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As always, when deciding on these MVP rankings, we factor in individual player production (via both standard stats and advanced metrics) as well as team performance/success…
 
Front Runners:
1. Derrick Rose – Chicago Bulls (24.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 8.2 apg):
The hottest team in the NBA right now?  You could certainly make the case the Bulls hold that distinction.  Chicago is riding a six-game winning streak and are 9-1 over their last 10.  Despite playing without key pieces for various stretches, the Bulls are 34-14, thanks primarily to Derrick Rose, who has powered Chicago all season long.  On Wednesday night in Los Angeles, Rose poured in 32 points and dished out 11 dimes (versus just two turnovers), in a blowout victory over the Clippers – to snap the Clips 9-game home winning streak.  D Rose shot 11-of-18 from the floor (61.1%) and also canned four three-pointers.  It was the fourth time this season he has made at least four three-balls in a single game.  Over his first two years in the NBA combined, he had only one such game.  In fact, on this date last season, Rose had only made a total of four treys.  Rose’s ever-expanding range is a major reason why his scoring average has spiked this season.  The dominant performance in L.A. earned Rose MVP-chants from the Staples Center crowd - a very rare NBA-occurrence, especially in Kobe Bryant’s house. In addition, when the full NBA All-star team was announced Thursday, Rose was the only Bull on the East’s squad.  As a point of comparison, the Celtics will be sending four players.  The HEAT will send three.  Even the Hawks will have two representatives in the game.  The fact Chicago possesses one of the conference’s best records, yet Rose is the only Bull worthy of an All-Star nod, truly highlights Rose’s value.
 
2. Amar’e Stoudemire – New York Knicks (26.1 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 2.7 apg):
Amar’e is currently battling a few nagging injuries, which is an occupational hazard when your job is carrying an entire franchise on your back. With Raymond Felton wearing down (check his monthly splits – Felton’s PPG and FG% by month: 18.6 ppg & 36.7% in November // 17.8 and 33.3% in December // 15.5 & 29% in January), and Wilson Chandler sidelined by a calf ailment, Stoudemire has had to shoulder even more of the load than usual of late.  However, Amar’e has maintained his stellar level of excellence.  Nonetheless, in order to maintain his lofty status in the MVP rankings, the Knicks will have to right the ship and stay well above .500.  If the Knicks slip back towards mediocrity, STAT’s MVP buzz will fizzle out…  
 
3. Dwight Howard – Orlando Magic (22.3 ppg, 13.6rpg, 2.2 bpg):
The Magic have now lost four of their last six, with their only two wins coming against the Pacers and the lowly Cavs.  And recently, Howard’s free-throw woes have come home to roost as well.  Dwight was just 3-13 from the stripe Thursday night versus Miami.  Those 10 missed attempts from the charity stripe were more than LeBron missed from the floor and FT line combined. We know Howard is the NBA’s best defensive player and no doubt one of the most dominant forces in the league today, as his six straight monster double-doubles attest.  However, the poor free-throw shooting and immaturity (the mocking and taunting of LeBron James was extremely foolish) are holding Superman back… 
 
4. LeBron James – Miami HEAT (26.6 ppg, 7.2rpg, 7.3 apg):
If anybody still doubted that LBJ was arguably the most talented basketball player on planet earth, check film of last night’s first half in Orlando.  He was unstoppable.  He finished up with 51 points, 11 boards and eight assists in the Heat’s 104-100 win over the Magic.  Per Elias, it was only the 11th time in NBA history that one player reached those levels in the same game, and LeBron was just the sixth player to do it. The others were Wilt Chamberlain (four times), Elgin Baylor (twice), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (twice), Richie Guerin and Michael Jordan. Jordan and James are the only players to do it in the last 39 seasons…  Nonetheless, as I have maintained in this space all season long, LeBron has a multitude of factors working against him (he has won the award two years in a row, he has sullied his public image immensely, and he joined forces with another great superstar) which could ultimately prevent him from winning a third straight MVP.

5. Chris Paul – New Orleans Hornets (16.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 9.6 apg):
The Hornets had their impressive 10-game winning streak snapped last week, and now face the prospects of playing without their center, Emeka Okafor for a couple of weeks, but New Orleans is still 13 games over .500 (32-19) and are certainly in good hands.  Those hands belong to Chris Paul, who is once again authoring a marvelous statistical season.  CP3, who underwent major knee surgery last year, looks a bit slowed at times, but still somehow finds a way to guide his team to victory more often than not.  

