NBA: The MVP battle

The latest rankings as we approach a spectacular Christmas Day schedule:

1) Kobe Bryant: Somehow, Kobe keeps finding new ways to top his previous heroics. Not content with the buzzer beater that sunk the Heat, the repeated the feat against the Bucks and had 42 points against Chicago. Who knows what he is planning for the next act. The Lakers are showing no flaws and a major reason is the way Kobe has integrated Ron Artest into the setup and brought out the best in Andrew Bynum.

2) Carmelo Anthony: The Nuggets dropped games in Charlotte and Detroit but Melo continued to shine, keeping his spot as the league’s leading scorer in the process. Whether he is in the post, pulling up for jumpers or driving to the hoop, no defender has kept him quiet this year. When Chauncey Billups limped out of the home game with Houston, Anthony took over and had a game-high 38 points.

3) LeBron James: The Cavs have some issues to address but LeBron is papering over the cracks with his stellar play. He is averaging 34 points a night from his past four games and Cleveland are just about keeping the Celtics in sight. James will need to be at his best again this week with clashes against the Mavs and Suns.

4) Dirk Nowitzki: The Mavs are putting together another streak and, barring a below par night against the Hornets, Nowitzki has been red hot. Playing nigh on 39 minutes a night, he is shouldering a lot of the pressure but 27 points and eight boards a night suggests he is handling it pretty well. Dallas have a tough run around the corner and will be relying more than ever on the German’s prolific shooting.

5) Dwight Howard: Eight blocks against the Raptors shows Howard is moving through the gears now, even if Orlando are sliding somewhat of late. He was the only Magic player to excel in Thursday’s humbling loss to the Heat and 18 points plus nearly 13 rebounds a night is a solid return. Those numbers will almost certainly kick on over the next few months.

7) Steve Nash: Losing a tight one to the Blazers was a blow but Nash still chipped in with 16 points and 13 assists. He led by example in important wins over Orlando and San Antonio and is generally so much more comfortable back in the high tempo offense. The key will be to keep that level going through until April and beyond for the playoffs.

8) Dwyane Wade: He might be shooting a career-low percentage from the field but he will not let the Heat slip down into the tight grouping in the East. An inspired 25-point effort against the Magic was the perfect response to Pat Riley’s comments and, considering Miami’s limitations and the output they need from their talisman every night, Wade is doing a fine job.

9) Deron Williams: Williams has definitely stepped his play up another notch over the past week. The 38-point night against the Timberwolves might have been in vain but his savvy ball-handling has kept the Jazz in the mix in the ultra-competitive West. The Williams-Carlos Boozer combination has been productive and the point guard is showing why he is among the league’s elite in that position.

10) Kevin Garnett: It is impossible to run this list without a Celtics player in the top 10. Their current run has been achieved for a batch of reasons – from Rajon Rondo’s continued development, to bench play and a total acceptance of roles at both ends of the floor. But nobody makes Boston tick better than Garnett and his presence this year, especially defensively, has made a massive difference.