race for sixth man honors between Odom and the Mavericks' Jason Terry was dead even until Odom put on a show while leading the Lakers past the Mavs on national television last week.

2. Jason Terry, Mavs: Terry picked the wrong time to hit a slump, scoring in single digits in three of his past four games for Dallas, which has dropped three in a row.

3. Glen Davis, Celtics: While LO and JET are clearly the top two candidates, Davis should be applauded for what he has brought off the pine on a nightly basis for the Celtics (11.8 points and 5.6 rebounds a game).

4. Thaddeus Young, Sixers: The 76ers have been one of the biggest surprises of the season. Nets coach Avery Johnson knows why.

"If he didn't have the type of year he's having, I don't think they'd be a playoff team," Johnson said. "I think he's kind of the MVP of the team because of the bind that he puts you in. You go small on him, he can post you up. You go big on him, he isolates you. Much improved jump shooter."

5. (tie) Marcin Gortat, Suns and Jamal Crawford, Hawks: Gortat's 22 double-doubles are second to Odom for players who qualify for the sixth man award.

Although his numbers are down from a season ago, when Crawford is in attack mode, he is the league's best scorer off the bench.