In the Race:
Dirk Nowitzki – Dallas Mavericks (23.2 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 2.5 apg):
Early on this season, Dirk raced out near the front of the MVP pack – the Mavs possessed one of the NBA’s top records, and Dirk was both dominant and incredibly efficient.  Over Dallas’ first 25 games this season Dirk averaged 25 points per game while shooting a sparkling 56.2% from the floor.  However, Dirk injured his knee in late December.  The Mavs went onto lose seven of the nine games Dirk missed nursing the injury and when he finally returned, he was clearly rusty.  In fact, he has recently admitted he may have rushed back a bit too quickly.  In the 11 games Dirk played from late-December thru late-January, he shot just 39.5% from the field and averaged just 18.8 ppg.   However, Nowitzki seems to have regained his stroke and is inching closer to 100% health.  Over his last three contests (all Dallas Wins), Dirk is connected on 59.3% of his FG attempts and 91% of his free-throws.  Dirk has elbowed his way back into the MVP conversation.
 
Kobe Bryant – Los Angeles Lakers (25.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 5.0 apg):
{AUTHOR_BOX}One game after receiving some criticism for failing to record an assist, Kobe dished out 11 dimes in a win over the Rockets on Tuesday night.  He also scored 32 points (13-25 from the floor).  In fact, heading into last night’s showdown with the Spurs, Kobe was averaging 37 points and 6 assists, while shooting 52% from the floor, over his previous three games.  Kobe nearly notched a triple-double last night versus San Antonio, but he also missed 18 of the 23 shots he attempted.  Most importantly, the Lakers lost another game.   
 
Kevin Durant – Oklahoma City Thunder (28.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.9 apg):
Not only had KD been scoring at an incredible clip – he has also been insanely efficient – as this stat from the Elias Sports Bureau points out: Kevin Durant made 14 of 19 field-goal attempts (including five three-pointers) and 10 of 11 free throws to accumulate 43 points as the Thunder beat the Hornets on Wednesday. Durant was the second NBA player this season to score as many as 43 points in a game in which he took fewer than 20 shots from the floor. Kevin Martin had only 18 field-goal attempts in his 45-point game on January 5. The only other player in SuperSonics/Thunder franchise history to score at least 43 points in a game in which he took fewer than 20 shots from the floor was Rashard Lewis on Jan. 11, 2006 (45 points and 18 FGA).
 
Russell Westbrook – Oklahoma City Thunder (22.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 8.5 apg):
Often overlooked because he plays alongside the NBA’s leadings scorer, Westbrook has been a beast all season long.  He has scored in double-figures in 47 of the 48 games the Thunder have played this season, and he has dished out double-digit assists 8 of OKC’s last 11 contests as well.
 
Deron Williams – Utah Jazz (21.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 9.4 apg):
To say that the Utah’s season hinges on D-Will’s wrist right (shooting) wrist is not hyperbole.  Jazz fans got some good news this week when a specialist confirmed there was no structural damage.  However, Williams admitted that he "can’t shoot from 12 feet" and that his wrist hurts even when eh does that.  Stay tuned…   
 
Dwyane Wade – Miami HEAT (25.4 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 4.1 apg):
Last week we wondered if the migraine problems, which forced him to wear tinted glasses, would be an issue going forward.  We got an answer – a resounding ‘NO.’  Heading into Thursday night, Wade had averaged 33.3 ppg (61.5% shooting!) and 10.7 boards over his previous three contests.  However, he took another hard fall last night in Orlando.  Keeping Wade healthy for Miami’s postseason run will be of vital importance over the second half for the HEAT. 
 
Manu Ginobili – San Antonio Spurs (18.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 4.9 apg):
Manu and Timmy D were named as All-Star reserves last night.  Much like the C’s, the Spurs don’t have a true MVP, but Manu deserves props for a terrific three months of basketball

Rajon Rondo – Boston Celtics (10.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 12.7 apg):
Are the Celtics the best team in the East? Yes.  But whenever 4/5ths of a team’s starting lineup are named NBA All-Stars, it is obviously difficult to single out one player as the league’s MVP.