It’s always nice to see new names mentioned among the top players in the NBA. And about halfway through the 2014-2015 season, some of the best players in the Association represent the new era of basketball.
From Stephen Curry’s dazzling performance in Golden State with the Warriors to former late first-round pick and roster afterthought Jimmy Butler in Chicago, some of the best young players are making their case for the top regular season NBA award.
Here are the top-five NBA MVP candidates as we prepare for what promises to be an intriguing second half of the season.
1. Stephen Curry, Guard, Golden State Warriors
Not only is Curry the best player on the best team in the Association, he’s the best player in the NBA right now. And in reality, it’s not really that close. Curry is averaging 23.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 2.1 steals per game. He’s also shooting a ridiculous 50 percent from the field (yes, he’s a point guard).
More than that, Curry ranks fourth in the NBA in win shares, third in win shares per 48 minutes and fourth in PER (Player Efficiency Rating). Taking into account standard and advanced stats, there is no other player as important to his team as Curry. With the best 35-game start in the NBA since the 2007-2008 Boston Celtics, Golden State is in prime position to win a championship. And curry is the primary reason for that.
2. James Harden, Guard, Houston Rockets
We have to give Harden credit for working on his defense and showing the initiative to improve on that end of the court. After being one of the worst defensive two-guards in the NBA the past few years, Harden’s defensive metrics now show him to be an above-average player in that category.
We already knew the ridiculous numbers Harden is capable of putting up on offense. He’s averaging 27 points, 5.7 rebounds and a whopping 6.8 assists per outing for a Rockets club that is currently in fourth place in the Western Conference and on pace for 57 wins. More than that, Harden is averaging nearly two steals per game and ranks fifth in the Association in total PER. With his improved all-around play, Harden surely deserves some recognition as the best player in the NBA at the midway point in the season.
 3. Marc Gasol, Center, Memphis Grizzlies
With Gasol back at full health, the Grizzlies are now among the best teams in the Association after struggling through and up-and-down 2013-2014 campaign. The team is currently on pace for 58 wins and would host a first-round playoff series if the season ended today.
As it relates to Gasol, he’s putting up some rather ridiculous numbers. The soon-to-be free agent is averaging 19.4 points, 8. 1 rebounds and 3.5 assists per outing. He’s also shooting 50 percent from the field and ranks in the top 10 of the NBA in win shares. With Memphis’ philosophy of looking for every rotational player to contribute on offense, Gasol’s numbers might not be as eye-opening as others on this list. However, it’s readily apparent that he’s among the MOST VALUABLE players in the Association. That cannot be denied.
4. Damian Lillard, Guard, Portland Blazers
A surprise add to this list, Lillard has upped his overall game to an entirely new level in 2014-2015. Not only is the former top-10 pick from Weber State tallying an average of 22 points per game, he’s putting up nearly five rebounds and 6.2 assists per outing. The latter number is stunning considering Lillard averaging 16 shot attempts per outing.
With that type of pass distribution, it should be no surprise that Portland boasts the second-best record in the Western Conference and ranks just outside the top five in points per game. If Lillard continues his stellar on-court performance in the second half of the season, he will get some run for the MVP award.
5. Jimmy Butler, Guard, Chicago Bulls
Yet another surprising addition to this list, Butler’s emergence from role player to star has caught a lot of people by surprise. As a rookie in 2011-2012, the Marquette product average less than three points and nine minutes in just 40 games. Then as a sophomore, he put up just 8.6 points in 82 games (20 starts). Heck, Butler’s performance last season was nothing to write home about. Despite averaging just under 39 minutes per game, he shot less than 40 percent from the field and put up 13.1 points per game.
However, something seemed to click for Butler this past offseason. Entering the second half of the season, Butler is putting up over 20 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals per outing. He also leads the Associating in minutes per game at 39.8 and ranks sixth in the NBA in win shares. While still a long shot to earn the award, Butler deserves MVP consideration.