The Most Valuable Players in the NBA Right Now

We're about 50 games into the NBA season, All-Star weekend is behind us, and the trade deadline is right around the corner. The second half of the season separates the real from the fake, the contenders from the pretenders, and any other cliche sayings you can think of. The 2012-2013 season has been a good one, so far, and we're looking forward to what the rest of the year has in store. Which leads us to question of MVP. There have been a couple surprises like the Warriors and the Bulls thanks to the play of Stephen Curry and Joakim Noah, respectively. There also haven't been any surprises like the Heat and the Thunder, thanks to—well, you know. For this list we included no-brainers as well as guys that'll take their teams far if they stay healthy and play up to their standards. We're looking at you Deron Williams. With that being said, check out our picks of the Most Valuable Players in the NBA Right Now.

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Team: Boston Celtics
Stats: 13.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 11.1 APG, 1.8 SPG
Salary: $11,000,000

Even though a torn ACL injury has knocked Rajon Rondo out for the remainder of the year, his 11.1 assists per game is still tops in the league and his five triple-doubles on the season has yet to be surpassed. As of right now, the Celtics have proven to be unaffected by the loss of Rondo. However, it's only a matter of time before the C's start feeling his absence. Just wait and see.

Team: Miami Heat
Stats: 17.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.3 BPG
Salary: $17,545,000

We joke around with Chris Bosh, but there's no denying that the guy is an important part of the Big 3 in Miami. After being the main man in Toronto, Bosh has been relegated to something of a role player since joining the Heat. However, that hasn't stopped him from showing the same intensity or playing with passion. If you ever wonder where he is on the court, just look for the guy hustling for lose balls or consistently hitting the shot when he's given an open look. Apparently, the numbers do lie sometimes.

Team: Brooklyn Nets
Stats: 19.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 2.2 BPG
Salary: $13,668,750

No Deron, no problem. With D-Will consistently struggling all year, Brook Lopez has stepped his play up on both ends of the court, helped the Nets to a 31-22 record in the first half of the season, and proven to be a better choice than that big guy on the Lakers roster (for now). If he can stay healthy, the Nets can make some noise this upcoming postseason.

Team: Memphis Grizzlies
Stats: 15.6 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.9 SPG
Salary: $16,500,000

The Grizzlies better hope Z-Bo can get them out of the second round after trading a budding star in Rudy Gay. Yes, Memphis was a game away from the Western Conference Finals without him, but that was two years ago. Now they'll be relying on Zach and Gasol to lead them to the mountain top. Randolph has always been a double-double machine, but he'll need to be more to make the Gay trade a smart move.

Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Stats: 23.5 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 5.5 APG, 1.7 SPG
Salary: $5,375,760

Peep that stat line for Kyrie Irving. Can you believe that's the work of a guy only in his second season in the NBA? And if that wasn't impressive enough, did you know that Kyrie is only 20-years-old? 20! As long as Irving doesn't "pull a LeBron" when his contract is up, the future of the Cavaliers franchise looks bright. And if he keeps doing this, Kyrie can be the league's next guy.

Team: Brooklyn Nets
Stats: 16.7 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 7.6 APG, 0.9 SPG
Salary: $17,177,795

OK, let's get this out of the way. Yes, we're watching the 2012-13 Nets regular season and we do see Deron Williams isn't the same guy he was in previous years. However, when Deron is on his game, Brooklyn is a hard to team to beat. If you're a stats person, here's one for you. Every offensive category for the 28-year-old point guard is higher in the team's wins compared to losses. It's no coincidence. When Williams is efficiently facilitating and knocking down his jumper, this team is more likely to win. What's more valuable than that?

Team: Boston Celtics
Stats: 18.5 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.3 SPG
Salary: $16,790,345

Paul Pierce isn't the same player he was ten years ago, averaging in the mid-20s in points per game. But for 35, Pierce is still posting impressive averages of 18 points, six rebounds, and four assists. How many of his peers can say that? Going into the second half of the season, the Celtics will need The Truth to be that much, and more with Rajon Rondo gone, if they have any chance at the playoffs.

Team: Atlanta Hawks
Stats: 17.1 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.2 SPG, 2.1 BPG
Salary: $13,200,000

If the Hawks decide to trade Smith, they'll be taking a nice, steamy dump on all of their fans. He is by far their best player and is the reason they're even in the mix this season. We're not saying Al Horford is chopped liver, but facts are facts. Josh could be difficult at times, if not all the damn time, but in the NBA you have to take the good with the bad. If traded, he can help out a ton of teams. Smith needs a new start, so he can finally turn into the All-Star we all know he is.

