NBA MVP rankings: Week 1
ESPN.com editor Maurice Brooks (@MoBrooksESPN) continues his NBA MVP rankings countdown each week at Twitter and ESPN.com. To get your MVP comments on ESPN.com, respond to our NBA MVP Top 10 rankings using the hashtag #NBAMVP.
1. LEBRON JAMES, HEAT @KingJames

2011-12 STATS
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | BPG | SPG | PER | EWA* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 37.4 | 29.1 | 8.3 | 7.0 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 33.41 | 8.5 |
@NBAonESPN I don't think I have ever seen anyone play better than @KingJames has in the first 20 games of the season #NBAMVPWed Feb 01 23:39:54 via web
Matt Poulton
matt_poulton
#NBAMVP He may be the prince in the clutch, but he's a KING when it comes to the MVP. No one comes close to LeBron until crunch time.Wed Feb 01 23:42:17 via web
Jared Nothstein
JNothstein
@NBAonESPN LeBron James is playing exceptional basketball. Look at those stats. Those are insane! And yet he's still improving #NBAMVPWed Feb 01 23:44:53 via Twitter for iPhone
Gerard Ambe
agentgerard
"@Suga_Shane: LeBron's putting up the greatest individual season we've seen since Jordan in 88-89. #NBAMVP http://t.co/l3qAKI24"Wed Feb 01 23:48:29 via Twitter for Mac
Ants Amor Agarpao
yourboyants
Photo credit: Layne Murdoch/Getty Images
2. KEVIN DURANT, THUNDER @KDTrey5

2011-12 STATS
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | BPG | SPG | PER | EWA* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 36.9 | 26.8 | 7.9 | 3.1 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 27.00 | 6.1 |
#NBAMVP I'd still put Kobe over Durant, but Durant's team has the better record and he has a higher PER.Wed Feb 01 23:41:22 via web
Jared Nothstein
JNothstein
Photo credit: Albert Pena/Getty Images
3. DWIGHT HOWARD, MAGIC @DwightHoward

2011-12 STATS
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | BPG | SPG | PER | EWA* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | 37.4 | 20.0 | 15.3 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 24.02 | 5.2 |
@DwightHoward is carrying his team right now. Even when his team does horrendous he still produces boards and points #NBAMVP 3: great spot.Wed Feb 01 23:20:19 via Mobile Web
Emilio Gonzalez
Emiliobased
@NBAonESPN Somehow at number 3 even with one foot out the door. Dwight's impressive. #NBAMVPWed Feb 01 23:23:34 via web
Adam Mowery
ahmowery
Dwight Howard's MVP campaign will be decided after he's traded. We'll finally be able to see how valuable he is #NBAMVPWed Feb 01 23:23:15 via web
Rodrigo Vázquez
rod_vazquez
Photo credit: Fernando Medina/Getty Images
4. KOBE BRYANT, LAKERS

2011-12 STATS
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | BPG | SPG | PER | EWA* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | 38.0 | 30.0 | 6.1 | 5.4 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 26.53 | 6.7 |
@NBAonESPN man on a mission Kobe Bryant is placed perfectly #NBAMVPWed Feb 01 22:23:06 via web
Gavin Taylor
gavinsamuel
@NBAonESPN Kobe at 4!? I don't even like Kobe, but I gotta call disrespect on that one. #NBAMVPWed Feb 01 22:26:04 via Twitter for iPhone
Tony Parsons
Tony_Parsons7
Knowing Kobe, He is going to drop 40 the next game and then call out the ESPN #NBAMVP rankings like he did with the NBA player rankings.Wed Feb 01 23:08:57 via web
Sanju Zacharias
DrivenByTheHate
Photo credit: Jeff Gross/Getty Images
5. KEVIN LOVE, TIMBERWOLVES @kevinlove

2011-12 STATS
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | BPG | SPG | PER | EWA* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | 39.4 | 25.5 | 13.5 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 26.18 | 6.0 |
I've been saying off the air that K-Love will be an MVP candidate if they win a little. "@NBAonESPN: #NBAMVP 5: Kevin Love. http://t.co/ivlrd2Mp"Wed Feb 01 22:02:03 via Twitter for iPad
Robby Incmikoski
robbyfsn
The best pick-and-pop option in the game right now and rebounder. @kevinlove #NBAMVPWed Feb 01 22:06:29 via Twitter for Android
Damian Ciupak
DamoQupak
@kevinlove only No. 5 on the MVP race? I think he should be at least in top 3. #NBAMVPWed Feb 01 22:11:00 via web
Paul Rabulan
kythe21
@kevinlove congrats on being #NBAMVP 5! #twolvesWed Feb 01 22:58:34 via Twitter for iPhone
Cal The King
THEcalbrautigam
Photo credit: Andrew Bernstein/Getty Images
6. DERRICK ROSE, BULLS

