<p>His stats this year are mind-boggling: 19.8 PPG and 11.4 APG. They are even better than his MVP season last year. It’s as if this guy simply cannot be stopped, and his team is currently on a 14-game winning streak. If it were not for him, guys like Shawn Marion, Amare Stoudamire, Boris Diaw, Raja Bell, and Leandro Barbosa would be a bunch of no-names, perhaps 3rd tier stars at best. But because of Nash, all of them continually have career seasons year after year. Nash will never become a Michael Jordan because he lacks that explosive superstar quality, but even MJ never won 3 MVP’s in a row. I think Steve Nash is the frontrunner once again this year.</p>
<p>Close behind him, however, has to be Yao Ming. Without him, who would carry the Rockets? The increasingly unreliable (injury-wise) T-Mac? Luther Head? Dikembe Mutombo? It’s scary for Houston fans to think of their team without the 7’6" center. He also is averaging career highs: 26.5 PPG, 9.9 RPG, and 2.3 BPG. He is simply a dominant force on the offensive and defensive sides of the court. He has had multiple games this season where he scored over 30 points, got 15 rebounds, and blocked like 7 shots. He’s absolutely insane.</p>
<p>Distantly behind those two, I’d consider LeBron James, Carlos Boozer, Dwight Howard, and Dirk Nowitzki. Carmelo Anthony forfeited any chance of an accolade this year with his part in the Knicks-Nuggets fight.</p>