Kobe or King James to be top dog this term?(credit:
RMTip21)
LeBron James took over as the NBA Regular Season MVP from Kobe Bryant last season and the Cleveland Cavaliers star looks a worthy favourite to top the polls again this term.
If it came down to a choice between picking one of these hoops legends to play in a one-off match, I don't think there's much doubt that most people would still choose Los Angeles Lakers guard Bryant to be on their side.
However, the votes for this award are cast before the play-offs get underway and the feeling is that King James is younger, fitter and hungrier for success during the regular season.
Last term Bryant averaged 26.8 points per game in this period, before then stepping up a level to 30.2 in the post-season marquee matches.
At 31, it is unlikely Bryant will want to put too many more unnecessary miles on the clock early on and Lakers assistant coach Jim Cleamons has given a clear indication of where their priorities lie.
“If Kobe can give us the same performance as last year, great, but sometimes more can be less in terms of point production," Cleamons told the club's official website at nba.com.
"Everyone knows what a wonderful scorer he is, but when he sees those double teams and with the players that we can now put around him that can score very well, that will lead to more assists and not as many points.
"Kobe’s minutes may also go down in that case and keep his legs fresher for the play-offs."
James, on the other hand, will not be 25 until the turn of the year and is far more likely to put in the hard yards throughout the regular season.
He was named NBA Player of the Month four times last term, becoming only the second man to achieve that feat after Kevin Garnett in 2003-04.
As a testimony to his all-round ability, King James also became the fourth player in NBA history to lead his team in all five major statistical categories (total points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks).
James is 5/2 with Betfred to bag the NBA Most Valuable Player Award again this time, while Kobe Bryant can be backed at 10/3 with that firm.
Dwayne Wade is 13/2 to top the voting with Blue Square, who offer 9/1 for Dwight Howard and 11/1 Chris Paul.