2011-12 STATS
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | BPG | SPG | PER | EWA* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 37.7 | 23.3 | 3.5 | 7.8 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 25.02 | 4.7 |
Derrick Rose at #6? You can't name 4 players more deserving. RT @NBAonESPN: #NBAMVP 6: Derrick Rose. http://t.co/JKkiImruWed Feb 01 21:28:39 via SocialScope
Will Jackson/Chilly
jacksonWILL
Rose deserves to be 6th on the #NBAMVP rankings. His team is performing well but he isn't carrying as much of the load as last year.Wed Feb 01 21:37:14 via web
Zachary J. Loesl
mmm9731
Photo credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
7. CHRIS PAUL, CLIPPERS @CP3

2011-12 STATS
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | BPG | SPG | PER | EWA* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 36.4 | 18.1 | 3.3 | 8.9 | 0.1 | 2.5 | 25.90 | 3.5 |
Good position for CP3. #NBAMVPWed Feb 01 20:53:36 via web
Jeffrey Vilella
LeHova6
Wow, that's too low. #NBAMVP 7: Chris Paul. http://t.co/9E0CHDaIWed Feb 01 20:51:55 via UberSocial for BlackBerry
A Realistic Dreamer
MomentofGenius
Photo credit: Jayne Kamin/Getty Images
8. RUSSELL WESTBROOK, THUNDER @russwest44

2011-12 STATS
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | BPG | SPG | PER | EWA* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 34.0 | 21.3 | 4.7 | 5.8 | 0.2 | 2.1 | 22.81 | 4.0 |
#NBAMVP Westbrook does deserve some recognition despite the fact that, apparently, he is hurting his team by being too good.Wed Feb 01 20:32:10 via web
Daniel Calderon
xxDcMxx
Photo credit: Noah Graham/Getty Images
9. PAUL MILLSAP, JAZZ

2011-12 STATS
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | BPG | SPG | PER | EWA* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 31.8 | 17.1 | 9.4 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 25.51 | 4.2 |
"@NBAonESPN: #NBAMVP 9 Paul Millsap. http://t.co/T5hwzvKp"about time!Wed Feb 01 19:36:21 via Twitter for iPhone
Zack Partridge
Ridge79
if Paul Millsap is a MVP candidate it's probably too early to start ranking RT @NBAonESPN #NBAMVP 9 Paul Millsap. http://t.co/SdCRxtLsWed Feb 01 19:46:46 via web
Drew Jacobsen
DrewJacobsen
Paul Millsap is a beast!! He has been playing like a beast!! Well deserved. #9 is perfect. #NBAMVP #JazzNationWed Feb 01 19:45:47 via Twitter for iPhone
Wes
WesGolfer23
"@NBAonESPN: #NBAMVP 9 Paul Millsap. http://t.co/5VapZhFq" obviously won't win MVP, but completely deserving of all-star selection #JazzWed Feb 01 19:44:35 via Twitter for iPhone
Scott Stevens
slstevens3
Paul Millsap may not be #NBAMVP but does belong in this top ten. #undertheradarWed Feb 01 19:43:56 via Twitter for Android
Jess Patterson
Jesswpatterson
Photo credit: Glenn James/Getty Images
10. KYLE LOWRY, ROCKETS @Klow7

2011-12 STATS
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | BPG | SPG | PER | EWA* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 35.8 | 14.6 | 6.4 | 8.0 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 19.5 | 2.9 |
"Kyle Lowry in contention for #NBAMVP. Yesssir. #RedNation!"Wed Feb 01 18:59:09 via Twitter for Android
A Facts
hakunamaThato
Not mad at that at all. RT @NBAonESPN: #NBAMVP 10. Kyle Lowry. http://t.co/nzOJLQl7Wed Feb 01 18:53:06 via Twitter for Android
Mike
Six8thaGreat
Photo credit: Joe Murphy/Getty Images
What is #NBAMVP?
#NBAMVP is the Twitter hashtag to use if you want to get involved in the discussion or just follow along.
You can also follow along here: @NBAonESPN
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