It's good to be king

I hear everyone talking about how Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash is far and away the MVP of the NBA's first half. Sportswriters, broadcasters, even my friends are all telling me how great he is and how no one can compete with him right now for that award. Guys, aren't you forgetting someone? \nLeBron James is having the best season of anyone in the NBA. Don't believe me? Look at the stats. LeBron (which, of course, is French for "The Bron") is seventh in the league in points per game with 25.3, fourth in assists with 7.6 per game and second in steals with 2.34 per game. Oh yeah, and he's also averaging 7.2 rebounds and is fourth in the league in minutes per game with 41.5, which is about seven minutes more than Nash averages. \nBut want to know the most amazing thing about this season for King James? He has the Cleveland Cavaliers (yes those Cavaliers) only 0.5 games behind the Detroit Pistons for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. \nIf you want to argue that Nash has done more without considering statistics, I still say you're wrong. Nash has players around him who were already stars in Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire. The Suns might at least make the playoffs without Nash and his Sheryl Crow-like hairdo, while James is left with B-level talent that he has helped make better. I mean, without LeBron, who on that roster would lead the Cavs to the playoffs? Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Robert "Tractor" Traylor? LeBron James is without a doubt the league's MVP to this point in the season; there should be no argument or questions about it. \nWhat's even more amazing about this kid is that he's barely 20 years old. Only two years removed from his senior prom, he has taken his franchise from a perennial doormat to a serious contender. When you look at what has happened to the rest of the "sure-fire stars" from his draft class, his progress is even more stunning. \nNo. 3 pick Carmelo Anthony's scoring is down this year, and critics have openly questioned his work ethic and character.\nThanks to Larry Brown's coaching prowess, No. 2 pick Darko Milicic is being groomed for a career as the world's tallest pizza delivery boy. \nJames also sets an example for the rest of the guys on his team. He has missed only two games this season, despite having a sprained ankle and a badly bruised orbital bone around his left eye. \nWatching him play is really something. He's like a combination of Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson ... without the gambling or sleeping around. \nHe has Jordan's athletic ability, creativity and scoring prowess, yet he gets his teammates involved like only Magic could do: by improving their ability, fostering chemistry and becoming a leader along the way. I mean, honestly, do you think Drew Gooden is going to make trouble in the locker room when his scoring is up three points per game and he's playing for a title contender? \nAnd what about the nonbelievers within the league? Carlos Boozer had a chance to sign a long-term deal with the Cavs but chose to stab them in the back and go to Utah. Is he nuts? He left Cleveland, the home of the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, to move to Salt Lake City, where it's illegal to have any fun at all, let alone play music.\nBoozer gave up a chance to be Pippen to LeBron's Jordan all so he could be overshadowed by a Russian guy with a mohawk on a last place team. Nice work, Carlos, glad to see that Duke education is helping you make smart decisions in the real world. \nMaybe a guy in his second year shouldn't win the MVP award simply because he hasn't established himself for long enough. But if anyone is going to change the way people think about the NBA, it's going to be LeBron James. \nStill need more proof? Just watch him play sometime.