Team: Los Angeles Lakers
Stats: 16.3 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 2.3 BPG
Salary: $19,536,360

It's weird. Dwight Howard isn't too far off his career numbers. Howard's points per game are down from 18.3 to 16.3, but we should've expected that outcome, given the amount of talent on the roster. Plus, D12's rebounds are at a stellar 11.8 per game which is actually lower than his 12.9 career average. And let us not forget to mention that Dwight's doing all of this with a nagging shoulder injury and a back that isn't 100 percent yet. Clearly, it's the intangibles that are standing in the 27-year-old center's way because, statistically, he's the best anchor in the league.

Team: Boston Celtics
Stats: 15.1 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.0 BPG
Salary: $11,566,265

Say what you will about his intensity on the court or his unique ability to determine what cereal one of your favorite NBA WAGs tastes like, but Kevin Garnett is still an important part of the Celtics' success, even at 36-years-old. Case in point, since Rajon Rondo went down for the season, Garnett has gotten a double-double in six out of nine games, and Boston has only one loss in that same span. Coincidence? Nope. He's so valuable, there are rumors flying about him going to the Clips for DeAndre Jordan and Eric Bledsoe.

Team: New York Knicks
Stats: 11.4 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.1 BPG
Salary: $13,604,188

With a team consisting of offensive weapons like Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith, it could be difficult to see the value of Tyson Chandler. But the 7'1'' center does the type of things that don't show up in the box score. On the offensive end, Tyson shoots 67% from the field, the highest in the league, while on defensive, he's a force in the paint that steers many smaller players away from the basket, and he constantly taps offensive rebounds to his guards for extra possessions. In addition to all that, when Tyson is on the court and out of his trademark jorts, there are few players as intense as him.

Team: San Antonio Spurs
Stats: 17.2 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 2.8 APG, 0.8 SPG, 2.8 BPG
Salary: $9,638,554

Bruh, Tim Duncan is going to play forever. He's a robot, remember? Once again, the Spurs are at the top of the Western Conference standings and that's thanks to this guy. He has quietly been one of the game's greatest leaders, and 16 years in, the Big Fundamental is still going strong. He's almost averaging a double-double along with three blocks a game. We don't think they'll make it to the Finals, but don't sleep, especially if Pop is able to rest them without his pockets getting hurt.

Team: Denver Nuggets
Stats: 15.8 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 7.1 APG, 1.6 SPG
Salary: $2,544,529

Ty Lawson is the engine that makes George Karl's offense go. With the help of high-energy guys like Iguodala and Kenneth Faried, the Nuggets are fifth in the West and climbing. Ty plays annoying defense and once he steals the rock, he's gone. The thin Denver air makes it hard for guys to keep up with him. Denver will go as far as Lawson takes them. Who thought we would be saying that after they traded Melo?

Team: Miami Heat
Stats: 21.0 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.8 BPG
Salary: $17,182,000

Flash is looking like the Flash of old this season and that's a scary sight. Going into the break, Miami won 14 of their last 16, with Wade playing the cut while his wingman made history. But we all know who's the closer on that Heat team, and they'll need Dwyane in those crucial last second moments. If he refrains from getting banged up, Miami should make another trip to the Finals.

Team: Houston Rockets
Stats: 26.1 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 5.7 APG, 1.9 SPG
Salary: $5,820,417

The beard has gone to Houston and has made the Rockets a playoff team. He's no longer the gunner off the bench, instead he's the leader of a young Rockets squad with a chance at a bright future given the Houston front office's track record. Once he was traded, OKC was no longer the favorites to come out of the West. The current Thunder roster might've changed that way of thinking, but one thing is for sure; they traded away a star. Harden plays like an old vet. He seldom makes dumb plays, can handle the rock, plays defense, and gets into the lane at will. Just look at that stat line and try not to say: Damn!

Team: Los Angeles Lakers
Stats: 26.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 5.6 APG, 1.4 SPG
Salary: $27,849,149

Kobe Bryant is playing out of his mind right now. And to think, going into the season, we thought Kobe would've been able to step back a little more and let Nash and Dwight do their thing. Instead, at 34, Bryant is playing harder than ever, toning down on the scoring while dishing more often, and while his performances aren't racking up W's, it's hard to imagine where the Lakers would be without the effort that the Black Mamba is putting in, night in and night out. Possible cellar dwellers? Laugh all you want, but it could be true. We have faith that they'll get it together. If not for themselves, then for Dr. Buss.

Team: San Antonio Spurs
Stats: 20.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 7.6 APG, 0.9 SPG
Salary: $12,500,000

Tony Parker could've missed the 2012-13 regular season or longer, thanks to a piece of glass that flew into his eye from the Chris Brown/Drake bottle throwing incident. With that thought probably lying in the back of his mind, Parker is playing some of the best ball of his career, nearly posting career-highs in field goal percentage, points per game and assists per game. Can San Antonio continue to shit all over the Western Conference in the second half? Well, they should be good as long as they have TP by their side.

