Who/What is the 2008 NBA MVP?

With the NBA season drawing to a close it's time for the inevitable question we ask this time each year, "Who is this year's MVP?" and more importantly, what the heck makes someone the MVP? The NBA MVP award is a bit of an enigma, for some reason people have a hard time agreeing what exactly the MVP should accomplish during the season. Is it the best player on the best team? As was the case the last three years with Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki? Is it the single most dominant player? Such as Shaq, Kobe and Lebron over the last few seasons? Or is it some combination of these factors along with additional intangibles? Whatever makes a player your MVP there is probably only a small pool of players left that satisfy any traditional criteria, so let's take a look and see what case each can make to win this year's award.

Kobe Bryant
The best player on a team that will probably finish in one of the top three seeds in the ultra competitive Western Conference, Kobe is widely regarded as, "the best" player in the NBA this year. He is a fan favorite and a clutch performer but with late season struggles and no one dominant statistical category it may be tough to make a case for Kobe. Despite this he'd probably win the award if it was given today.

Chris Paul
A dynamic young point guard, Paul has carried--along with David West--the Hornets to the top of the Western Conference and could very well secure home court throughout the Western Conference playoffs. Few other players have done so much with so little around them and if he wins no one will question the decision as long as the Hornets make noise in the playoffs.

LeBron James
If there is anyone who has elevated his team more than LeBron they don't play in the NBA. The Cavs are a terrible team without LeBron and a four seed with him so his impact is undeniable. He is the only player capable of challenging Kobe for the best player in the NBA title as well so he makes a strong case to be this year's MVP. The only pitfall is that he is only a four seed in the weak Eastern Conference and would be nothing more than an also ran in the West.

Kevin Garnett
The best player on the best team in the NBA, Garnett has turned the Celtics completely around in only one season with some help from Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. The Celtics success is Garnett's greatest asset in the race because his individual numbers are not fantastic. He is a long shot in the race but he has to be considered the strongest candidate outside of the previous three players.

The Field
Several other players have no chance of winning the award but have merited some mention in the discussion. Amare Stoudemire has been spectacular for most of the season for the Suns this year, helping turn the Shaq-periment into a success for the time being. Tracy McGrady has displayed his impact on the Rockets by helping them to 22 straight wins earlier this year. His early season struggles and late season fade, however, will keep him from hoisting the trophy. Kevin Garnett's Celtic teammate Paul Pierce has drawn praise for his pivotal contribution to the team's success but again he'll lose out because he's not even the best player on his own team.

However you define the MVP award, there are plenty of people who are voting on the award that disagree with you. This makes the NBA one of the most interesting, and yet, meaningless regular season awards in all of pro sports. Despite this, they are still going to give the award to someone in a few weeks so we might as well sit back and enjoy the show as the top contenders try to make their final pushes.