Blake Griffin goes up for a monster-dunk against power forward rival, Kevin Love.
Jeff Gross/Getty Images
5. Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks)
One season removed from an NBA championship and finals MVP, Dirk Nowitzki has begun to show signs of decline.
But while his numbers are down across the board, he is still putting up stats that rival those of his colleagues.
Dirk Nowitzki was robbed in the sense that Mark Cuban gutted the core of his championship team before the season began. As a result, arguments can be made that chemistry was lost for both Dallas as a team and Dirk as an individual.
He still put up exceptionally strong numbers, posting averages of 21.6 points per game to go along with nearly seven rebounds a contest.
You know you are witnessing a special talent when his "down season" will still land him in the top five.
The heart of a champion lies deep within the Germanator.
Rest assured that next season he will be back, hungrier than ever before.
4. Chris Bosh (Miami Heat)
With some championship hardware newly added to Chris' collection, he is no longer simply another face in the crowd.
Not that he was completely unnoticed before, but playing behind superstars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade certainly has detracted from his personal spotlight.
Still, much can be said about a player who has sacrificed personal statistics for the glory of winning.
Chris Bosh has complemented James and Wade perfectly, as he actively looks to fill the voids needed to be filled in order to win.
Despite being the third option, he was selected by coaches to participate in this year's NBA All-Star Game and posted averages of 18 points and 8 rebounds per game during the season.
Being the consummate professional that he is, Bosh has earned his spot among the best due to of his outstanding work ethic, efficiency and production.
3. Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers)
This placement is sure to have many Clipper's fans enraged, but after many debates and analytical comparisons, Griffin is a lock for the No. 3 spotâ€"at least this year, anyway.
The human highlight-reel was great this year, but in a very one-dimensional kind of way.
Chris Paul complemented Griffin perfectly in the sense that 'Lob City' lived up to all its hype, plus some.
But, until he develops a consistent perimeter jump shot from 15 to 20 feet, his inabilities will continue to hurt the Clippers offense.
During the 2012 Western Conference semifinals, I witnessed San Antonio completely collapse the paint due to the lack of floor-spacing caused by Griffin's inability to knock it down from outside.
Their offense went from Lob City to Brick City (with apologies to Newark), as the entire team was forced to rely on outside shooting.
S-W-E-E-P was the end result.
I am looking for Blake Griffin to add this essential missing element to his game, and if he does, don't expect to see him at No. 3 next year.
2. LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland Trailblazers)
It's hard not to feel sorry for LaMarcus Aldridge when you recount the events that happened to his Portland team.
Brandon Roy, the franchise cornerstone, retired early due to chronic knee problems. Greg Oden was released due to yet another medical setback. Aldridge underwent surgery for a heart condition from which he had since recovered. Coach Nate McMillan was fired in the middle of the season. Both Raymond Felton and Jamal Crawford never lived to expectations, and Gerald Wallace was traded away for a pick in this year's NBA draft.
Despite all of these factors, volumes can be said about a man who has chosen to stick by his team and show faith in the franchise that drafted him.
The team went from contention to lottery, promise to rebuild, but Aldridge still played this season as if every game were his last.
While both he and Blake Griffin put up similar numbers this year, Aldridge gets the nod, as he showcased a game that is much more polished and fundamentally sound than that of Griffin.
And if you teamed Aldridge up with a guy named Chris Paul, you can be sure that his numbers would jump in every offensive category.
Posting season averages of 21.7 points and eight rebounds per game, LaMarcus Aldridge has been spectacular on a nightly basis.
1. Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves)
Kevin Love has absolutely crushed all expectations that were placed on him when he was drafted, in 2008.
The former UCLA Bruin has turned into an NBA stud.
Offensively, he was off the charts this year, averaging 26 points per game while shooting lights out from three-point range.
And it only gets better.
Defensively, he was a rebounding monster, as he grabbed 13.3 boards per game. If not for rookie sensation Rick Rubio's season ending injury, Love would have more than likely been playing in the postseason this year.
It is scary to think that this man has only been in the NBA four seasons.
He is only going to get better, and you can expect him to challenge for this No. 1 spot for many years to come.
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