Team: Chicago Bulls
Stats: 11.8 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.3 SPG, 2.0 BPG
Salary: $11,300,000

Everyone wrote the Bulls off this year. Everyone except for the Bulls. With all the changes they made to their bench during the offseason, many felt like they would lose their edge. Not the case. Mainly in part to Joakim Noah's consistent play. The god got his jumper up and has been playing lockdown defense, along with a stacked stat line. Thibbs is gunning for another Coach of the Year nod, and Noah is cementing himself as one of the league's best big men (if he hasn't already). The Chi can rest easy until the prodigal son returns because they have another leader in Joakim.

Team: Indiana Pacers
Stats: 17.6 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.8 SPG
Salary: $2,574,120

At only 22, Paul George has a bright future in the NBA. In each season since joining the league, George's points, assists and rebounds per game have increased. Right before the All-Star break, the Pacers small forward showed off some amazing potential when he posted a triple-double (23 points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists) against the Bobcats. It's going to be interesting to see how George's role transforms when Danny Granger returns, but if both guys can play at the top of their game on the same court, they have a legit chance at being one of the best teams in not only the Eastern Conference, but in the league as well.

Team: Golden State Warriors
Stats: 21.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 6.6 APG, 1.6 SPG
Salary: $3,958,742

Steph has as much to do with Golden State's surprising start as head coach Mark Jackson. It's often said that the point guard is an extension of the coach, and who better to coach a young floor general than Action Jackson? The fourth year guard is probably the best all-around shooter in the league, shooting 45 percent from three and 90 percent from the stripe. He has also been healthy, only missing four games so far. The second half of the NBA season separate the men from the boys, but we'll bet money that the Warriors will play more than 82 games when it's all said and done.

Team: Oklahoma City Thunder
Stats: 22.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 8.1 APG, 1.9 SPG
Salary: $13,668,793

It could be difficult to play second fiddle to one of the best players in the NBA right now, but Russell Westbrook does pretty well for himself. Averaging 22.8 points and 8.1 assists per game, Westbrook is showing the all-around point guard talent that has made him and Kevin Durant one of, if not, the best duos in the league today. Oh, and don't underestimate Russell's offensive talents, did you see his performance against the Heat in Game 4 of the 2012 NBA Finals? Without Russ, we don't know where OKC would be. He can score when needed and can lockdown the best perimeter player on the floor.

Team: New York Knicks
Stats: 28.6 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 2.7 APG, 0.8 SPG
Salary: $19,444,500

Seems like only yesterday that the Donnie Walsh experiment was considered a failure. Melo was being called a ballhog, a loser, fat, ect., ect. Today he holds the Big Apple in his hand and has New York sitting 2.5 games behind the Heat for best in the East. Not to mention the fact that he and Amar'e are finally on the same page. Melo is second in scoring behind KD, and is playing like the superstar the Knicks traded a starting five for. If STAT holds up his end of the bargain and Carmelo keeps up his play, the Knicks can go far.

Team: Los Angeles Clippers
Stats: 16.6 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 9.6 APG, 2.6 SPG
Salary: $17,779,458

Chris Paul doesn't pose the physical threat of LeBron James or Kevin Durant, but don't let his 6'0'' frame fool you. Paul is deadly when he has the pill in his hands. With his ability to score on command while also dishing it when necessary, CP3 has pushed the right buttons throughout the season, leading the Clippers to the third-best record (39-17) in the Western Conference and possibly establishing a new world order in L.A. If the Clippers make it to Finals, David Stern should waive any and all rules, and enshrine CP3 into the Hall immediately, win or lose.

Team: Oklahoma City Thunder
Stats: 29.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.2 BPG
Salary: $16,669,629

The Durantula has made Melo obsolete. For the last three seasons, Durant has been and still is the best scorer in the world. He is unstoppable. The only way to beat OKC is to make Russell Westbrook beat you, which isn't a walk in the park, but it beats having to deal with KD pulling up from halfcourt. When the Thunder traded Harden during the beginning of the year, folks started to write them off. Ha! We're so stupid to think Durant would let such a thing happen.

Team: Miami Heat
Stats: 27.3 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 6.9 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.9 BPG
Salary: $17,545,000

After last year's championship coupled with the first half of the 2013 season, LeBron is truly the King. If he and the Heat continue their animalistic behavior, Miami is looking at two in a row. LeBron recently had a historic five-game stretch in which he shot a mind-boggling 71.4 percent from the field, scored 30 a game, and the Heat won every contest. Now, after getting slighted by MJ and being rejected by Kobe all in one weekend, look for James to kick everyone's ass from now until he retires. Heaven help us. Vaya con Dios.