Race to the MVP

It has been nearly 50 games into this 2008-09 season, two candidates have separated themselves from the rest of the pack in the MVP race. In order to better highlight their weekly accomplishments, we're going to separate them here too. We'll still rank and comment on every player one through 10, but with the top two MVP candidates, we're going to talk more at length about the week they've had and the challenges they face going forward.

That's not to say any of the eight guys following Nos. 1 and 2 can't jump into the one of those spots. They can. And if they do, they'll receive the same treatment. But for now, we're going to shine the spotlight on the top two guys. I think you know who they are.

LeBron James - Cleveland Cavaliers
Team Record :: 39-9
Last Week's Rank - 1
If there were any player in the league who could trump the reigning MVP, it is LeBron James, who has been our top MVP candidate for nearly 80 percent of the season. Two days after Kobe dropped a new-MSG-record 61 on the Knicks on Monday, James followed with a 52-point, 11-assist, nine-rebound night on Wednesday.

While LeBron didn't explicitly express his desire to top Bryant's epic total, he actions spoke far louder than any pregame proclamations on Wednesday. LeBron attacked the Knicks from the outset. He didn't do it with Kobe's flair or smoothness, his game is still too raw and more powerful than Bryant's, but he attacked, and the Knicks were helpless.

As for his other body of work, James has been extremely consistent. Only twice in the new year has James failed to score 22 or more points in a game and so far, his February (39.3 points, 7 rebounds and 7.3 assists) could surpass his historic January (27.5 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 8.2 apg).

Kobe Bryant - Los Angeles Lakers
Team Record :: 40-9
Last Week's Rank - 2
What else can you say about Kobe Bryant, his nearly immeasurable skill level, his intensity, his drive and his focus? Here's one thing: instead of rubbing his teammates the wrong way, he has rubbed off on them, especially on this current six-game road trip.

There was no better example of this than in the Lakers' hard-fought 110-109 overtime win against the defending champs in Boston. Instead of backing down, the Lakers looked the Celtics in the eye and did not flinch. Kobe's teammates are nowhere as talented as he is (heck, few players ever have been), but it doesn't take talent to gird yourself against an ancient, hated foe.

It takes confidence and guts, and Kobe's steel has given his young teammates a collective self-confidence they had not had in the past.Is that valuable? You bet it is. Is it the most valuable? We'll see. The Lakers get another stern test on Sunday when they visit the Cavaliers, who are undefeated at home.